GENERAL TRIAS CITY, Cavite – Around 330 pet dogs and cats were administered anti-rabies and deworming vaccines by the City Agriculture Office (CAO) personnel on Sunday at the city plaza in celebration of ‘World Rabies Day”.
To bring awareness on the menace of the rabies disease and instill responsible pet ownership, the yearly event was spearheaded by City Mayor Antonio Ferrer, through the CAO chief Nerie Marquez, City Information Officer Lani Balanag, and Cavite Provincial Veterinary Office chief Dr. Gloria Digma.
“Next year po, mas marami pang program ang naka-line up, (next year we are lining up more programs). We are planning to invite mobile pet grooming van and pet related shops to participate in the annual program for pets,” Balanag said in an interview with PNA.
The city government provided de-worming vaccines to pet animals while castration procedures for male dogs and cats were conducted by the Cavite provincial veterinary office personnel.
The city information office also distributed freebies to pets after the vaccination.
The anti-rabies event followed the pet blessing at the frontage of the historic St. Francis of Assisi Church officiated in by newly-installed parish priest, Rev. Fr. Oliver Genuino, as prelude to the feast day celebration of patron saint of animals and ecologists, St. Francis of Assisi.
Fr. Ollie, as he is fondly called by residents and local folks here, was installed as the new parish priest at a consecration ceremony on Saturday celebrated by Diocese of Imus Bishop Reynaldo Evangelista.
City officials led by Mayor Antonio Ferrer, Congressman Luis Ferrer IV, Vice Mayor Morit Sison and councilors witnessed the ceremony and the distribution of the pets’ baptismal certificates to owners. (Dennis Abrina/PNA)
