OFFICIALS from the Human Society International (HSI) are in Zamboanga City to train veterinarian and technical personnel of the City Government on the new trends in mass dog vaccination applications.

Dr. Mario Ariola, City Veterinarian Office chief, said the partnership between the HSI and the city government through his office started in 2010 resulting in the training of city veterinarians with the quick spay and neuter procedures that paved way for the conduct of monthly spay and neuter program on dogs and cats.

This time, the HSI through veterinarians Dr. Emmir Raymond Nono and Dr. Ephraim Bantug will train OCVet veterinarians and technical personnel on the use of two android mobile device applications, the dog population survey and mass dog vaccination applications.

Arriola said the project will be pilot tested in 20 randomly selected villages--10 urban and 10 rural--categorized according to human population density.

The selected villages include Canelar, Camino Nuevo, Santo Niño, Baliwasan, San Jose-Cawa-Cawa, Zone II, Tumaga, Putik, Tugbungan, Santa Catalina, Mampang, Salaan, Lanzones, Manicahan, Sangali, Sinunuc, Cawit, Baluno and Talisayan.

Arriola said the dog population survey is expected to wrap up November 21. (Bong Garcia/SunStar Philippines)