Circular No. 48/2009/TT-BNNPTNT guiding measures for preventing and controlling rabies in animals

CIRCULAR

Guidelines for Measures to Prevent and Control Rabies in Animals

 _______________________

Pursuant to Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases No. 03/2007/QH12 dated November 21, 2007 of the National Assembly;

Pursuant to Decree No. 01/2008/NĐ-CP dated January 3, 2008 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development;

Pursuant to Decree No. 05/2007/NĐ-CP dated January 9, 2007 of the Government on measures to prevent and control rabies in animals;

Pursuant to Decree No. 33/2005/NĐ-CP dated March 15, 2005 of the Government detailing the implementation of certain provisions of the Ordinance on Animal Health;

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development hereby issues guidelines for measures to prevent and control rabies in animals as follows:

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope and Applicability

2. Applicability:

These Circulars provide guidelines for preventive measures and disease control for rabies in dogs, cats, and other susceptible animals.

第二条 组织和实施奖励工作的支出水平，如政府第152/2025/NĐ-CP号决定关于分级授权和奖励领域的分权规定

These Circulars apply to state agencies; organizations and individuals in Vietnam; foreign organizations and individuals engaged in animal husbandry, transportation, slaughter, and trade of dogs, cats, and other susceptible animals.

Article 2. Interpretation of Terms

1. Rabies is an acute infectious disease caused by a virus affecting both animals and humans, resulting in very tragic deaths with characteristic symptoms. The main carriers of the disease are dogs (90%), pet cats (5%), and wild animals. When infected animals bite, lick, or scratch people, the virus is transmitted through damaged skin and mucous membranes via saliva. Once inside the body, the virus replicates and targets the nervous system, destroying neural tissue, causing erratic behavior and ending in death. After infection, the incubation period varies depending on the species, virulence of the virus, and location of the bite. In animals, the incubation period can range from several weeks to several months, sometimes longer, but typically before 10-15 days prior to onset of symptoms, the virus is shed in saliva, infecting people and other livestock through bites, scratches, and licking.

2. Pathogen causing rabies: Rabies in humans and animals is caused by Lyssavirus and Vesiculovirus belonging to the family Rhabdoviridae. The rabies virus in Vietnam has relatively stable antigens with little variation or mutation.

3. Diagnosis of rabies:

a) Microscopic method: Determining Negri bodies in brain tissue (In the brain of rabid dogs, Negri bodies may be present). Negri bodies vary in shape, appearing as small round, oval, or egg-shaped particles ranging from 0.5 to 30 µm in size, commonly found within neurons, primarily in the Ammon's horn, and less frequently in cerebellar cells. Negri bodies are a specific sign of rabies, and their presence in brain cells of sick animals indicates a diagnosis of rabies.

b) Antigen detection method: Identifying rabies through the detection of viral antigens in samples using techniques such as fluorescent antibody testing and inoculation into experimental animals provides quick and accurate results.

4. Viral resistance: The rabies virus has weak resistance in nature. At 56°C, the virus becomes inactive in 30 minutes, at 80°C in 2 minutes. The virus loses its virulence under sunlight and disinfectants at concentrations of 2-5%. Cleaning agents like soap can destroy the rabies virus at wound sites by dissolving its lipid envelope.

The rabies virus is mainly preserved in the bodies of infected animals. In dogs and cats, once the virus is expelled through saliva, it does not survive long outside the host.

5. Modes of transmission:

Transmission of the rabies virus between animals and from animals to humans primarily occurs through bites, licking, direct contact, and exposure through damaged mucous membranes. It can also occur through organ transplants from undiagnosed rabies patients. In areas with rabies outbreaks, excretions (saliva, urine) from infected animals containing high levels of the virus pose a risk of infection to other animals with open wounds. During the pre-symptomatic stage, the virus is present in the saliva of dogs and cats, so if a person is bitten, licked, or comes into direct contact with these animals, they are at high risk of contracting the virus, although the animals may not yet show clinical symptoms.

6. Clinical Symptoms:

a) Incubation period: The incubation period for rabies can range from 7 days to several months. Most cases develop symptoms within 21-30 days after infection.

