By EDWIN IYO
Correspondent .
GINGOOG city officials would launch a fresh campaign against stray dogs in the eastern Misamis Oriental city beginning next month.
Gingoog Mayor Erick Cañosa on Tuesday ordered the strict enforcement of a city ordinance on stray animals effective Sept. 1.
Cañosa gave the order after he realized that an average of five people go to him everyday to ask for rabies vaccines on behalf of those bitten by dogs.
Gingoog city veterinarian Al Gonzales said unclaimed dogs would be euthanized.
For every dog killed with a heart blocker and anesthetic, city hall spends P200.
Gonzales said that from July 29 to Aug. 11 alone, city hall caught 74 stray dogs. Of the 74, four were killed.
Gonzales said he was seeing the possibility of increasing the penalty for irresponsible dog owners when the campaign starts next month.
City hall has directed barangay officials, the police, and the City Veterinary Office to pool their resources and enforce the city law on stray dogs.
“Kinahanglan wala nay iro makita sa kadalanan,” he said.
The local government started an information campaign, urging barangay officials and residents to cooperate and help.
Cañosa, a former member of the city council, authored the city law on stray animals.
“The mayor just wants stray dogs out of the streets of Gingoog,” said city hall spokesperson Nicole Managbanag, adding that he was alarmed over the number of dog-bite cases in the city.
The aim, according to Managbanag, is to completely rid Gingoog’s roads and streets of stray dogs so as to prevent human deaths due to rabies.
She said city hall would field workers to catch stray dogs, and irresponsible dog owners, if identified, would be penalized.
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