Dogs and cats in Marikina City were vaccinated against rabies as part of the city government's expanded efforts in protecting the animals as well as humans against the virus, Marikina City Mayor Marcy Teodoro said.
Teodoro and his wife, Marikina City Rep. Maan Teodoro, spearheaded the pet vaccination and registration event held in Marikina Village, Barangay Nangka.
"Ang pagpaparehistro at pagpapabakuna laban sa rabies ay isa sa mga paraan upang mahikayat at palaganapin ang responsableng pag-alaga ng mga hayop o responsible pet ownership sa mga taga-Marikina (The pet registration and vaccination against rabies is one of the ways of the city government to promote responsible ownership and care of animals here in Marikina)," Teodoro said.
He added that he believes that taking care of a dog or cat improves the mood and outlook in life of an individual. This however entails the responsibility of taking proper care of one's pet which includes having them registered and vaccinated against the deadly rabies virus.
"Isa ito sa mga susi upang makamtan ang ligtas at rabies-free na Lungsod ng Marikina kaya ang pagpaparehistro at pagpapabakuna ay inilalapit ng pamahalaang lungsod sa mga pamayanan (This is one of the keys in achieving a safe and rabies-free Marikina City. This is also the reason why the city government opted to bring these services closer to residents)," Teodoro noted.
The local government unit (LGU) also reminded residents to be responsible for the cleanliness of the city by not allowing their pets to defecate on the city's roads and sidewalks.
The Anti-Rabies Law of 2007 established the National Rabies Prevention and Control Program (NRPCP) to control, prevent the spread of, and eventually eradicate human and animal rabies, and to promote responsible pet ownership.
Department of Health (DOH) records showed that rabies infections in the country, mostly due to unvaccinated dogs, have a case fatality rate of 100 percent.
The World Health Organization (WHO) also considers rabies an extremely deadly disease, saying that “once clinical symptoms appear in humans, rabies is virtually 100 percent fatal.”