For dogs, the average incubation period is about 10 days.

b) Clinical manifestations: Typically divided into two forms: furious rabies and paralytic rabies. In practice, many rabid dogs may exhibit both forms alternately, initially showing signs of furious rabies, becoming agitated, then transitioning to a depressed and paralyzed state.

Furious rabies: Divided into three stages

Pre-clinical stage: Rabid dogs display unusual behavior such as hiding in dark corners, being shy, approaching owners reluctantly or excessively, occasionally barking aimlessly, howling, restlessness, jumping and biting at air.

Furious stage: Strongly stimulated motor reflexes, aggressively biting strangers, overly eager when called by the owner, reacting violently even to slight sounds, scratching and biting the site of the bite until hair falls out and bleeding occurs. Dogs stop eating, have difficulty swallowing, fever, dilated pupils, thirst but unable to swallow, drooling, foaming at the mouth, restlessness, alertness, fear, random biting, easily startled, aimless walking, becoming aggressive, frenzied (2-3 days after onset of symptoms). The animal leaves home and usually does not return, attacking anything it encounters, including other dogs and people.

Paralytic stage: the dog becomes paralyzed, unable to eat or drink, with paralysis of the lower jaw and tongue causing the jaw to droop, the tongue to protrude, saliva to flow out, and hind legs becoming increasingly paralyzed; the dog dies within 3-7 days after the first symptoms appear due to respiratory muscle paralysis and exhaustion from inability to eat or drink.

The furious form accounts for approximately 1/4 of rabies cases in dogs, the remainder being the dumb form.

Dumb form: this is a type of disease without the typical signs of furious madness; the dog only shows signs of depression. The animal may be paralyzed in part of the body, half of the body, or both hind legs, but usually it is the jaw muscles that are paralyzed, with the mouth always open, the jaw drooping, and the tongue protruding; saliva flows profusely, the animal does not bite or bark, but only growls in the throat. This process progresses over 2-3 days.

Generally, the dumb form progresses faster than the furious form, typically only 2-3 days because the spinal cord of the diseased animal is affected by the virus, leading to early disruption of the circulatory and respiratory systems.

In cats: cats are less likely to contract rabies than dogs, about 2-3%, because cats are accustomed to living alone; rabies in cats also progresses similarly to dogs, cats often hide in secluded places or meow restlessly like during mating season; when touched, they bite strongly and fiercely, creating deep wounds.

7. Pathological findings: Rabies in dogs rarely presents typical findings. Only an empty stomach or foreign objects are observed. There are microscopic lesions in the Ammon's horn of the brain characterized by Negri bodies, which can be detected through fluorescent microscopy.

Chapter II

DISEASE PREVENTION

Article 3. Propaganda on Prevention

1. The Animal Health Department shall develop and implement the contents of the communication program for the prevention and control of rabies, and guide the Provincial Animal Health Sub-department (hereinafter referred to as the Sub-department) to implement the communication program at the local level.

2. People's Committees at all levels shall direct relevant agencies and organizations to disseminate information and propaganda according to the content provided by the animal health agency at the local level.

3. Mass media agencies, specialized agencies, and organizations shall organize the dissemination of knowledge about rabies, its dangerous nature, and preventive measures to households raising dogs and cats and the community.

4. Promote and mobilize organizations and individuals breeding, trading, slaughtering, transporting, and selling dogs and cats in villages, neighborhoods, communes, and wards to sign commitments to implement the "5 Nos":

a) Not to raise dogs and cats without registering with the local authorities.

b) Not to raise unvaccinated dogs and cats against rabies.

c) Not to allow dogs to roam freely.

d) Not to allow dogs to bite people.

đ) Not to raise dogs and cats that cause environmental pollution.

Article 4. Management of Pet Dogs

1. Responsibilities of Organizations and Individuals Raising Dogs:

a) In urban areas, densely populated areas, including rural areas (except remote areas), organizations and individuals raising dogs must register with the Village Chief, Ward Chief, or Neighborhood Group Leader to establish a list, and submit it to the Commune People's Committee for issuance of a dog management book. The dog management book must clearly record the date of birth; breed, sex, fur color; the date the family started raising the dog, vaccination times for various vaccines, batch number.

b) Must comply with the regular and supplementary rabies vaccination regulations set by the animal health authority.

c) Must regularly leash the dog, keep the dog indoors, and not allow it to roam freely or bite people. In cities, towns, and townships, when taking dogs to public places, they must be leashed, muzzled (for aggressive dogs), and accompanied by a person, and not allowed to wander on streets and roads, causing public place sanitation issues.

d) Regularly maintain cleanliness in the dog kennel.

