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Compulsory dog vaccination vs. rabies set in SoCot town

By Roel Osano

September 2, 2019, 9:48 pm

<p>Dr. Flora Bigot, chief South Cotabato Veterinary Office. <em>(PNA file photo)</em></p>

Dr. Flora Bigot, chief South Cotabato Veterinary Office. (PNA file photo)

KORONADAL CITY -- South Cotabato's veterinary office is set to launch this month the enforced anti-rabies vaccination of dogs in Tantangan town due to the confirmed infection among the animals in the area.

Dr. Flora Bigot, head of the Provincial Veterinary Office, said Monday they already recorded four cases of rabies infection among dogs in the municipality based on the animal brain samples that they submitted for examination.   

Bigot said the affected areas are Barangays Dumadalig, Tinongcop, Maibo, and Cabuling in Tantangan.

“We will be doing forced vaccination of dogs covering those in houses and the stray ones,” she said in a radio interview.

For the stray dogs, she said they will capture and vaccinate the animals using catching nets.

She said they assigned four veterinary personnel for each team, two of whom will be tasked to retrain the animal while the two others will act as vaccinator and recorder.

Since January, Bigot said they already recorded six confirmed infection among dogs and six human deaths due to rabies.

Three of the fatalities were from Koronadal City and one each from the municipalities of Tboli, Sto. Niño, and Tampakan.

The official said they will also continue with their massive anti-rabies vaccination drive in other areas until December.

As of the end of August, Bigot said they already covered at least 72,200 dogs within the province’s 10 towns and lone city. (PNA)

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