The New Anti-Rabies Law

Dogs straying around the streets are a common sight in the Philippines. Sadly, most of these are unvaccinated. This was the main reason why the dreaded effects of rabies in the Philippines could not be eliminated totally.

Good thing that the senate has approved of a law called the Anti-Rabies Act of 2007 also kn own as the Republic Act 9482 last May 25, 2008 authored by Sen. Pia Cayetano.

The components of the program are:

1. Mass vaccination of dogs
2. Establishing a central database for registered and vaccinated dogs.
3. Impounding of stray dogs
4. Field control and disposition of unregistered stray, and unvaccinated dogs
5. Information and educational campaigns to prevent and control rabies
6. Pre-exposure treatment for high-risk people and post-exposure treatment for the animal-bite victims
7. Free routine immunization of schoolchildren who are aged 5-14 in places with significant incidence of rabies
8. Encouraging responsible pet ownership
9. Prescribing penalties for violation of the law
   

The penalties for violation of the law are:

1. P2,000 for failing or refusing to have their dog registered and immunized against rabies. If the dog bites someone, the owner will pay for the vaccination of the dog and the person bitten.
2. P10,000 for refusing to place their dog under observation after it has bitten a person
3. P25,000 for refusing to have their dog observed and for not shouldering the medical expenses of the bitten person
4. P500 for refusing to put their dogs on a leash.
   

We just hope that this law could be implemented strictly.

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