Question & AnswerQ&A (MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 40)
Republic Act 9482 is officially titled the Anti-Rabies Act of 2007.
The policy is to protect and promote the right to health of the people by providing a system for the control, prevention of the spread, and eventual eradication of human and animal rabies and establishing the need for responsible pet ownership.
The National Rabies Prevention and Control Committee is chaired by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) of the Department of Agriculture.
The Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Education (DepEd), Local Government Units (LGUs), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), and People's Organizations (POs).
Pet owners who fail or refuse to have their dogs registered and immunized against rabies shall be fined Two Thousand pesos (₱2,000.00).
The dog shall be under observation for 14 days by a government or private veterinarian and must not be killed or euthanized during this period.
Pet owners must have their dogs regularly vaccinated, maintain registration cards, keep dogs leashed or confined in public places, provide proper grooming and shelter, report dog bite incidents within 24 hours, and shoulder the medical expenses of bite victims.
LGUs are responsible for the annual registration and vaccination of dogs, enforcing dog impounding rules, maintaining dog pounds, allocating funds for the program, enacting local ordinances, prohibiting dog meat trade, and appointing veterinarians among others.
They shall be fined not less than Five Thousand pesos (₱5,000.00) per dog and subjected to imprisonment from one to four years.
Euthanasia must be painless and humane as prescribed by applicable rules; use of electrocution as euthanasia is prohibited and punishable by fines and imprisonment.
Mass vaccination of dogs, establishment of central database for registered dogs, impounding and disposition of unregistered and stray dogs, information and education campaign, provision of pre and post-exposure treatments, free immunization for children in high incidence areas, and promotion of responsible pet ownership.
Unvaccinated dogs bitten by a confirmed rabid animal shall be euthanized immediately and disposed of properly.
Dogs must be registered and vaccinated annually with registration renewal every year.
They shall be fined Ten Thousand pesos (₱10,000.00).
Promoting responsible pet ownership including spaying and neutering, incentivizing spayed/neutered dogs with discounted registration fees, and requiring spay/neuter for dogs impounded three times before release.