Optional dog microchipping pushed

September 14, 2020 Metro BLISTT

The city council has approved on first reading a proposed amendatory ordinance seeking to repeal the mandatory dog microchipping policy on the heels of a petition filed by concerned dog owners. The proposed amendatory ordinance was introduced by Councilor Benny Bomogao. Upon the enactment of the proposed amendment, implanting a microchip under the skin of a dog shall be at the discretion of the dog owner.
However, Bomogao clarified that while microchip implantation shall be optional, the use of a dog tag shall be mandatory under the amendatory ordinance. Also, dog owners shall be required to have their dogs registered with a fee worth P50.00 for each dog.
A dog tag shall cost P100.00 while a microchip shall cost P300.00 inclusive of registration. The registration number, owner’s name, address, contact number, dog’s name, and dog’s breed shall be inscribed in the dog tag.
Whereas for microchipping, the following shall be encoded: registration number; owner’s name, address, contact number, email address, and other vital information; dog’s name, breed, sex, color, and other vital information; date of rabies vaccination and expiration; vaccine used; and name and signature of the veterinarian.
The dog’s identification inscribed/encoded in the dog tag and/or microchip shall be permanent and cannot be transferred to other dogs. A transfer of ownership shall require an update of the dog’s record through the City Veterinarian and Agriculture Office (CVAO).
The CVAO shall coordinate with the barangays for the schedule of the mass dog vaccination and dog tagging/microchipping.
The proposed amendment stated an unregistered dog found roaming the streets or public places shall be considered as a stray dog subject to seizure and disposal of proper authorities. A dog without a tag shall be presumed unregistered.
The proposed amendment stated an unregistered dog found roaming the streets or public places shall be considered as a stray dog subject to seizure and disposal of proper authorities. A dog without a tag shall be presumed unregistered.
The provision of Ordinance 500-34 on declaring a dog as a nuisance shall also be amended. Under Section 22 of Ordinance 500-34, a dog may be declared a nuisance by the barangay council when it has disturbed the peace and quiet of the neighborhood on not less than three occasions or has defecated outside the owner’s property and the owner has not collected the excrement.
Under the proposed amendment, for a dog to be declared a nuisance under the aforesaid conditions, there must be a testimony of at least three complainants who witnessed the incident on the same occasion or by the same complainant on the same occasion, by the same witness on three different occasions, or three witnesses on three different occasions.
Jordan G. Habbiling