Baguio vet gives teeth to anti-stray dog campaign

By Ramon Dacawi

BAGUIO CITY- It will now be more difficult for errant dog owners to reclaim their stray pets caught and brought to the city pound.

City veterinarian Brigit Piok has issued stricter guidelines in the release of canines following lapses or difficulty in identifying their owners.

Aside from preventing dogs from going to the wrong hands, the guidelines, issued last Jan. 28, will give more bite to the campaign against pets on the loose and the drive against rabies.

Henceforth, all dog owners must register their pets with their respective barangays and have them vaccinated with anti-rabies every year, beginning when they are three months old. The twin requirements, Piok said, are provided for under City Ordinance 09, series of 2008.

The certificates of registration and vaccination will be presented as requirement for the dog’s release.

In case of loss of the said documents, the barangay has to issue a certification on the dog’s ownership, to be witnessed by the claimant’s neighbor. The certification must reflect the age, color, breed, sex and the name of the dog.

Likewise, the claimant must present a valid identification card or his/her residence certificate.

“In case the address of the owner does not tally with the area of impounding, he/she shall be required to get a certification from the barangay (to establish his/her identity and ownership).”

Piok has distributed copies of the advisory to other city officials, the police and all barangay chiefs.

As it is, catching stray dog is hardly an easy task for the crew whose arrival in a barangay sends their prey- who have become familiar with previous attempts - scampering to safety.

“We are also at the receiving end of uncalled-for expletives from dog owners, mostly from educated people, some of whom are lawyers or military officers,” a crew member admitted.