Responsible dog ownership

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor ERIC T. LORETIZO Sports Editor (On Leave) RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

The dog population of 12,000 determined by a survey in previous years in Dumaguete City was reduced by 2,000 last year through such means as shooting, lassoing, and killing the so-called "man's best friend."

The city veterinary office disclosed that there are now 10,000 dogs in the city. The ideal dog population, which should be a total of 5,000, may be reached in the future by castration, the office disclosed.

To further boost the city's aim of zero dog bites and possible rabies contamination, the city veterinarian plans to campaign activity in the barangays for dog castration from April to June this year. This is expected to further decrease the dog population in the years to come. In contrast, the Oriental Negros provincial veterinarian lamented that, despite the rabies eradication program of the province, human deaths have been noted due to rabies. He disclosed that, based on records, seven have died from rabies in Negros Oriental.

A total of 787 dog bite cases have been recorded provincewide in 2005, of which 105 occurred in Dumaguete, with one human rabies case. The provincial government spends P25,000 to P30,000 for the treatment of each dog bite.

Dog owners are therefore enjoined to submit their dogs for vaccination, and also leash or cage them before it, to help reduce the possibility of dog bite incidents. This is the time to do the right thing even if some animal lovers may not approve of the method used. The danger from dog bites and the horrors of getting rabies are too unimaginable to contemplate.*