Dog, cat owners urged to have pets vaccinated

CEBU, Philippines - As part of responsible pet ownership, the Department of Agriculture urged the public to submit their pet dogs and cats for rabies vaccination and cooperate with authorities if these were involved in biting incidents.

Through this, they are contributing to the long-term goal of the national government of eliminating rabies come 2020, DA-7 rabies coordinator Dr. Teodoro Dabocol said.

The regional agriculture official further stressed that under Republic Act No. 9472 otherwise known as the Rabies Control Program, negligent pet owner may be held liable and made to pay the corresponding penalty to each offense.

Pet owners who refuse to shoulder the expenses for the victim’s vaccination and medication could be fined with P25,000.

A lower penalty of P10,000 will be imposed to those who do not closely monitor the condition of the dog that bit a person and another P2,000 for failure to inform authorities that his/her pet has bitten someone.

Failure to register one’s pet dog is tantamount to P2,000 penalty while owners are to pay P500 per unkept and wandering dog.

Moreover, Dabocol revealed that Cebu topped in having the most number of rabid dogs that bit humans, at 48 cases in 2014. Of the figure, Lapulapu City has 18 cases while Cebu City has 16.

“This is the result of massive campaign and information dissemination. Increased awareness meant people reporting biting incidents to authorities,” he said.

Other areas in Cebu with positive rabid dogs include Balamban and Talisay City with both with two, and Mandaue and San Remigio with one each.

Dumaguete has the most rabid dogs in Negros Oriental with four cases, followed by Valencia with two.

Tagbilaran has two and Tubigon one rabid dog.

The figures came from the regional animal disease and diagnostic laboratory in Cebu City where heads of deceased dogs that bit humans were forwarded by local government units through their veterinarians or agriculture officers.

Dog population in the region, Dabocol said, has no actual count as they base it on the formula: dogs are equivalent to ten percent of human population.

With this, Central Visayas has an estimated population of 465,000 composed of 340,000 from Cebu, 80,000 from Negros Oriental, 40,000 from Bohol, and 5,000 from Siquijor.

While cats can also be rabid, Dabocol said dogs are more prone to contracting rabies virus. — (FREEMAN)