The dog impounding team of the City Veterinary and Agriculture Office (CVAO) roams city barangays day and night catching stray dogs that pose danger to residents.
The CVAO headed by City Veterinarian Dr. Silardo Bested and Acting Assistant Head Dr. Gladys Bantog said they have two teams being dispatched in two shifts daily to sustain the 24/7 operations.
They follow a schedule covering the different barangays and at times conduct special and surprise operations to attend to complaints.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong reminds residents that irresponsible dog owners are liable under City Ordinance No. 19 Series of 2021 or the Responsible Dog Ownership Ordinance of Baguio City.
Ordinance No. 19-2021 penalizes dog owners who fail to properly perform their duties as dog owners causing discomfort to other people.
The dog owners’ responsibilities as enumerated in the ordinance are:
*They should only acquire and maintain dogs if they are capable and have the means to provide care
*Submit the dogs for mandatory registration and regular vaccination and maintaining updated records *Provide their dogs with proper grooming, adequate food and clean shelter and maintain human-animal relationship and provide good health management programs for their dogs.
*Maintain control over their dogs with the use of a leash when in public places and collect and dispose of their pets’ feces at all times.
*Take all measures to prevent their dogs from being stray or nuisance and report immediately any dog-biting incident and take appropriate precaution, and assist dog bite victims and shoulder all expenses incurred relative to the victim’s injuries.
The ordinance also mandates the registration of their pets with the CVAO or the barangay along with their mandatory vaccination. By Aileen P. Refuerzo