Any dogs running loose in the streets of Tijuana are being captured and killed, according to a published report.
The city's health department is trying to stem an outbreak of Rickettsia -- a tick-borne bacterium also known as Rocky Mountain spotted fever -- reported the San Diego Reader. Dogs caught in Tijuana are being killed without a waiting period for owners to pick them up, at the recommendation of health officials.
“If you have a dog, guard it carefully and make sure it doesn’t go into the street ... after Monday, May 18," the Tijuana daily Frontera reported.
A Baja California officials said that 1,600 canines in Mexicali has been killed.
The Reader reported that nine people died and five others were sickened in that city by an unknown illness. Officials told the paper they believe the culprit may be Rickettsia.
Chris Conlan, the supervising vector ecologist for the county's department of environmental health, said the issue is contained to Mexico.
"Not much on this side of the border," Conlan said. "The problem seems to be restricted to Mexico. Conditions on that side of the border are making it a bit more possible for a disease like this to increase in frequency."
Conlan said those conditions consist of the presence of many stray dogs and the fact that many of the animals in Mexico are not treated with any flea and tick regimen, as they are the U.S. He said he is not aware of the last case in San Diego County but added that local officials are working on developing a test for the illness in San Diego.
