DA Caraga intensifies responsible pet ownership
By Emmylou T. Presilda
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 5 (PIA) - As Rabies Awareness
Month kicks off, the Department of Agriculture (DA) Caraga has intensified its
campaign on Responsible Pet Ownership through the conduct of a Walk for a Cause
on Tuesday, March 1, here.
Rabies is a contagious and fatal viral disease of
dogs and other mammals that causes madness and convulsions, transmissible
through the saliva to humans. In more than 99% of human cases, the rabies virus
is transmitted by domestic dogs. It occurs mainly in remote rural communities
where children between the age of 5–14 years are the most frequent victims.
“Rabies is fatal but it is also preventable,” said
Dr. Esther CardeΓ±o, DA-13 Rabies Coordinator.
“We need to be responsible pet owners to avoid contamination of the
disease,” she added.
Republic Act 9482 or the Anti-Rabies Act of 2007
stipulated that pet owners are required to vaccinate their dogs, maintain
control over them and not allow it to roam the street or any public place
without a leash. Such is the advocacy of
the DA on its Responsible Pet Ownership campaign.
The government's goal is to make the Philippines
Rabies-free by year 2020. With four more
years from its goal, Caraga has already covered 62 percent of the dog
population in the region for vaccination.
“The DA is providing free rabies vaccination to
dogs throughout the region in coordination with the Local Government Units, not
only on March as Rabies Awareness Month but throughout the year,” Integrated
Laboratory Chief John Gamboa said.
Aside from advocating responsible pet ownership,
DA also urged LGUs to enact additional local ordinances that will strengthen
the National Rabies Prevention and Control Program. In 2014, there were already 53 out of 73 MLGUs/CLGUs
who crafted a municipal ordinance in support to rabies control.
Last September 2015, the Province of Dinagat
Islands has been declared as Rabies-Free in addition to the municipality of
Socorro in Bucas Grande Island, Surigao del Norte which was declared
rabies-free in 2014.
According to CardeΓ±o, the Regional Rabies
Prevention and Control Program is now working on the possible declaration of
additional areas particularly the city of Cabadbaran who has had zero rabies
incidence for the last two years. (DA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
