MANILA — An advocacy group promoting animal welfare pushes for a compassionate and community-centered approach in eradicating rabies in the country.
During a dog vaccination drive in Payatas, Quezon City on Monday, Humane Society International (HSI) senior director of Companion and Engagement Rahul Segal explained that mass dog cull is not a sustainable and humane way to reduce the number of rabies cases.
Segal noted that using technology is the best way to combat the deadly virus scientifically and strategically.
HSI provides animal protection to all kinds of animals in the world. It started its operation in the country since 2009 and in the past two years it has partnered with the local government units to solve dog population and rabies issues.
According to HSI’s latest estimate, there are 10 million dogs in the country and many of which live as house pets without rabies vaccination.
Segal told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that they chose Payatas for the rabies vaccination drive as it has the highest number of rabies cases in the country.
“To achieve a rabies immunity in a large dog population, you don’t need to vaccinate every dog but you do need to safely achieve 70 percent,” he said.
In connection, Segal stressed that it is important for the vaccination teams to know which dogs have been vaccinated in the city; thus, the use of a geo-tracking mobile app which HSI developed.
Actress-turned-veterinarian Sharmaine Arnaiz, who also helped with the mass vaccination, said she finds HSI’s recording system and mobile app effective in terms of tracking the vaccinated dogs and educating their owners.
“I’m here to help them, encouraging more celebrities and people from the media to care for their dogs, have their dogs vaccinated because it is important,” she said.
HSI has created 12 to 15 teams of volunteers to do the house-to-house vaccination. Each team could vaccinate 150 to 200 dogs in a day.
As the vaccination started on Monday, HSI targets to immunize at least 70 percent of the dog population in the country by the second week of December this year.
Mang Jun, a Payatas resident, told PNA that the vaccination drive is a big help to their community.
“Siyempre po, di na kami gagasta, saka po ligtas kami sa kagat ng aso kung sakali man dahil may anti-rabies na (Of course, we won’t be paying for the vaccine, also we’ll be safe from dog bites if ever because there’s anti-rabies already),” he said.
HSI also conducts mass dog vaccination in other Asian countries such as India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. (Ma. Teresa Montemayor/PNA)
