THE City Veterinarian's Office (CVO) in Davao aims to vaccinate 100,000 more cats and dogs to achieve their 120,000 target for this year, an official said.
Chief of Animal Disease Prevention Control Unit of the CVO Dr. Gay Pallar, during the I-Speak forum held at the City Hall Conference Room Thursday, said that their office aims to make Davao City rabies-free by 2020. The CVO vaccinated a total of 19,347 cats and dogs in the Talomo Area and more vaccinations will be conducted soon in Toril District.
Pallar said that a total of 150,000 pieces of vaccines worth P4.6 million has been requested by their office to supply a total of 150,000 estimated population of dogs and cats in the city.
"The 150,000 pieces of vaccines came from the Department of Agriculture Bureau of Animal industry," Pallar said.
Head of the Research and Laboratory Division of the CVO, Ma. Noreen Eng also confirmed that in their monitoring the existence of rabies cases in the city is still evident.
Eng said that last year out of 45 samples submitted by victims of bites in Davao city alone, 12 went positive with rabies and these dogs came from Poblacion, Talomo, Toril, Tugbok, Agdao and Buhangin areas.
"Out of this 45, almost all ang naka-paak, ginapa-examine sa mga tao na napaakan kay gusto nila mahibal-an kung naa bay rabies para sa ilang peace of mind kay ang rabies fatal na siya both sa tao ug sa animal (Out of this 45 samples, almost all had bitten someone, and these are submitted for examination by people who wanted to know if the certain dog has rabies or not to have peace of mind because rabies can be fatal to the humans and also to the animal)," Eng said.
She said that usual samples given were heads of the dogs that died or killed.
Eng also said that out of the 86 samples they got from the city pounds, four were found 4 positive and these four dogs that went positive to rabies tests came from San Rafael Maa, Jade Valley, Buhangin, Talomo and Agro compound, Talomo District.
Meanwhile, Pallar added that due to their continued campaign for rabies protection the impounding of dogs as mandated under city ordinance no. 8285 is still ongoing.
"Padayon ang impounding of stray dogs to prevent high incidents of rabies, P250 bayad sa pagkuha and P50 more per day. After three days i-mercy killing kung dili kuhaon (We still continue the impounding of stray dogs to prevent high incidents of rablies. A payment of P250 is needed to be paid to claim the animal and additional P50 more per day until it is claimed. After three days though the animal will be subject to mercy killing if no one will claim it)," Pallar said.
Last year, they impounded a total of 6,576 dogs and cats which is lower to the dogs impounded in 2014 with 8,166 adding that 20 percent of impounded cats and dogs were administered with euthanasia.
Pallar said that the rabies should be taken as a major concern as those who were bitten by cat or dog can have assurance that they won't be infected with rabies given the vaccination also adding that vaccinations to their pets must be done annually.
Meanwhile, Eng said that they are also in close coordination with the Animal Bite Center of the City Health Office so that they can also make investigation on areas where the people had been bitten by a dog or cat.
Pallar said that the next round of vaccinations in Toril District will be held in Sibulan, Atan-awa Baracatan on February 9; Sirawan, Tibuloy/Binugao on Feb. 10; Toril Poblacion and Crossing Bayabas on Feb. 11; Tagurano, Bayabas, Eden, Kilate, and Catigan on Feb. 12, Daliao and Alambre on Feb. 16, Mulig and Bankas on Feb. 23; Camansi, Tungkalan, Daliaoan Plantation and Tagluno on Feb. 24; Lizada and Marapangin on Feb. 26; and Bato and Lubugan on March 1.