Manila pet owners have been urged to take extra precautions against rabies after seven people were reported to have tested positive for rabies encephalitis following dog bites.

Dr. Hector Dimaculangan, a veterinarian and chief of the Manila City Pound, disclosed the cases over the weekend during a dog show festival at the newly built Pandacan Senior Citizens’ Park and Pet Park.

Dimaculangan said seven dogs that bit the victims also tested positive for rabies.

He urged pet owners to avail themselves of the city’s free anti-rabies vaccination and deworming services for dogs, which Manila City Pound personnel provide during rounds in the city’s barangays.

Dimaculangan reminded pet owners that keeping a dog or cat requires a long-term commitment and that animals should be treated as part of the family.

“Hopefully, many of us will understand that taking care of a pet is not something you do only at the beginning. It is a big commitment to have a pet at home. If you have limited space, please don’t keep too many pets,” Dimaculangan told the DAILY TRIBUNE.

He said some owners eventually grow tired of caring for their pets and leave them to roam the streets and scavenge for food.

“It is not right to abandon your pet once you get tired of it. If your dog or cat bites someone, you can be held liable under the law, and you also have an obligation to ensure that the victim receives treatment,” Dimaculangan said.

On euthanasia, Dimaculangan said the city pound puts severely ill or suffering dogs to sleep when treatment is no longer effective.

“Yes, we perform euthanasia on dogs with severe illnesses, particularly those that are no longer eating, cannot be saved by medication or can no longer stand. But they undergo treatment first. Sometimes they do not recover because of their age, and euthanasia may be necessary as an act of mercy. It depends on the case,” he said.