Mati City vet intensifies anti-rabies vaccination

MATI CITY, Davao Oriental, Aug. 12 -– The City Veterinarian’s Office intensifies its rabies vaccination and its anti-rabies campaign and advocacy in an effort to reach its target number of vaccinated dogs.

City veterinarian Dr. Maritess Linsag-Erispe recently disclosed that her office, as of July, accomplished 70% of its 2013 target number of dogs vaccinated with anti-rabies vaccine.

 “I hope that the public will continue to avail of the free vaccine that we are giving to their pets, especially dogs. The vaccine is for free since we have subsidy from the Region, and the local government has also given its share. We are giving the anti-rabies vaccines particularly during the conduct of our animal health mission in barangays of Mati,” she said.

Though the vaccines are for free, the City Veterinarian’s Office requires P50 registration fee for the dogs.

But the office  had negotiated with the barangays to shoulder the registration fee so there would be no reason for pet owners and animals raisers not to have their pets, vaccinated.

Erispe revealed that three barangays  had committed to shoulder the registration fee and that she hoped other barangays would also approve her request.

Based on the 2012 data, the City of Mati recorded 3,000 dogs registered, and Erispe expected the figure to increase this year, while the City Vet went on with its dog impounding operation and animal birth control, giving special concern on dogs.

“Stray animals, dogs for that matter, wandering on the streets often cause accident, and such condition easily puts one, especially children, at risk of dog bites,” she explained upon revealing zero rabies incidence in Mati City.

Aside from the intensified rabies vaccination, the City Veterinarian’s Office is now into another leg of their Animal Health Mission.

For the month of August, the Office is targeting three barangays for the Animal Health Mission, specifically in  barangays  Danao, Sanghay, and Libudon.

Next targets are  barangays Tagabakid and Tagbinonga in September, before finally concluding the activity in Barangay Badas in a culmination activity from Oct. 2 to Oct.3.

Meanwhile, the City Vet Office recently conducted a training on Basic Animal Health Care Management, during which participants were given inputs on Common Swine Diseases, Common Poultry Diseases, Common Caprine Diseases, Common Bovine Diseases, Artificial Insemination in Large Ruminant, and the Duties and Functions of the participants, now also called as barangay animal health workers.

In all the programs of the City Veterinarian’s Office, Erispe reiterated that everything is geared towards responsible pet ownership while maintaing animal health care, and giving opportunity for alternative livelihood to the people of Mati. (Neela Duallo, PIO stringer/piaxi, jmda)