China Kills 5K Dogs to Rein In Rabies

Chinese authorities killed close to 5,000 dogs in one city after five human rabies casualties, according to the official state Xinhua News Agency. In addition to the 4,900 dogs killed in the city of Baoshan in southwestern Yunnan province, 100,000 canines were vaccinated against rabies. Four people died in June and one in July, and multiple dog bites were reported. The Chinese government has often relied on dog ownership bans or orders to kill dogs en masse to control rabies outbreak. In 2009, officials in the northern city of Hanzhong reportedly killed 37,000 in response to rabies concerns.