Advocating responsible pet ownership in the region, the Department of Agriculture (DA) organized the 1st Kaadlawan sang mga Ido at Mandurriao, Iloilo City on March 2.
Pet owners, hobbyists, national government agencies, and private sectors gathered for this activity as support to the National Rabies Awareness Month Celebration this year. The DA provides free medical mission particularly on neuter and spay, rabies vaccination, castration, check-up and consultation. Seminar on proper handling and care of dogs and dog fashion show are the sidelights of this event.
“We would like to erase Iloilo in the list of top provinces in the country with the highest number of rabies cases. The province currently ranks fifth nationwide. We are encouraging everyone to be responsible pet owners,” urged Remelyn Recoter, DA 6 Regional Executive Director.
The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) procured P22 million worth of rabies vaccines recently.
“This year, the Department through the help of BAI, will distribute a total of 62,900 vials of rabies vaccines to the six provinces in the region. With the support of all our partners, we target to vaccinate 629,000 dogs this 2018,” explained Recoter.
There are 80 positive rabies cases in the region last year, according to the data of DA-Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory.
“The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has already issued a memorandum circular directing all local government units to hold activities in support to rabies awareness campaign this March. We aim, together with Department of Health (DOH), DILG and other agencies, that by 2020, our country will be rabies-free,” Recoter added.
She also emphasized the need to intensify education campaign on responsible pet ownership in both urban and rural communities.
DOH Regional Rabies Program Nurse Coordinator Caroline Tumabotabo reported that there were 14 human rabies incidents in 2017 with one each in Aklan, Antique and Iloilo; Capiz – 3; and Negros Occidental – 8.
“There are already 45 Animal Bite Treatment Centers in the Region. We want our rabies patients to have easy access to treatment centers. We really encourage responsible pet ownership since we already have recorded a total of 100,804 animal bites for the past five years,” said Tumabotabo./WDJ