The Department of Health (DOH) has called on all pet owners to vaccinate their animals against rabies to curb the rising number of fatalities linked to the disease.
The surge in rabies-related deaths is attributed to the large population of stray dogs in the country, which has reached approximately 13 million.
According to DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, the Anti-Rabies Act mandates local government units (LGUs) and the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) to oversee the vaccination of stray dogs and cats, while pet owners are responsible for their domesticated animals.
Herbosa emphasized that every year, the DOH campaigns for pet owners to vaccinate their dogs to prevent rabies infections.
He clarified that there has been no decline in anti-rabies vaccinations for humans, but LGUs have not been purchasing vaccines, leading many patients to seek treatment at San Lazaro Hospital.
Rabies cases have surged, with San Lazaro Hospital treating up to 2,000 patients daily over the past two weeks.
The DOH recorded 426 rabies-related deaths in 2024, with all fatal cases exhibiting symptoms before succumbing to the disease.