He is speaking as world anti-rabies day is marked today (28).

Rabies prevention programme’s Dr. Ruvini Pimburage said their aim was to end rabies deaths by 2020.

Steps towards that objective are the immunization and sterilization of dogs and other domesticated animals and quick medical attention for persons bitten by animals.

Sri Lanka has one dog per 6.7 persons of the population, whereas the WHO prescribed figure is one dog per 25 persons.

With a 20.3 million population, the country at present has 3.03 million dogs, she adds.