2. Communes and Wards must have books recording the number of dogs raised, breeds. Annually, in March, commune and ward animal health departments must tally the number of dogs and cats raised in their jurisdiction and report to district and county animal health stations to develop regular and supplementary vaccination plans.

Article 5. Surveillance of animals suspected of having rabies, infected with rabies, suspected of being infected with rabies, early detection of rabies:

1. The Animal Health Department shall be responsible for:

a) Developing a rabies surveillance plan at each stage; directing provincial Animal Health Sub-departments to implement surveillance activities; inspecting and supervising the implementation of these activities by localities nationwide.

b) Establishing a laboratory for diagnosing rabies at the Central Veterinary Diagnostic Center and regional veterinary agencies.

c) Collecting information on rabies, analyzing epidemiological data, and creating an epidemiological map of rabies throughout the country.

d) Collecting results of surveillance of animals suspected of having rabies, infected with rabies, or suspected of being infected with rabies from reports submitted by provincial Animal Health Sub-departments.

2. Provincial Animal Health Sub-department shall be responsible for:

a) Developing a rabies surveillance plan for animals according to the guidance of the Animal Health Department to submit for approval by competent authorities and organize its implementation at the local level.

b) Collecting surveillance results and reporting them to higher-level veterinary agencies.

c) Creating an epidemiological map of rabies in animals at the local level to advise local authorities on appropriate measures to proactively prevent and control the disease.

d) Organizing the collection of samples for diagnosis and surveillance of dog and cat herds suspected of having rabies according to the guidance of the Animal Health Department.

đ) Strictly controlling dogs and cats brought into the locality.

e) Establishing specialized teams to capture animals suspected of having rabies. Members of these specialized teams must be trained in capturing skills and regularly vaccinated against rabies.

3. District, town, city township, and urban district veterinary stations (hereinafter referred to as district veterinary stations) shall be responsible for:

a) Guiding village, town, commune, and ward (collectively referred to as village) animal health workers to monitor the disease in villages, hamlets, and communes: when they discover dogs, cats, or other sensitive animals showing unusual signs suspected of having rabies, they must immediately report to the district veterinary station; at the same time, they must require pet owners to isolate and observe the animals.

b) When receiving reports from village animal health workers about dogs, cats, or other sensitive animals suspected of having rabies, infected with rabies, or suspected of being infected with rabies, the district veterinary station shall promptly dispatch staff to check, verify, and collect samples for testing if necessary; at the same time, they shall guide the local area to destroy dogs, cats, or other animals exhibiting characteristic symptoms of the disease through clinical diagnosis.

c) Cooperating with the provincial Animal Health Sub-department to send staff to join specialized teams capturing dogs and cats suspected of having rabies and stray dogs. Staff participating in these specialized teams must be trained in capturing skills and regularly vaccinated against rabies.

4. People's Committees of villages, towns, and wards (hereinafter referred to as village People's Committees) where livestock is suspected of having rabies shall be responsible for:

a) Assigning village chiefs, hamlet chiefs, commune chiefs, and ward chiefs (collectively referred to as village chiefs), and village animal health workers to implement disease monitoring; maintaining records to track the breeding, movement, and rabies situation of dogs and cats, as well as vaccination results in the locality.

b) Supporting authorized veterinary agencies in organizing the collection of samples for diagnosing rabies according to the requirements of the veterinary agency.

c) Organizing regular or emergency rabies vaccinations for dogs and cats based on proposals from the district veterinary station.

d) Organizing the capture and destruction of stray dogs and cats when rabies occurs in the locality.

e) Cooperating with the district veterinary station to organize the prevention and control of rabies outbreaks in the locality.

