LINGAYEN, Pangasinan June 21 – Of the total target of 188,192 dogs eyed to undergo anti-rabies vaccination, 65 percent of which or 123,132 dogs from various towns and cities in Pangasinan have been served since January.
This was reflected in the report released by the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian (OPVet) on the anti-rabies vaccination drive conducted by the provincial government — an intervention strategy which seeks to totally eradicate the prevalence of rabies cases in the province.
Provincial Veterinarian Eric Jose Perez said that the massive anti-rabies vaccination by the provincial administration is in response to the “Anti Rabies Act of 2007” or Republic Act No. 9482: An Act Providing for the Control and Elimination of Human and Animal Rabies, Prescribing Penalties for Violation Thereof and Appropriating Funds Therefor.
Perez said the provincial administration strictly reinforces its Rabies Prevention and Control Program, particularly on the financing of supplies and human and dog vaccines needed for immunization.
It can be recalled that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in a regular session tapped the OPVet to rev up its anti-rabies vaccination drive and information and education campaign among dog owners to halt the rise of reported rabies cases in the province.
Lingayen and Binmaley towns, Urdaneta City and other localities in the province which were earlier reported with most number of positive rabies cases via dog bite, have been subjected to a series of anti-rabies vaccination, Perez said.
Meanwhile, Raquel Palad, provincial report officer on livestock, said that the OPVet in partnership with the Bureau of Animal Industry mounted from May 22 to June 9 the massive anti-rabies vaccination in eight localities in the province to include Lingayen, Alaminos City, Sual, Malasiqui, Laoac, San Jacinto and Bayambang, covering a total of 151 barangays with 19,436 dogs given with anti-rabies vaccine.
On top of the massive anti-rabies vaccination, Palad said that district veterinarians of the provincial government, and municipal and city veterinarians constantly conduct anti-rabies vaccination in their respective areas.
“Analysis of the rabies situation in Pangasinan reveal that areas with high prevalence of reported rabies cases are those with most number of dogs that are not vaccinated,” she added.
By Dexter A. See