BAGUIO City Veterinarian Brigit Piok said stray dogs will face death by euthanasia if unclaimed at the local pound after seven days.
Piok admitted putting dogs at the city pound when apprehended exceed carrying capacity of the compound.
The city veterinarian said unclaimed dogs are humanly put to sleep according to the Animal Welfare Act guidelines and buried at the Department of Agriculture compound after induced death.
The option of adoption is also open for those who wish to take on the ownership of dogs impounded but one must acquire a barangay certification to prove that he or she is capable of handling the.
At present, the city pound can only accommodate 100 canines at a time with an erratic apprehension rate for strays which can range from 10 to 15 dogs in a day.
Piok said the number of strays that are housed in the pound weekly would reach to 20.
Piok is advocating for responsible pet ownership, adding that if one cannot take care of the pets, he or she should not acquire these animals into their homes.
Last year, a Rabies Prevention and Stray Dog Control Committee was formed by Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong through Executive Order No. 163.
The committee is tasked to coordinate plans and efforts from member agencies to achieve a rabies-free Baguio City by the year 2030, as well as take charge of preparing a City Rabies Prevention and Stray Dog Control Plan adhering to the National Rabies Prevention and Control Program and incorporating more specific responsibilities within the scope of the local government unit and of proposing amendments to the existing the City Rabies Ordinances as needed.
Piok said there have been 20 dog traps distributed to barangays in the hope to catch strays which roam the neighborhood. Dogs caught in the traps will be collected by the City Veterinarian Office (CVO) and be put in the pound if unclaimed after 24 hours.
Barangays Irisan and Quirino Hill have so far caught the most number of strays from the traps.
Piok is also advocating for the microchipping of dogs in a bid to have a data base of how many canines are there in the city.
CVO records show that there are now 40,000 registered dogs in the city with only 169 responding to the call for responsible owners to microchip pets.
This month, free rabies vaccination, spay, and neuter will be administered for dogs and cats in selected barangays in the city.