5. Dog and cat owners shall be responsible for:

a) Strictly implementing veterinary hygiene regulations in dog breeding and following the guidance of veterinary staff.

b) Reporting immediately to village animal health workers or village chiefs when they notice unusual behavior in dogs or cats such as loss of appetite, high fever, or abnormal aggression. Seriously implementing the "5 Nos" as stipulated in Clause 4, Article 3 of this Circular.

c) Registering the number of dogs bred with the village People's Committee and local veterinary agencies; maintaining a record book to monitor the health and rabies vaccination status of dogs and cats.

Article 6. Disease Prevention Sanitation

1. Livestock Raising Conditions:

a) Owners raising dogs for business or training must ensure veterinary hygiene conditions for dog housing and storage facilities in accordance with Article 7, Chapter II of Decree No. 33/2005/NĐ-CP dated March 15, 2005 detailing the implementation of certain provisions of the Animal Health Ordinance.

b) Households may only let dogs roam within their premises, dog housing must be covered, isolated, have a dry floor, and meet veterinary hygiene conditions. In cities, towns, and densely populated areas, when taking dogs out of their premises, they must be on a leash, with a muzzle (for aggressive dogs), and accompanied by a person; dogs and cats must be vaccinated against rabies annually.

c) Each household should only keep 1 to 2 dogs for guarding purposes. In cases where more than five dogs (excluding newborn puppies) are kept, a report on the breeding conditions must be submitted and confirmed by the local veterinary authority to meet veterinary hygiene requirements.

2. Breeding Stock Requirements:

a) Imported breeding stock must be healthy and have a health quarantine certificate from the veterinary authority. They must be quarantined and observed for 21 days before being introduced into the herd.

b) New dogs and cats brought in must be reported to the competent local veterinary authority (the Village Veterinary Board) for disease monitoring, vaccination against rabies, and other inspections as required.

3. Transportation Equipment for Dogs and Cats Must Be Cleaned, Disinfected, and Sterilized According to Regulations.

4. People Entering Livestock Areas Must Follow Proper Sanitation and Disinfection Procedures.

Article 7. Annual Rabies Vaccination for Dogs and Cats

1. Compulsory Vaccination Targets: Dogs, cats, and other susceptible animals such as monkeys and apes.

2. Rabies Vaccination Schedule: A main campaign is conducted annually in March and April, with supplementary vaccinations in September and October.

3. Local Authorities at All Levels Are Responsible for Organizing and Implementing Rabies Vaccination Campaigns Based on Proposals from the Veterinary Authority.

4. The County Veterinary Station Cooperates with the People's Committee of Communes and Towns to Carry Out Rabies Vaccinations for Dogs and Cats in Villages and Towns.

Before the Vaccination Campaign, Commune and Town Veterinary Officers Coordinate with Village Chiefs to Count the Number of Dogs and Cats to Be Vaccinated, Set Appointment Times and Locations, and Inform Pet Owners About the Organization of the Vaccination Campaign, Time, and Location Through Local Communication Means.

5. Dog and Cat Owners and Other Susceptible Animals' Owners Must Ensure Their Pets Receive Rabies Vaccinations and Bear All Related Costs. Pet Owners Will Be Issued a Certificate of Rabies Vaccination for Their Pets, Which They Must Carefully Keep and Present As Proof That Their Pets Have Been Vaccinated Against Rabies When Necessary.

6. Apart From the Main and Supplementary Vaccination Rounds, County and Commune Veterinary Stations Conduct Monthly Vaccinations for Newly Emerged or Immunity-Expired Dogs, Cats, and Other Susceptible Animals. Dog and Cat Owners Can Bring Their Pets to the Nearest Veterinary Office for Rabies Vaccination at Any Time During the Year.

7. The Veterinary Authority Issues Vaccination Certificates to Dogs and Cats That Have Been Vaccinated and Does Not Issue Rabies Vaccination Certificates to Cases Where Owners Self-Vaccinate Their Pets.

8. The Provincial or City Animal Health Service Manages Rabies Vaccination at Veterinary Practices.

Article 8. Quarantine and Transport Control

1. The Animal Health Sub-department shall conduct quarantine on dogs and cats at their place of origin and issue a health certificate for healthy dogs and cats that have been vaccinated against rabies and are within the immunity period.

