HELP DESK. Dabawenyos can report cases of suspected African swine fever to the Animal Welfare Desk in various police precincts. The first in the Philippines, the animal welfare desk was established in each police precinct in Davao City last July 2018. (Contributed photo from DA-11)
DAVAO CITY -- With the utmost threat of African swine fever (ASF), authorities here urged Dabawenyos to utilize the Animal Welfare Desk in various police precincts to report cases in connection to the disease.
Noel Provido, Department of Agriculture- Region 11 (DA-11) Regional Agri-Fisheries Information Section (RAFIS) chief, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Sunday that all concerns pertaining to ASF can now be reported especially cases of sick and dead pigs.
The first in the Philippines, the animal welfare desk was established in each police precinct in the city in July last year.
“It will address issues of animal violence in the city and eliminate the trade of dog meat, but this time, it would also cater reported cases in relevance to ASF,” Provido said.
In a statement sent to the media on Sunday, Agriculture Secretary William Dar appealed to backyard swine raisers to report sick and dead pigs to their respective municipal or city veterinarians, who will in turn coordinate with the DA’s Bureau of Animal Industry (DA-BAI) to determine the cause of sickness or death.
He made the appeal in the wake of dozens of pigs found floating in Marikina River and a creek in Quezon City.
"It was utterly irresponsible on the part of the backyard raisers as they did not only violate current laws, but their misdoing also spread the disease pathogens much faster," Dar said.
Dar said sick animals deserve proper care and adequate treatment. Should they eventually die, he said, there are strict protocols on how they should be disposed of.
"The DA through the Bureau of Animal Industry and the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) -- in partnership with the private sector particularly with commercial hog raisers' groups, local government units, the PNP and military -- has taken all the necessary measures to manage, control, and contain the possible spread of African swine fever and major swine diseases," Dar said.
The secretary added that the irresponsible dumping of dead pigs simply adds scare to the public, and should not be tolerated. “The perpetrators must be punished in accordance with the law,” Dar added. (PNA)
