RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP. Legazpi City residents are shown walking their pet dogs along the Legazpi Boulevard in an undated photo. The City Veterinary Office on Wednesday (July 29, 2020) said it has intensified its campaign against stray dogs after an increasing number was observed roaming the streets amid the Covid-19 crisis. (Photo from Dr. Emmanuel Estipona's Facebook page)
LEGAZPI CITY – The head of the City Veterinary Office (CVO) on Wednesday said they have intensified their campaign against stray dogs after an increasing number was observed roaming the streets in the midst of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) crisis.
Dr. Emmanuel Estipona, in an interview, said that from April 26 to the present, they have recorded 550 captured stray dogs roaming the city streets.
“The CVO is continuously conducting stray dogs operation day and night in different villages including subdivisions and other public places as part of the city’s stray dogs elimination program to prevent the spread of rabies cases in the community and also to prevent the vehicular accident in public places,” he said.
He said the number is much higher than during the past few years.
“We encourage all the pet owners to become more responsible in taking care of their animals as one way of supporting the city’s Anti-Rabies Ordinance or the law promulgating the rules and regulations of rabies control and prevention program of Legazpi,” Estipona said.
All dogs and cats, according to him, must be registered at their respective barangay hall so that the CVO could issue a registration certificate to the pet owners. All pets must also be vaccinated as required by the city ordinance.
“Barangay leaders have an important role for the eradication of dog bites by way of conducting seminar to the villagers in order for them to become responsible pet owners and to maintain our city as a zero-rabies community,” Estipona said.
Violators of the Anti-Rabies Ordinance shall pay a fine of PHP1,000 or face imprisonment of five to 10 days at the discretion of the court for the first offense while on the second offense, the penalty shall be PHP2,000 and/or imprisonment of 15 to 20 days, and PHP3,000 and/or imprisonment of 25 to 30 days or both on third offense. (PNA)
