BONTOC, Mountain Province – The Provincial Government through the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian (OPvet) will hold a series of mass vaccination of pets to mark the observance of Rabies Awareness Month this March.
March has been declared Rabies Awareness Month, pursuant to Republic Act No. 9482 signed on May 25, 2007, to build public awareness on the prevention and control of rabies through education and vaccination
Provincial Veterinarian, Dr. Rogelio D. Bagawi, during the flag-raising ceremony at the Provincial Capitol on February 20, 2017, encouraged dog owners to have their pets vaccinated at their respective barangays free of charge.
Dr. Bagawi said the annual activity is one of the many initiatives of the provincial government that has contributed to the rabies-free status of the province, with zero deaths from rabies recorded for five straight years now.
While dog registration and vaccination are the responsibility of the local government unit under Section 7 of Republic Act 9482 or the Anti-Rabies Act of 2007, many hard-headed dog owners still fail to get their dogs vaccinated and let them freely stray and roam the streets, lamented a member of the public.
Under the law, pet owners are required to submit their dogs for registration with the local government units, not to allow them to roam the street or any public place, and provide them with proper grooming, adequate food, and clean shelter.
According to the provincial veterinarian, owners who refuse to have their dog immunized against rabies are punishable by law and shall be held liable for all the incidental expenses incurred by the victim of their dog under Section 11 of Anti- rabies Act states “Pet owners who fail or refuse to have their Dog registered and immunized against Rabies shall be punished by a fine of Two thousand pesos (P2,000.00). Pet owners who refuse to have their dog vaccinated against rabies shall be liable to pay for the vaccination of both the Dog and the individuals Bitten by their dog.”
According to one of the pet lovers, “animals especially dog should be treated also as a member of the family, just like humans, and be given proper care and treatment through vaccination.
He added, “If the animals in a neighborhood are healthy, then we can consider that as a healthy community.”
For pet owners who want to have their pets vaccinated, they may coordinate with their barangay officials or go to the office of the provincial veterinary during office hours.
This effort on the part of the OPvet is also their contribution to the commemoration of the 50th Foundation Anniversary of the province this year.
By Alfred F. Macalling