City launches anti-rabies, animal welfare campaign in schools

Bacolod City’s Veterinary Office launched the “Libre Kapon and Bakuna” or free neuter and vaccination program to protect students and teachers against rabies and promote animal welfare in public schools.

Dr. John Michael Cabuguason, the assistant city veterinarian, said they conducted the pilot activity last week at Negros Occidental High School (NOHS), which availed of free anti-rabies vaccination and spay and neuter services mainly for cats and dogs staying inside the campus.

“Our target are all public schools. We have coordinated with the Department of Education Schools Division Office for the go-signal to visit the schools,” he said.

Cabuguason said they intend to reach 70 DepEd schools in the city for the program.

“This activity aims to ensure the safety of children, parents, teachers, and staff against rabies and promote animal welfare in schools,” he added.

During the activity at the NOHS campus, the CVO partnered with several volunteers, including Lin-ay sang Negros 2024 Kyla Rose Romarate, who is a veterinary medicine student, and animal welfare advocate of the Bacolod Animal Chance and Hope (BACH) Project PH, and Sidlak Animal Welfare Group.

Cabuguason said they would visit schools aside from the ongoing anti-rabies vaccination in the barangays as part of the target to immunize 70 percent of the estimated 100,000 dog population in the city by the last quarter of the year.

Mass vaccination is free in barangays but pet owners can also bring their pets to the CVO to get immunized for a minimal fee of PHP50.

Cabuguason said they hope to finish the mass dog vaccination by September or October, including all the cats and dogs in the city’s 61 barangays.* (Nanette Guadalquiver)