Bicol
LEGAZPI CITY- THE veterinary office of this city is encouraging pet owners to have their dogs vaccinated and if possible put up animal pound at their backyard to make sure their pets will not go astray and prevent bite incidents.
This, as the City Veterinary Office (CVO) reported that pet vaccination rate has increased by 90 percent, equivalent to 21,056 vaccinated dogs out of 23, 236 registered dogs in the city’s 70 villages.
“The city’s anti-rabies vaccination or the high-density vaccination (HDV) is an annual activity of the CVO that seeks to maintain the status of Legazpi as zero-rabies territory,” CVO chief Emmanuel Estipona said.
Estipona said he will ask all barangay officials, including the barangay health workers (BHW) to remind their constituents to have their dogs vaccinated and to seek regular health check-ups for their pets.
The city also intensified its stray dog elimination program where 1,151 stray dogs roaming in different areas have been captured since mid-November to prevent not only the spread of rabies, but also vehicular accidents in public roads.
The initiative to eliminate stray dogs is part of the city’s Anti-Rabies Ordinance which obligates pet owners to register all dogs and cats at their respective barangay halls, as well as to have their pets vaccinated.