2. Animal quarantine stations at transportation hubs shall be responsible for:

a) Monitoring the transport of dogs and cats through quarantine stations; confiscating and destroying suspected diseased dogs and cats, and those without a valid health certificate when a region within the country announces a rabies outbreak.

b) Temporarily holding dogs and cats with an invalid health certificate from their place of origin until the owner supplements the necessary documentation.

c) Strictly penalizing violations according to the law.

3. When adjacent provinces experience an outbreak, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Provincial People's Committee) shall decide to establish temporary quarantine stations at transportation hubs upon the proposal of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to control the transport of dogs and cats.

4. Cross-border transport:

a) The Chairman of the People's Committees of border provinces shall direct all levels and sectors to strengthen inspection, control, prevention, and handling of illegally imported dogs and cats.

b) Border quarantine stations shall regularly disinfect all means of transport passing through the border gate.

5. The Animal Health Sub-department must monitor the importation of dogs and cats into the province and strictly handle violations according to regulations, specifically: dogs and cats imported into the province without a health certificate; not vaccinated against rabies; and dogs and cats of unknown origin.

6. Organizations and individuals violating quarantine and transport regulations shall be subject to administrative penalties and must bear all costs associated with quarantine and the destruction of dogs and cats.

Article 9. Capturing and Handling of Loose Dogs

1. The provincial Animal Health Sub-department shall establish a team to capture loose dogs, animals suspected of being diseased, and cooperate with local authorities to capture loose dogs in urban areas and densely populated regions. Daily, after capturing loose dogs, the Animal Health Sub-department shall detain them, monitor their health, and wait for the owners to claim them; destruction of dogs will only occur if no owner claims them.

2. The Commune People's Committee shall announce in mass media the location where captured dogs are temporarily held and the retention period after capture (72 hours).

3. Costs for the destruction of captured loose dogs shall be sourced from the local budget planned annually by the Animal Health Sub-department.

4. In rural areas where conditions do not allow for capturing and detaining loose dogs, the Commune People's Committee:

a) Shall continuously educate residents to manage their dogs, keep them at home, and prevent them from roaming and biting people.

b) Require pet owners to strictly vaccinate their pets and manage them to prevent them from roaming in public places.

Chapter III

CONTROL OF DISEASES

Article 10. Reporting and Handling of Suspected First Cases of Disease

1. When dogs or cats exhibit unusual behavior such as suddenly becoming aggressive and unprovokedly attacking people or other animals, the owner must immediately report to the nearest animal health authority or village veterinarian or village head; simultaneously isolate the suspected diseased dog or cat, preventing contact with surrounding infected animals for observation over 21 days.

2. Upon receiving a notification of suspected rabies-infected dogs or cats, the grassroots veterinary officer must immediately report to the District Animal Health Station via urgent telephone, followed by a written report detailing the name, address of the pet owner, characteristics of the pet, and other relevant information sent to the Commune People's Committee and the higher-level animal health authority.

3. The District Animal Health Station: upon receiving a report from the grassroots veterinary officer or the pet owner, shall promptly inspect and verify; guide the pet owner on isolation measures for diseased dogs, cats, and other animals, sanitation, disinfection, and sterilization, while informing the nearest health authority to enhance preventive measures against rabies for humans.

4. The District Animal Health Station shall collect samples from the first cases of disease within the district for testing, and immediately report to the higher-level animal health authority. Sampling and sample preservation techniques must strictly follow the guidelines of the General Bureau of Animal Health.

5. If necessary, the Animal Health Sub-department may propose to the Provincial People's Committee or the authorized County People's Committee to decide on the destruction of dogs and cats in the affected area without waiting for test results as stipulated in Clause 2, Article 13 of this Circular.

Article 11. Diagnosis of disease

1. The Animal Health Department shall provide specific guidelines for sample collection and disease diagnosis procedures.

2. For the first outbreak occurring within a district's jurisdiction, the District Animal Health Station must dispatch a specialized team to collect diseased samples, store them at low temperatures, and send them to the Regional Animal Health Office, the Central Animal Health Diagnostic Center, or laboratories recognized by the Animal Health Department for definitive disease diagnosis.

For subsequent outbreaks, if dogs or cats exhibit typical symptoms of rabies, immediate measures to control the epidemic should be implemented. Sample testing for disease diagnosis should only be carried out when necessary.

