Once the proposal is approved as city ordinance, all owners of pets particularly dogs shall have liability and will be penalized for any damage it will cause to other people.
Bacolod Councilor El Cid Familiaran, main proponent of the proposed measure, with Councilors Bobby Rojas and Mona Dia Jardin as co-proponents, will file a resolution during the regular session tomorrow, ESTABLISHING DOG-OWNERS RESPONSIBILITY, REQUIRING THEM ENCLOSURES/FENCED-IN YARD OR DOG HOUSE FOR THEIR PET DOGS AS PREVENTIVE MEASURE AGAINST FURTHER OCCURRENCE OF RABIES & OTHER INJURY, DAMAGE OR HAZARDS CAUSEDThe three councilors consider rabies as infectious & viral disease which is as dreadful among the dangers & hazards in raising dogs that continue to threaten the health of the populace. Coun. Familiaran resolves that despite the national & local programs that aim to eradicate rabies, and its damage created, it remains as among the major menace to health considered by the Health Department. Such health challenge brought by rabies can be seen thru the number of patients lined up before public hospitals and City Health office and/or health stations seeking an anti-rabies vaccine. Given such serious concern, there is a need for the City to seek a creative response, particularly on preventive measure against furtherance of rabies infection, Familiaran stressed. To address the danger/threat caused by rabies brought particularly by the dogs & its carried hazards and other possible injuries or damage posed to the public, there is a need for the Sangguniang Panlungsod to pass an enabling law, by involving the owners of dogs. Once it becomes an Ordinance, it will be titled - "An Ordinance Establishing Dog-Owners Responsibility, Requiring them Enclosures/Fenced-In Yard or Dog House for their Pet Dogs as Preventive Measure Against Further Occurrence of Rabies & Injury, Damage or Hazards Caused." Its short title shall be known as Dog-Owners Responsibility Ordinance. Section 2. Definition of Terms. 1) DOG-OWNERS - refers to any person keeping, harboring or having charge, care or control of dogs, including his/her representative. (R.A. 9482) 2) RABIES - refers to a highly fatal disease caused by a lyssa virus, transmitted mainly thru the bite of an infected animal and is characterized by muscle paralysis, hydrophobia and earophobia, and other neurological manifestations. (RA 9482) Section 3. Policy. a) The City of Bacolod recognizes that dogs are owner’s personal property. b) No barangay in the City of Bacolod shall restrict or prohibit the ownership of dogs. c) The City of Bacolod recognizes the right of the people to own a dog of whatever breed (except breed of dogs declared banned by authorized entity for a particular reason) to be in a responsible manner. Section 4. Responsibility of Dog Owners. The following are the responsibilities of the Dog-owners in the City of Bacolod a) All dogs shall be securely contained within the owner’s premises/property, however, shall not be inhumanely restrained by tying it, following the provisions of Republic Act # 8485 or the Animal Welfare Act. b) A dog owner shall protect the public from his/her dogs that are not contained within his/her premises, in doghouse or behind fenced-in yard or enclosures, considering that the liability lies upon them. c) All dogs shall be securely leashed when off from the owner’s premises, and, under the supervision of a person who is physically capable of controlling the dog. d) Parents who allow their child to lead a dog in public places assume the liability for any trespass, accident, harm or injury caused by their dog. e) Dog found at large, upon demand by authorized person, the owner must produce immunization record as required by the Veterinary Office. f) Taking all reasonable steps to ensure that the dog does not injure, endanger, intimidate or cause distress to any person, poultry & other domestic animals and/or protected wildlife or damage or endanger any property belonging to any other person. g) Confining dogs to owner’s property and preventing them from wandering. i) Getting a permit and /or tag from the City Veterinary Office. j) Owners shall remove feces of their dogs left from any public places. k) Securing dog by tying it when it is carried on board or under open tray of a vehicle to ensure that the dog will not fall. Section 5. Fines/ Penalty - Violation of Section 3 hereof shall be fined based on the following: 1st offense - Violator shall be warned, and be issued Citation Ticket. 2nd offense - Violator shall be fined P300.00 3rd offense - Violator shall be fined P600.00 4th offense - Violator shall be fined P1,500.00 5th offense - Violator shall be fined P2,000.00, and Community service for three(3) days in the barangay where he is living. 6th & final offense - Violator/dog-owner shall be fined P3,000.00, and forever shall not be allowed to own a dog. Section 6. IRR - For effective implementation of this Ordinance, within Sixty (60) Days upon its passage, the Committee which shall compose the hereunder Offices: 1) City Mayor or his/her designated representative, 2) City Health Office, 3) City Veterinary Office, 4) City Agriculture Office, and 5) Chairman of the SP Committee on Health shall come up with its Implementing Rules & Regulations(IRR), and submit to the Sangguniang Panlungsod for ratification. Section 7. Separability Clause- If any provision of this ordinance is declared invalid by a competent Court of jurisdiction, provisions which are not affected shall remain valid and has the force and effect. Section 8. Effectivity Clause - This ordinance shall take effect immediately upon approval. The public has positive reaction to this resolution, considering that stray dogs are disturbing the businesses because it growls at customers in the eatery, along the road lots where stray dogs are causing destruction to the passers, while others say, their plants in the backyard are being damaged by stray dogs. Despite the attention of owners are called several times, they remain deaf. But with the penal clause in the proposed city ordinance, hopefully it will be imposed with teeth.* By Edith B. Colmo Negros Daily Bulletin
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