Dog owner faces criminal charges

CEBU, Philippines - For her alleged refusal to shoulder the medical expenses of a 13-year-old boy who was bitten by her dog, the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office yesterday elevated to court a criminal case against the dog owner.

Prosecutor Ferdinand Collantes charged Thelma Talledo for violation of Republic Act 9482 otherwise known as Anti-rabies Act of 2007. Her bail was set at P6,000.

In the complaint filed by Razzi Adlawan, of Barangay Lipata, Minglanilla, Cebu, he alleged that on Nov. 24, 2011 he was asked by his mother to buy vegetables at the nearby store.

While on his way home around 6 p.m. Talledo’s dog attacked him and bit his left leg.

He shouted for help and ran to the house of neighbor Bebe Nacua who gave him first aid. He added he was accompanied by Talledo going home.

He said his mother Ma. Victoria and Talledo agreed to bring him to the hospital and due to the incident, he said he was not able to attend his class the following day.

The testimony of the victim was corroborated by his mother. Ma. Victoria said they agreed with Talledo that the accused will refund whatever they will spend for the victim’s treatment.

Victoria added she paid an estimated P2,000 for the hospitalization of her son.

However, she said after a month the accused refused to pay her for the anti-rabies and anti-tetanus vaccinations.

Collantes then summoned Talledo to file her counter-affidavit but none was given prompting him to resolve the case based on the evidence presented by the complainant.

Under Section 11(4) of RA 9482, Collantes said the pet owners who refuse to shoulder the medical expenses of persons bitten by their dog shall be fined P25,000.

“…the refusal of the dog owner to bear the medical expenses resulting from the injurious act of his dog is a criminal transgression. Even the omission or inaction in cases of dog biting incident such as mandatory observation period and reporting are also deemed punishable,” the resolution read.

Meanwhile, with seven cases of rabid dogs already recorded by the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries since January, Dr. Alice Utlang has recommended to increase the fine to owners of rabid dogs.

“We have personnel and even barangay volunteers who are visiting from house-to-house just to give free vaccines. Still, there are still dogs found positive with rabies. Makaingon ta ang tag-iya way ayo. So kung positive ang iyang iro, ang tag-iya multahan kay wa nagpakabana,” she said.

Utlang said she will propose to the council to raise the fine from P2,000 to P5,000.

Utlang said the vaccine is free so there is no reason why the owners cannot have their dogs vaccinated.

“In other countries this is mandatory, vaccines are not even free. Wa lang gyu’y paki,” she said, adding that the owners of these seven dogs are not poor.

She also said that since January no one has died because of the disease, as against last year’s record of one death from Barangay Busay.

Prevention is always better than cure, said Utlang, especially as rabies is fatal.

“The rabies disease is preventable. But if it gets you, it’s fatal. The best way to prevent it is to have your dog vaccinated. That simple,” Utlang said.  (FREEMAN)