LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte (PIA) – Some 263 pet dogs and cats in Laoag City received free medical and consultancy services on Tuesday, March 26.

The city veterinary office led the project offered free anti-rabies vaccination, deworming, consultation and treatment for sick pets, and castration of male dogs and cats.

According to city veterinary Dr. Samantha Licudine, 48 dogs and cats were successfully castrated while 215 availed the free anti-rabies vaccine, deworming, consultation, and treatment service during the veterinary medical mission.

“For pet owners, it’s really important for us to properly provide care for our pets and give them their basic needs. That is why we did this project to give some medical care for animals and also ease the burden for pet owners because the services we offered are free of charge,” she said.

The city veterinary office partnered with the office of the city agriculture, Region 1 Veterinary Quarantine Services, provincial veterinary office, ‘Top Breed Ilocos,’ and some private veterinary practitioners in the city to accommodate as many animals as they can.

The said activity was held at Brgy. 25 Cayetana from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

With the positive turnout, the city veterinary office is looking into getting more schedules in other barangays in the city to conduct the veterinary medical mission.

Licudine also appealed to residents in the city to properly care for their pets so they so they do not become stray animals.

According to Licudine, the city already recorded about 1,000 cases of animal bite and scratches from January to March 2024.

Animal bite victims in Laoag City are advised to immediately get their anti-rabies vaccination at the City Health Office (CHO) to avoid rabies infection.

She added that the city animal pound is still in its final phases of construction. (JCR/MJTAB/EJFG, PIA Ilocos Norte)