DOH-CHD 6 says irresponsible dog owners can now be fined or imprisoned
March 12, 2010 11:38 pm
ILOILO CITY, March 12 – The Department of Health – Center for Health Development 6 (DOH-CHD 6) warned that irresponsible owners who allow their dogs to roam freely may face imprisonment or pay penalties stipulated under Republic Act 9482 or the Anti-Rabies Act of 2007.
Dr. Joji Jimenez, rabies regional coordinator for Western Visayas said the law is not yet that popular thus some are taking for granted their responsibilities towards their pets, especially dogs.
This, she stressed during the regular press conference Friday hosted by the said agency to keep the public abreast of their programs, especially that March has been declared as "Rabies Awareness Month."
She explained that pet owners can be fined ranging from P500 to P25,000 depending on the offense or they may even be imprisoned.
The penalty of P25,000 is meted to “pet owners who refuse to have their dogs put under observation and do not shoulder the medical expenses of the person bitten by their dogs” she disclosed.
Aliens who violate the said law upon serving their sentence shall also be deported.
Jimenez hoped that local government units would have their ordinance amended to also respond to the national law as she stressed that the obligation to control the spread of rabies also falls on the LGUs.
In Western Visayas, she revealed that for the period 2008-2009, 14 persons were recorded to have died due to rabies. Western Visayas ranked seventh nationwide in terms of rabies incidence.
“DOH is not comfortable because Iloilo province ranked fourth among the provinces nationwide,” she added.
Jimenez further said that rabies "is 100 percent preventable yet 100 percent fatal.” (PNA)
LAP/PGLena
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