The Davao City Veterinarian’s Office (CVO) is set on resuming its Information and Education Campaign (IEC) as part of the activities for Rabies Awareness Month, with elementary and secondary students as its target audiences.
CVO’s Officer-in-Charge, Dr. Ma. Corazon B. Sepulveda, said in an interview with the City Information Office (CIO) on Monday that their office will reach out to the Department of Education Region XI (DepEd XI) to secure permission to conduct IECs in schools since children are the ones who are most exposed to animal bites.
“Marami kaming mga request for IEC even sa mga schools, actually this month magpunta pa kami sa DepEd Region 11 to ask for permission na if we can do IEC sa mga primary and secondary levels kasi before the pandemic, we are actually doing this. This is an activity by the Office of the City Veterinarian, so we wanted to resume it para i-educate our children, especially, kasi sila yung most exposed to bites and then usually hindi sila nagsasabi sa parents nila because they are so afraid to tell their parents so yun yong gusto naming maabot na mga age no so iresume namin yung IEC [We received requests for IEC even in schools. In fact, this month we are going to the Department of Education Region XI to secure permission to conduct IEC at the primary and secondary levels. This activity is a project of the Office of the City Veterinarian, and we used to conduct this before the pandemic. We wanted to resume it to educate children, especially, because they are the ones most exposed to bites; and usually, they don’t tell their parents because they are scared. So, we want to reach this age group by resuming the IEC],” she said.
Sepulveda also said that the CVO has 10 district satellite offices that offer free anti-rabies vaccination for pets from Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm. The vaccination is free, and can also be availed of during the Barangayan activity of the City Mayor’s Office (CMO) every Saturday.
Meanwhile, the theme for Rabies Awareness Month, which is observed every March, for the Calendar Year 2022–2027 is “Rabies Free na Pusa’t Aso, Kaligtasan ng Pamilyang Pilipino.”
According to Sepulveda, teaching pet owners about the importance of having their dogs and cats vaccinated and registered will be the focus of the campaign. They also intend to further promote responsible pet ownership.
Other than the IECs and the free anti-rabies vaccination program, the CVO also has impounding activities catering to requests from private subdivisions and different barangays. It also offers free castration for cats and dogs as part of its initiatives in combating rabies.
The CVO caters to clients for the free castration program in its clinic located at the main office in the City Hall Annex every Tuesday and Thursday. It also sends personnel to barangays that request its castration services.
The schedule of the free castration activity in the barangays is posted on the CVO’s official Facebook page.
“We have our caravan also in the different barangay wherein magkakaroon din kami ng mga kasama na yung IEC, vitamins sa mga livestock, and also our rabies vaccination and yung castration po na schedule namin pina schedule po yan sa mga different barangays [We also have our caravan in different barangays where we conduct IECs, anti-rabies vaccination, and castration program scheduled by the barangays. We also give out vitamins for livestock],” she added.
In 2023, the CVO was able to vaccinate a total of 145,816 pets; and was able to castrate 2,103 dogs and 1,828 cats.
Details on the CVO’s programs and services, including the schedule, requirements, and guidelines for the castration program can be viewed on its Facebook Page: City Veterinarian’s Office – Davao City. CIO
