Dog bite gets owner into trouble

FAILING to look after your puppy and exercise your responsibilities as owner could get you in trouble with the law.

A woman is facing charges for violating the Anti-Rabies Act of 2007 for allegedly failing to look after her puppy that bit two children in Liloan, Cebu.

In their complaint, Rosita Ortega and Angelica Malasarte said their children were bitten by Longakit's puppy last Jan. 24, 2014 while the kids were playing with the children of Longakit. The three are neighbors.

After the biting incident, Ortega and Malasarte said they reminded Longakit to observe the puppy after 15 days. Longakit reportedly failed to do that, prompting her neighbors to kill the puppy.

To treat her three-year-old son's wound, Ortega spent P10,560 for medical and other incidental expenses. Malasarte, meanwhile, paid P4,710 for her two-year-old child's treatment.

They demanded for reimbursement from Longakit, but when the latter refused, they opted to file a complaint.

Prosecutors directed Longakit to submit her counter-affidavit, but failed to do so, prompting them to bring the matter to court.

During her arraignment, Longakit pleaded not guilty and argued the puppy was not hers.

Signed into law by then President Arroyo on May 25, 2007, the Anti-Rabies Act of 2007 aims to control and eliminate human and animal rabies.

The law requires pet owners to vaccinate their dogs against rabies regularly and to maintain a vaccination card, submit their dog for mandatory registration, provide their dog with proper grooming, enough food and clean shelter, maintain control of their pet and not allow it to roam any public place without a leash, report immediately any incident of dog biting within 24 hours, assist the dog victim and shoulder the medical expenses of the victim.

Those found guilty will face penalties, such as;

* P2,000 for pet owners who fail or refuse to have their dog registered and immunized against rabies; if the dog owner bites someone, the owner will pay for the vaccination of the dog and the person bitten.

* P10,000 for those who refuse to have their dog placed under observation after it has bitten a person.

* P25,000 for pet owners who refuse to have their dog observed and do not shoulder the medical expenses of the bitten person.

* P500 for dog owners who refuse to pup their dogs on a leash.

* P5,000 per dog for those found guilty of trading dog for meat; the person would also be imprisoned for one to four years.

* P5,000 per act and imprisonment of 1 to four years for those who use electrocution as a method of euthanasia.

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