Bukidnon town’s crackdown nets 20 stray dogs

QUEZON, BUKIDNON — Local authorities impounded at least 20 stray dogs over the past week in Barangay Butong here as village officials intensified their crackdown on roaming pets as part of efforts to prevent rabies and promote road safety.

Nehru Tan, Barangay Butong punong barangay, told the Inquirer by phone on Sunday that the campaign was launched in response to growing safety concerns and public complaints raised during their October barangay assembly.

The operation was carried out in coordination with the Quezon Municipal Agriculture Office under an existing municipal ordinance on stray dogs.

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READ: Animal rescuer gives over 170 strays their ‘fur-ever’ home

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Barangay Butong is the second most populous barangay in Quezon, with 14,630 residents, following Barangay Poblacion with 17,430. The municipality’s population grew from 94,584 in 2010 to 114,521 in 2024.

Tan emphasized that public safety along the busy highway stretching across the village remains their priority, noting that stray dogs have caused fatal road accidents, scattered garbage and defecated in public areas.

He added that pet owners often shirk responsibility when their dogs bite pedestrians.

Under the ordinance, pet owners who claim their impounded dogs face progressive daily fines of P400 for the first day, P600 for the second and P800 for the third. From the fourth day onward, an additional fine of P200 will be imposed until the dogs are claimed.

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In Malaybalay City, the local government under Mayor Warren Pabillaran continues to step up its citywide “Dakip-Aso” campaign in line with Republic Act No. 9482, or the Anti-Rabies Act of 2007.

The initiative aims to eliminate human rabies fatalities, reduce animal bite incidents and minimize road hazards caused by unconfined pets across the locality. /mcm