Article 12. Announcement of Epidemic

1. Conditions for announcing an epidemic:

When all conditions are met, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee shall announce the epidemic according to Article 17 of the Animal Health Ordinance, and simultaneously declare the threatened areas according to Article 19 of the Animal Health Ordinance.

2. Scope of Epidemic Announcement

a) If there is one or more animals infected with rabies and people have died from rabies in a commune, that commune shall be declared to have an epidemic, and surrounding communes shall be considered threatened communes, in a state of high alert for the risk of rabies outbreaks.

b) If five or more communes in a district are affected by the epidemic, the epidemic shall be announced throughout the entire district.

c) If five or more districts in a province are affected by the epidemic, the epidemic shall be announced throughout the entire province.

3. The provincial animal health branch adjacent to the province where the epidemic has been announced shall request the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee to issue a decision declaring the communes bordering the affected commune as threatened areas. All dogs and cats in these threatened areas must be vaccinated at 100%.

Article 13. Measures for Handling Outbreaks

1. Destruction of Dead Animals, Diseased Animals, Suspected Diseased Animals:

a) Immediately destroy dogs and cats that have died from rabies, diseased dogs and cats, suspected diseased dogs and cats, healthy dogs and cats that have not been vaccinated against rabies and were kept in the same enclosure with diseased dogs and cats.

b) Coordinate with the health sector to find dogs that have bitten people, thoroughly isolate animals that have come into contact with suspected rabid dogs (do not keep infected animals together), and urgently vaccinate dogs and cats in the affected area.

In cases of widespread epidemics: destroy all diseased and suspected diseased dogs and cats; destroy dogs and cats that have not been vaccinated without waiting for test results.

2. Sanitation, Disinfection, and Sterilization:

a) Sanitation: Collect solid waste for burning or burial; wash the floor and farming tools with soap water. Liquid waste must be treated with chemicals. Sterilize and disinfect enclosures, cages, farming tools, transportation, processing facilities, and related environments; handle leftover food and waste. This work shall be carried out by farmers following the guidance of local animal health authorities.

b) Disinfection and Sterilization: After cleaning, mechanical sanitation, drying, and sterilization and disinfection of the farming area, destruction site, or burial site of dogs and cats, village roads, alleys, public places shall be conducted. This work shall be carried out by the village epidemic control team.

c) Personnel involved in the process of handling and destroying rabid dogs and cats must wear appropriate personal protective equipment, receive rabies vaccine injections to prevent exposure, and undergo sterilization and disinfection upon completion of their tasks.

3. When an epidemic occurs, all dogs and cats in the affected commune must be confined for observation for 15 days, and all stray dogs and cats must be destroyed.

4. Organize epidemic control in accordance with Article 18 of Decree No. 33/2005/NĐ-CP dated March 15, 2005 of the Government.

Article 14. Vaccination

1. When an epidemic occurs within a commune, the District Animal Health Station shall review and compile statistics on dogs and cats that have been vaccinated against rabies and those that have not been vaccinated throughout the district.

2. The District Animal Health Station shall organize the vaccination of dogs, cats, and other susceptible animals that have not yet been vaccinated against rabies throughout the district. The vaccination rate must reach 100% of the total population. In cases where the owners of pets do not comply with the vaccination requirements for dogs and cats, the District Animal Health Station shall prepare a list to submit to the People's Committee of the district to issue a decision to enforce compulsory destruction.

Article 15. Control of Transport

1. The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee shall direct local authorities at all levels and relevant sectors to implement specific tasks as follows:

a) Identify epidemic areas and establish temporary quarantine checkpoints staffed 24/7, equipped with signs and guidance to avoid epidemic zones. Checkpoints must be equipped with sufficient disinfection equipment to handle all individuals leaving the epidemic area;

b) Control the transport of dogs and cats entering and exiting epidemic areas.

2. Healthy dogs and cats that have been vaccinated and still have immunity may be transported under the following circumstances:

a) Dogs and cats from communes adjacent to epidemic communes may be transported within the district;

b) Dogs and cats from breeding facilities and communes recognized as safe from rabies may be transported within the province;

c) Dogs and cats not falling under the provisions of points a and b, Clause 2, Article 17 of this Circular may be transported out of the district.

