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Arroyo signs 2007 Anti-Rabies Act


President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has signed into law the Anti-Rabies Act of 2007 (Republic Act 9482), which seeks to control and eliminate human and animal rabies. The law was signed last May 25, Malacañang said Thursday. Rabies is a highly fatal disease caused by a lyssa virus that is transmitted through the bite of an infected animal. It is characterized by muscle paralysis, hydrophobia and aerophobia and other neurological disorders. The new law requires the creation of a National Rabies Prevention and Control Program, which will be implemented by a multi-agency committee that would be chaired by the agriculture department’s Bureau of Animal Industry. The program involves the mass vaccination of dogs, establishment of a central database system for registered and vaccinated dogs, impounding, field control and disposition of stray and unvaccinated dogs. It also calls for information and education campaign on the prevention and control of rabies, pre-exposure treatment of high-risk personnel and post-exposure treatment of animal bite victims, free routine immunization of schoolchildren aged five to 14 in areas where there is high incidence of rabies and encouragement of responsible pet ownership. RA 9482 requires pet owners to regularly vaccinate their dog against rabies and maintain a vaccination registration card, submit their dog for mandatory registration, maintain control of their dog and not allow it to roam any public place without a leash, provide their dog with proper grooming, adequate food and clean shelter, report within 24 hours any dog biting incident for investigation or appropriate action, assist the dog bite victim immediately and shoulder the medical expenses of the victims. The new law also lists the responsibilities of government agencies under the Rabies Prevention and Control Program. It also requires local government units to ensure that all dogs in their areas are properly immunized, registered and issued a dog tag, enforce impounding activities and field control for stray dogs, ensure that dogs are leased or confined within the owner’s house, allocate funds to augment the implementation of the program, ensure the enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act of 1998, enact local ordinances that would regulate treatment locally known as “tandok;" prohibit the trade of dogs for meat, maintain dog pounds, establish a veterinary office in every province, and require pet shops to post information regarding rabies and responsible pet ownership. Under RA 9482, unregistered, stray and unvaccinated dogs shall be put in dog pounds. If they are not claimed for three days, they will be put up for adoption or disposed of. The owner shall pay P500-P1,000 before he gets his dog back. It also gives dog owners discounts in pet registration fee if the animal is neutered as part of the dog population control program. RA 9482 imposes the following penalties: * P2,000 for pet owners who fail or refuse 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 * P10,000 for those who refuse to have their dog placed under observation after it has bitten a person * P25,000 for pet owners who refuse to have their dog observed and do not shoulder the medical expenses of the bitten person * P500 for dog owners who refuse to put their dogs on a leash * P5,000 per dog for those found guilty of trading dog for meat; the person would also be imprisoned for one to four years * P5,000 per act and imprisonment of 1-4 years for those who use electrocution as a method of euthanasia A budget of P100 million is set for the implementation of the act and would initially be chargeable against the budgets of the health, agriculture, interior and education departments. - GMANews.TV

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