Shivamogga Deputy Commissioner R. Selvamani has appealed to farmers to have their cattle vaccinated against the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). He spoke at a meeting on the fourth round of the vaccination drive in Shivamogga on Tuesday.
As part of the National Animal Disease Control programme, a vaccination campaign would be conducted between September 26 and October 25 across the district. The Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry would administer vaccinations to all cattle. Vaccination once every six months is necessary to avoid the spread of the disease. “We should achieve 100% coverage during the drive. All officers should work towards achieving the goal. The farming community should cooperate with the department,” he said.
Registration
He also insisted that the owners of pet shops register their firms by paying a registration fee of ₹5,000 under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Pet Shops) Rules 2018. As of now, 15 firms have filed applications seeking registration. Doing business without registration will attract legal action. The DC directed the Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry to constitute a committee to clear the applications.
Shivayogi Yali, the Deputy Director, said the department achieved 95% progress by covering 5,54,010 cattle during the third round of the vaccination drive. At present, the department has procured 6,39,250 doses of vaccination.