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DUMAGUETE CITY: In line with the
celebration of Rabies Prevention Month, the City Veterinary Office (CVO)
in Dumaguete City has intensified its campaign on reducing the
local dog population and giving free castration to male dogs.
Dr. Lourdes
Socorro of the CVO said reducing dog population to combat rabies is
their main focus this year, as she noted that there are still many
irresponsible pet owners who refuse to cooperate with the city
government.
The CVO is
urging dog owners to have their male dogs neutered and vaccinated
this month until April 15, free of charge as part of the city’s
anti-rabies campaign.
This year’s
anti-rabies campaign banners the theme “Tayo’y Magtulong-tulong,
Ating Isulong ang Rabies Protection and Prevention.”
According to
the latest survey here, there are 12,000 dogs in the city, which the
city veterinarian said is about 50 percent higher than the ideal dog
population for Dumaguete.
Socorro said
that Dumaguete ideally ought to have only 5,000 dogs. She pointed
out that the bloated canine population here contributes to the high
risk of rabies in the city.
Socorro also
lamented that last year, the number of vaccinated dogs dropped to
5,000 versus 7,000 in previous years.
The
veterinarian believes this is related to the increase in dog
vaccination fees from P47 to P160.
In 2006 at
least 18 dog heads were sent to Cebu for laboratory examination but
all were found negative of the rabies virus.
 --PNA
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