THE Zamboanga City Government, through the Office of the City Veterinarian (OCVet), has renewed its call for village officials to activate their respective animal catchers to rescue abandoned dogs and help minimize the stray population problem.
OCVet Chief Mario Arriola made the call following an incident in Isabela City, Basilan, where a five-year-old boy was attacked and bitten by at least 10 stray dogs.
The boy, Edzhar Damsani, was attacked and bitten by 10 stray dogs earlier this week in the village of Aguada, Isabela City. He was hospitalized in Isabela City and later transferred to a public hospital in Zamboanga City, where he died.
Arriola said the catchers team should be very active in rounding stray dogs and animals in their area of responsibility to prevent a similar incident.
Ariola said the OCVet takes care of training for animal catchers, as well as providing the design for the catching materials, as strays are to be collected humanely by authorized catchers based on the provisions of the law.
He said the collected stray dogs are later impounded at the city's central pound in San Roque, and put to sleep through euthanasia or mercy killing after three days.
He said the stray animal population is likewise a challenge in the city, but stressed that the activation of the animal catchers and the continuous advocacy on responsible pet ownership will help reduce the problem. (SunStar Philippines)