DABAWENYOS may face a higher risk of contracting rabies on Davao City streets as stray, rabid dogs are increasing.
Rovie Bullina, president of Bantay Hayop Davao, raised concerns during the Kapehan sa Dabaw on Monday, August 13, 2024, at SM City Davao, about the multiple cases of rescues involving dogs that tested positive for rabies.
“In the span of six months, walo na ang na-handle ng Bantay Hayop Davao na tested positive in our city from December 25 to August 11, we also have eight suspected ang uban ana amoa gyud gitan-aw, we already have eight suspected rabid dogs,” she said.
(In the span of six months, Bantay Hayop Davao has handled eight dogs that tested positive for rabies in our city from December 25 to August 11. We also have eight suspected cases based on our observations).
Bullina added that, in total, their group has dealt with around 16 cases of dogs suspected to have rabies and explained that this data only covers their operations.
She noted that the eight dogs rescued by their office from December 25, 2023, to August 11, 2024, came from interconnected barangays. She pointed out the high possibility of a community-wide spread of rabies.
Bullina mentioned that the first dog that tested positive was rescued in Barangay Mintal, the second case was in Barangay Tacunan, the next case was from Barangay Talomo, another from along Puan Bypass Road, and another in Barangay Tacunan. She emphasized that areas within a five-kilometer radius of where an infected animal was found should be monitored, as the virus could have spread if the animal was already infected.
“This is an alarming scenario because even the fact nga naay dog pound, grabe ang impounding, it has not really proven that it secures the public of rabies spread. Also ang mass anti-rabies injection is very, very helpful ang problema naay mga tag-iya sa iro nga dili nila pabakunahan ang ilahang mga alaga and they become a susceptible carrier of the rabies virus once they are affected,” she said.
(This is an alarming situation because, despite the existence of a dog pound and regular impounding, it has not been proven to fully secure the public from the spread of rabies. Additionally, while mass anti-rabies vaccination is very helpful, the problem remains with pet owners who do not vaccinate their animals, making them susceptible carriers of the rabies virus if they become infected).
The group reminded Dabawenyos that if their pet shows symptoms of suspected rabies, neither the owners nor other civilians are authorized to kill or handle the animal unless it involves their personal safety.
For those who are bitten, wounded, or exposed to a suspected rabies case, they are advised to get anti-rabies vaccination at the nearest Animal Bite Center. Bullina stressed the importance of getting vaccinated as soon as possible to prevent further spread of the rabies virus, as it currently has no cure.
Bantay Hayop Davao urged the City Government to address the issue of stray dogs due to the high risk of rabies. She hopes that barangays will receive training and capacity building to conduct rescue operations and provide proper care for street dogs.
The World Health Organization (WHO) describes rabies as a vaccine-preventable, zoonotic viral disease that affects the central nervous system. Most human rabies cases are caused by transmission of the virus from dogs.
To recall, the Animal Bite Treatment Centers (ABTCs) reported a decrease in rabies deaths from 13 in 2022 to four in 2023. Dr. Annaliza Malubay, a medical officer at the ABTCs, stated on May 2, 2024, that this decrease can be attributed to strengthened information dissemination about anti-rabies vaccination.
The ABTCs offer free anti-rabies injections and consultations. Those who are bitten or scratched by an animal can visit the ABTCs in Magallanes, Toril, Tugbok, Marilog, Calinan, Sasa, Paquibato, and the Southern Philippines Medical Center. RGP
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