Officials yesterday appealed for cooperation in the campaign against rabies in Negros Occidental after 10 people were bitten by an infected dog in one day in Brgy. Concepcion , Talisay City , Monday.

Provincial veterinarian, Dr. Reynante Decena, said the Provincial Veterinarian's office will conduct a massive round-up and vaccination of dogs in Talisay today to prevent similar incidents in the area.

The victims have been given initial shots of anti-rabies vaccines and are scheduled to receive another dose of medication to ensure their safety, Decena said.

He said that although the incident in Talisay is just one of the sporadic cases in Negros Occidental, the campaign against rabies is a continuing effort and needs the cooperation of local government units and the public.

He said it would help if LGU's could institutionalize the vaccinations of dogs and if owners could be more responsible in taking care of their pets. He added that some people still do not observe safety measures, such as leashing their dogs or putting them in kennels.

As far as vaccination is concerned, Negros Occidental is among the most efficient in the country in preventing the spread of rabies because around 80 percent of the 240,000 dogs in the province have already been vaccinated in a span of five years, he said.

They are also coordinating with LGU's in their information drives to increase rabies awareness, Decena said.

Talisay City mayor, Eric Saratan, meanwhile, said they will now strictly enforce their anti-rabies program, particularly by heightening their campaign in catching stray dogs in the area and in information dissemination.

He also called on the city's residents to cooperate in their campaign.

Saratan said that the Talisay City government will re-organize its barangay anti-rabies coordinating council to bring and strengthen the promotion at the grassroots level.*PP

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