Article 16. Announcement of End of Epidemic

1. When conditions for announcing the end of the epidemic are met according to Article 14 of Decree No. 05/2007/NĐ-CP dated January 9, 2007 of the Government on prevention and control of rabies in animals, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee shall issue a decision to announce the end of the epidemic.

2. Immediately after the decision to announce the end of the epidemic, the keeping of dogs and cats shall be carried out in accordance with the guidelines of this Circular.

3. The Chairmen of the People's Committees of neighboring provinces shall issue decisions to revoke the announcement of threatened epidemic areas within their provinces immediately after the decision to announce the end of the epidemic in the affected province.

Chapter IV

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 17. Responsibilities of Central State Agencies

1. Responsibilities of the Animal Health Department

a) Develop the National Program on Prevention and Control of Rabies in Animals, to be submitted to the Prime Minister for approval; organize, guide, supervise, and inspect the implementation of the Program in localities;

b) Organize, guide, and inspect the implementation of surveillance plans for rabies in localities;

c) Conduct inspections nationwide on rabies prevention and control work;

d) Guide technical measures for prevention and control of rabies.

2. Responsibilities of the Livestock Production Department

a) Guide localities in implementing regulations on dog herd management according to Decree No. 05/2007/NĐ-CP of the Government dated January 9, 2007 on the prevention and control of rabies in animals and resumption of livestock production after an epidemic;

b) Develop guidance materials and promote information campaigns to educate livestock farmers on practicing environmentally friendly and safe animal husbandry.

Article 18. Responsibilities of Local State Agencies, Organizations, and Individuals

1. Responsibilities of the Provincial People's Committee

a) Direct the veterinary sector and related departments and sectors to develop programs for the prevention and control of rabies and the establishment of rabies-safe zones and facilities in the locality; advise the public to limit or refrain from keeping dogs; implement measures to control the dog population;

b) Establish a provincial rabies prevention and control steering committee chaired by the Chairman or Vice-Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, with the Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development serving as Deputy Chair, and representatives from relevant departments and agencies as members;

c) Strengthen and enhance the provincial, district, and commune-level veterinary system, particularly the commune-level veterinary network, ensuring adequate staffing and quality, fully equipped with necessary tools and equipment to perform their duties. Communes without a veterinary network should promptly implement Circular No. 1569/TTg-NN dated November 19, 2007 of the Prime Minister on the allowance system for commune veterinarians, Joint Circular No. 61/2008/TTLT-BNN-BNV guiding the functions, responsibilities, powers, and organizational structure of specialized agencies under the People's Committees at the provincial and district levels, and the management responsibilities of commune People's Committees regarding agriculture and rural development;

d) Direct the establishment of coordination mechanisms between the veterinary and health sectors at various levels in the prevention and control of rabies;

đ) Direct departments, agencies, professional bodies, and mass organizations in the locality to regularly implement information dissemination and awareness-raising campaigns on the prevention and control of rabies;

e) The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee shall declare the outbreak and end of rabies epidemics in the province according to regulations; decide on the destruction of rabid dogs and cats or stray dogs, or delegate such authority to the District People's Committee;

2. Responsibilities of the Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development

a) Advise the Provincial People's Committee on the development of the provincial rabies prevention and control program and annual plans based on the national rabies prevention and control program;

b) Direct the Provincial Animal Health Service to identify epidemic areas, threatened areas, and high-risk areas for rabies;

c) Implement and inspect the prevention and control of rabies in the province.

3. Responsibilities of the Provincial Animal Health Service

a) Directly lead, organize, and inspect the prevention and control of rabies in the province, city;

b) Provide professional guidance on preventive measures, organize surveillance of rabies outbreaks, establish stray dog capture teams, report outbreaks promptly, and submit annual reports on rabies prevention and control activities (number of dogs and cats, vaccination results, rabies situation, surveillance activities, and dog management) to the Animal Health Department twice a year on June 30 and December 30;

c) Advise the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to prepare budgets for managing and supervising rabies prevention and control activities in the locality, and submit them to the Provincial People's Committee for funding.

