BY ARAVELLA A. QUIMBO/DSSC Intern
THE CITY Veterinarian’s office has fixed 83,336 dogs and cats as part of its stronger campaign against the deadly rabies.
During the iSpeak forum in City Hall on July 31, Acting city veterinarian Dr. Gay Pallar said their office also served 39,387 pet owners so far
Dr. Pallar emphasized that all services offered by the City Veterinarian’s Office come with no cost, including pet castration and vaccination.
“We want to continue the legacy of former city veterinarians, and I encourage all pet owners to avail themselves of our free services,” she said.
As of July, 726 male pets had been neutered, and the city will continue its efforts to control the pet population and prevent the spread of rabies.
Dr. Pallar also explained that dogs cannot develop herd immunity against the virus, stressing that rabies is not only highly contagious but also zoonotic, meaning it can be spread from animals to humans.
“If an infected dog mixes with a pack, all of them could get infected. There’s no such thing as herd immunity when it comes to rabies,” she warned.
She encouraged all pet owners to act early by vaccinating and neutering their pets to protect both animals and people from this life-threatening disease.
