Antique seeks ‘aggressive’ anti-rabies drive for dogs

SAN JOSE, Antique – The anti-rabies vaccination campaign for dogs in Antique must be intensified, according to the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO).

PVO canine rabies coordinator Manolito Delgado said they are urging all municipal agriculture officers in the province to “aggressively” push for dog vaccination so that they could reach their 37,603 vaccinated dog target this year.

As of June, around 10,685 dogs were vaccinated in Antique – or only 28.42 percent of the target.

“The target number of dogs to be vaccinated is only 70 percent of the total dog population in the province. We hope that we could reach [the target] before the year ends,” Delgado said on Friday.

Antique, which has 18 towns, has a total dog population of 53,719.

“We have enough vials of vaccines from the Department of Agriculture,” Delgado stressed, adding that these vaccines were already sent to municipal agriculture officers.

Five cases of humans bitten by rabid dogs were recorded in Antique so far this year.

Of these, one led to death in Barangay Dalipe in this capital town in March.

The four other cases were from Tibiao on Jan. 30, Tobias Fornier on May 7, Culasi on May 21, and Hamtic on May 31. (With a report from PNA/PN)

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here