RECENT heavy rains brought about by Typhoon Quinta have caused flooding especially in the southern part of Negros Occidental.
It has also caused distress among livestock and poultry animals, particularly in Hinoba-an town. Some even drowned.
Good thing, there's an animal rescue center that was able to save these flood-affected animals.
The Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) said the Hinoba-an Rescue Center in Barangay Pook housed large and small ruminants like swine, cattle goats and carabao during the onslaught of the typhoon.
These distressed animals were brought to the center by the farmer-raisers from Barangay Pook and other nearby barangays in the southern Negros Occidental locality.
Provincial Veterinary Field Unit-District VI Veterinarian Merie Ann Tolentino said there were many animal raisers who wanted to bring their animals at the Hinoba-an Animal Rescue Center.
Tolentino, however, said only those from nearby areas were able to bring their animals at the facility due to the bad weather.
The animal rescue center was donated by the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental, through the PVO, to the Municipal Government of Hinoba-an.
Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena said this is part of the province's effort to strengthen and enhance disaster preparedness and risk reduction among areas identified as highly vulnerable to the effects of disasters like landslides, drought and flood.
Decena said the PVO is a department mandated to safeguard livestock and poultry animals in cases of imminent disaster.
It was able to identify the necessity of establishing animal rescue centers in strategic locations, he added.
Negros Occidental currently has two animal rescue centers.
In the north, the facility is located in Poblacion II in Sagay City, and the one in Hinoba-an in the south.
The PVO reported that, as of October 27, the initial amount of damage on livestock is pegged at about P1 million covering five local government units (LGUs).
These are Valladolid, San Enrique, Bago City, La Carlota City and Hinoba-an, it said, adding that affected animals included gamefowl, carabao, cattle, goat and pig.
Decena said the PVO recognized the importance of livestock and poultry in ensuring food security and reduction of poverty for one, livestock raising is a common source of income and means of livelihood to many Negrenses.
"Hence, the rescue centers focus on the provision of facility that would save animals from disasters causing injuries or morbidity or disease causing outbreaks to minimize its negative impact in the overall livestock and poultry industry of the province," he added.