4. Responsibilities of District People's Committees

a) Establish the County Anti-Rabies Steering Committee headed by the Chairman or Vice-Chairman of the People's Committee, with the Leaders of the Agriculture Office or Economic Office, and the County Animal Health Station as Deputy Heads;

b) Establish a specialized team for rabies prevention and control, whose members must be vaccinated and trained (funding from the local epidemic prevention budget);

c) Coordinate with the Provincial Animal Health Service to direct the County Animal Health Station, relevant departments, organizations, and individuals at the local level to implement measures to prevent and control rabies within the county;

d) Mobilize forces to serve rabies prevention and control work, particularly vaccination and the destruction of sick dogs and cats;

đ) Allocate local government funds for the county's epidemic prevention work.

5. Responsibilities of the Agriculture Office, Economic Office, and Animal Health Station.

a) Directly organize the implementation of rabies prevention and control work in the county;

b) Provide technical guidance on preventive measures down to the commune and village levels;

c) Timely report financial needs, materials, chemicals, vaccines, labor, to the County People's Committee and the Provincial Animal Health Service;

d) Monthly report on rabies prevention and control efforts to the Provincial Animal Health Service including the number of dogs and cats, vaccination results, and rabies situation (if any) in the counties.

6. Responsibilities of the commune People's Committee:

a) Establish the Commune Anti-Rabies Steering Committee headed by the Chairman of the People's Committee, with participation from the Party committee, administrative bodies, mass organizations, veterinary, health, and agricultural staff;

b) Arrange a professional team to provide technical guidance, maintain constant presence, and compile information on dog and cat breeding, vaccination results, and herd management;

c) Direct the Village Chiefs to directly inspect and supervise disease conditions; coordinate with mass organizations (Youth Union, Women's Union, Farmers' Association, Veterans' Association, and other organizations) to raise public awareness about the dangers of rabies and actively participate in vaccination campaigns and herd management. Each village organizes a commitment to implement the "Five Nos" as stipulated in Clause 4, Article 3 of this Circular;

d) Establish a rapid response team for disease control comprising self-defense forces, youth, veterinary, health, and police personnel to destroy diseased livestock, disinfect and sterilize, monitor people entering and leaving the epidemic area, and guard at animal quarantine checkpoints;

đ) Direct the health sector to apply preventive measures for humans;

7. Responsibilities of commune veterinary officers and commune veterinary assistants:

a) Immediately report to the County Animal Health Station via the fastest means when suspected rabid animals are found in the locality;

b) Monitor and detect rabies down to individual households and farms within the commune, and promptly report to the Commune People's Committee and the County Animal Health Station;

c) Directly participate in rabies prevention and control work, directly administer vaccinations, and inform the health sector when unvaccinated or suspected rabid dogs bite people;

d) Directly participate in supervising rabies prevention and control work with livestock breeders;

8. Responsibilities of Village Chiefs, Ward Chiefs, or Neighborhood Group Leaders:

Directly manage dog and cat herds in villages, wards, and neighborhood groups; coordinate with village, ward, and commune veterinary officers to disseminate and guide organizations and individuals breeding dogs and cats to comply with Government Decree No. 05/2007/NĐ-CP dated January 9, 2007 on Rabies Prevention and Control in Animals and this Circular.

Article 19. Responsibilities of Pet Owners

1. Ensuring hygienic conditions for dog breeding; implementing measures to prevent and control rabies and other safety measures for people as guided by veterinary officers and local authorities.

2. The pet owner shall bear all responsibilities when allowing dogs to run loose, bite people, or defecate causing public environmental pollution. Compensating for health, mental, and material losses caused by their pets to direct victims and the community.

3. In cases where pet owners allow dogs to run loose and bite people or obstruct means of transportation causing accidents, the owner must cover all medical treatment costs. If there is a death, in addition to covering medical treatment costs during the treatment period, the owner also has the responsibility to organize burial for the victim and related expenses due to the consequences left by the deceased person according to Clause 3, Article 5 of Decree No. 05/2007/NĐ-CP dated January 9, 2007 of the Government on regulations for preventing and controlling rabies in animals.

Article 20. Effective Date

This Circular takes effect 45 days from the date of signature.

During implementation, if there are any difficulties or need for supplementation or amendment, please report to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for study and resolution./.