Republic Act No. 9482 or the Anti-Rabies Act of 2007

 So you're a dog lover?

Know what are your obligations and responsibilities under this law.  This is Republic Act No. 9482 or the "Anti-Rabies Act of 2007".

The State has declared as its policy to protect and promote the right to health of the people by providing a system for the control, prevention of the spread, and eventual eradication of human and animal Rabies and establishing the need for responsible pet ownership.

As a pet owner, you have these responsibilities:

1.  Have your Dog regularly vaccinated against Rabies and maintain a registration card which shall contain all vaccinations conducted on your dog, for accurate record purposes.

2.  Submit your Dogs for mandatory registration.

3.  Maintain control over your Dog and not allow it to roam the streets or any Public Place without a leash.

4.  Be a responsible Owner by providing your Dog with proper grooming, adequate food and clean shelter.

5.  Within 24 hours, report immediately any Dog biting incident to the Concerned Officials for investigation or for any appropriate action and place such Dog under observation by a government or private veterinarian.

6.  Assist the Dog bite victim immediately and shoulder the medical expenses incurred and other incidental expenses relative to the victim's injuries.

Aside from the pet owners, the LGUs have also the following responsibilities:

1.  Ensure that all Dogs are properly immunized, registered and issued a corresponding Dog tag for every immunized and registered Dog.

2.  Strictly enforce Dog Impounding activities and field control to eliminate Stray Dogs.

3.  Ensure that Dogs are leashed or confined within the premises of the Owner's house or Owner's fenced surroundings.

4.  Allocate funds to augment the implementation of the National Rabies and Prevention and Control Program, particularly on the financing of supplies and human and Dog vaccines needed for immunization.

5.  Ensure the enforcement of Section 6 of Republic Act No. 8485 or "The Animal Welfare Act of 1998".

6.  Enact additional local ordinances that will support the National Rabies Prevention and Control Program that should include the regulation of treatment locally known as "tandok".

7.  Prohibit the trade of Dogs for meat.

8.  With respect to cities and first class municipalities, establish and maintain a Dog Pound where Impounded Dogs shall be kept, in accordance with Section 9 herein: Provided, That the other municipalities, shall, on their own, establish a Dog Pound or opt to share the expense of establishing and maintaining a Dog Pound with other adjoining municipalities and/or with private animal shelters and control facilities.

9.  Prohibit the use of electrocution as a euthanasia procedure.

10.  Appoint a veterinarian and establish a veterinary office in every province, city and first-class municipality: Provided, That the other municipalities shall, on their own, opt to share the expense having a veterinary office.

11.  Require pet shops to post information regarding Rabies and responsible pet ownership.

12.  For purposes of ensuring the administrative feasibility of implementing the provisions of this Act and subject to paragraph 8 of this Section, the LGU shall collect the fines imposed under Section 11 subparagraph (1), (3), (4), (5) and (6) hereof.

Violators shall be penalized with the following:

1.  Pet owners who fail or refuse to have their Dog registered and immunized against Rabies shall be punished by a fine of Two thousand pesos (P2,000.00).

2.  Pet owners who refuse to have their Dog vaccinated against Rabies shall be liable to pay for the vaccination of both the Dog and the individuals bitten by their Dog.

3.  Pet owners who refuse to have their Dog put under observation after said Dog bitted an individual shall be meted a fine of Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00).

4.  Pet owners who refuse to have their Dog put under observation and do not shoulder the medical expenses of the person Bitten by their Dog shall be meted a fine of Twenty-five thousand pesos (P25,000.00).

5.  Pet owners who refuse to put leash on their Dog when they are brought outside the house shall be meted a fine of Five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) for each incident. 

6.  An impounded Dog shall be released to its Owner upon payment of a fine of not less than Five hundred pesos (P500.00) but not more than One thousand pesos (P1,000.00).

7.  Any person found guilty of trading Dog meat shall be fined not less than Five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) per Dog and subjected to imprisonment for one to four years.

8.  Any person found guilty of using electrocution as a method of euthanasia shall be fined not less than Five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) per act and subject to imprisonment for one to four years.

9.  If the violation is committed by an alien, he or she shall be immediately deported after service of sentence without any further proceedings.