The city government is planning to establish an animal center to properly regulate the presence of stray animals, especially rabid dogs, in various public places.

Dr. Charlemagne Calo, head of the City Veterinary Office, said Tuesday the move is in line with the local government’s efforts to control the emergence and spread of the deadly rabies virus in the city.

He said the establishment of the animal center was provided for in the city’s comprehensive rabies control ordinance.

Calo said around PHP5 million will be needed for the development of the facility, with the city eco-park in Barangay Paraiso as the proposed site.

The planned animal center will host a clinic for sick dogs and cats, shelter for stray dogs, rehabilitation center, and permanent home for disease-free dogs but with no adoptive owners, he said.

Calo said it will be open to breeds of dogs and cats, including the so-called “asong pinoy” (aspin) and “pusang kalye” (street cat).

Calo said their office will utilize the animal center to regulate the presence of stray dogs in the city’s streets and other public areas, some of which have caused road crashes involving motorcycle riders.

Some stray dogs were reported to have chased and even bitten motorists and even resulted in serious accidents.

“This will not only help us control our rabies cases and regulate stray animals but also make our residents become responsible dog owners,” Calo said in a statement.

While waiting for the construction of the animal center, he said they will conduct a mandatory registration starting this year of pet dogs and cats in the area.

Owners will be charged PHP100 to PHP200 for the registration of each pet animal and the fees will be collected starting the second year or first renewal, he added.

Calo said the collected fees will be used for the purchase of dog tags, vaccines, and other related expenses, including the operation of the animal center.

In line with the move, he said they will further expand their campaigns on responsible pet ownership and rabies vaccination drives in the city’s 27 barangays.

The South Cotabato Veterinary Office reported early this year the detection of rabies cases among pet dogs in the city.

Last year, 15 of the 24 samples that it submitted to the Department of Agriculture’s Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory here came out positive for rabies, with six coming from the city.

In 2020, the province recorded six deaths due to rabies, with two cases coming from Tupi town and one each from Koronadal City, Polomolok, Tampakan, and Tboli. (PNA)