Koronadal City, South Cotabato- The Provincial Veterinary (PVET) Office of South Cotabato urged the pet owners to submit their dogs at their office for the vaccination against rabies.
Rabies is a deadly virus spread to people from the saliva of infected animals. The rabies virus is usually transmitted through a bite.
Under the Republic Act 9482 (Anti Rabies Act of 2007) Section 5 requires Pet Owners to:
1) Have their dog regularly vaccinated against rabies (once a year starting three months of age) and maintain a registration card which shall contain all vaccinations conducted on their dog for accurate record purposes.
2) Submit their dogs for mandatory registration
3) Maintain control over their dog and not allow it to roam the streets or any public place without a leash
4) Be a responsible dog owner by providing their dog with proper grooming, adequate food and clean shelter
5) Within twenty-four hours, report immediately any dog biting (including scratching) incident to the concerned officials for investigation or for any appropriate action and place such dog under observation by a government or private veterinarian
6) Assist the dog bite victim immediately and shoulder the medical expenses incurred and other incidental expenses relative to the victim’s injuries.
Section 11 of RA 9482 imposes the following penalties on irresponsible pet owners:
1) Pet owners who fail or refuse to have their dog registered and immunized against rabies shall be punished by a fine of two thousand pesos (Php 2,000.00)
2) Pet owners who refuse to have their dog vaccinated against rabies shall be liable to pay for the vaccination of both the dog and the individuals bitten by their dog.
3) Pet owners who refuse to have their dog put under observation after said dog has bitten an individual shall be meted a fine of ten thousand pesos (Php 10,000.00)
4) Pet owners who refuse to have their dog put under observation and do not shoulder the medical expenses of the person bitten by their dog shall be meted a fine of twenty-five thousand pesos (Php 25,000.00)
5) Pet owners who refuse to put a leash on their dogs while they are brought outside the house shall be meted a fine of five hundred pesos (Php 500.00) for each incident
6) An impounded dog shall be released to its owner upon payment of a fine of not less than five hundred pesos (Php 500.00) but not more than one thousand pesos (Php 1,000.00)
Because of this widespread disease, the PVET office scheduled a rabies vaccination to the Municipality of Norala which base on the positive laboratory report for rabies examination conducted by the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in General Santos, the locality particularly in the Barangays of Cabuling and Barangay Magon got high risk area for animal rabies.
The said schedule are as follows:
July 29-Brgy. Poblacion
July 30-Brgy. Lapuz
July 31-Brgy. Tinago
August 4- Brgy. Esperanza
August 5-Brgy. B.S Aquino
August 6- Brgy. Lopez Jaena
August 7- Brgy. Puti
August 11- Brgy. San Miguel
