BUTUAN CITY -- The Provincial Veterinarian Office (PVO) of Surigao del Norte lined up activities to bolster the campaign on the Provincial Rabies Control and Eradication Program through massive rabies vaccination in celebration of Rabies Awareness Month 2023.

The first leg of the Rabies Awareness Campaign kicked off with a series of activities at the Provincial Convention Center, Surigao City on March 1, 2023.

Dogs of all shapes and sizes joined the parade, with the tiniest adult dog, largest dog, dogs with the shiniest hair, and most snappy dogs receiving awards and recognition from the Office.

K9 units of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), rescue, and executive working dogs also joined the activity and showed expertise in narcotics and explosive detection, and tracking and rescue through a capability demo.

Among the free services offered were anti-rabies vaccination, pet health consultation, online pet registration, deworming, and anti-tick injection.

In an interview, Dr. Life Sheila Cubillanes, PVO head, emphasized responsible pet ownership and its contribution to controlling rabies, and continues to do so alongside their regular services to mitigate high rabies positivity rate noted in the province since January.

"Without responsible pet ownership, more animals would go astray which would increase the cases of rabies," Dr. Cubillanes said.

“We also have to look into the welfare of our pets. Give them regular vaccination so that we can protect not only the health of our pets but also your health and the public. The majority of cases of rabies infection in humans are from dog bites so we must fulfill our responsibility as pet owners,” she added.

In its second and last leg, a pet services caravan and rabies awareness forum were conducted in Siargao Island at the Provincial Governor's Extension Office in Barangay 12, Dapa town on March 23, 2022. A total of 153 pets were vaccinated, 100 dewormed, 55 dogs castrated, 10 cats spayed, 14 mange treated, and 13 availed of the consultation.

PVO continues to conduct house-to-house vaccination of cats and dogs in partnership with their municipal counterparts to increase the number of local government units to be rabies-free and to continue to raise awareness about the fatal disease and bring together partners to enhance prevention and control efforts in the province. (DMNR/RPC/PIA-Surigao del Norte)

[Photos from Surigao del Norte Provincial Tourism Office]