An ounce of prevention is the best defense against outbreaks.

This was the message of the president of the Pangasinan Hog Raisers Association even as he called on the provincial veterinarian to look into reports that one piggery farm in a town in the Third District has been infected with hog cholera.

In a telephone interview with the PUNCH, Dr. Rodolfo Custodio, head of the hog raisers’ group, said he heard of the story from a big feeds marketer.

Alarmed by the report, Custodio said the provincial veterinarian, Dr. Benedicto Perez, should immediately validate this report as it might cause great harm to the provincial hog industry.

The industry in Bulacan was recently affected by a scare for pork owing to news of the hog cholera.

Custodio, former vice president of the National Federation of Hog Farmers, said local government units should take proactive measures with backyard piggery raisers, including undertaking vaccination programs.

He noted that some towns do not even have municipal veterinarians up to now, a requirement under the Local Government Code.

He added that local government executives should also ask their town veterinarians to implement regular disinfection of markets and slaughterhouses to prevent the outbreak of animal diseases.

Custodio also called on Governor Amado Espino Jr. to issue an order that all animals entering the province should have quarantine clearance from their point of origin to ensure that these were vaccinated and are disease-free.

DAGUPAN CITY

In a related development, Dagupan City Councilor Jess Canto has authored a resolution yesterday asking Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. to direct the City Veterinarian and the City Health Office to intensify the campaign against the sale of infected meat products.

Canto cited media reports indicating the prevalent sale of meat from infected animals in Metro Manila.

To protect the city’s populace from the ill-effects of a possible outbreak of highly contagious and deadly diseases, he said the Office of the City Veterinarian must intensify the local campaign within public markets, supermarkets, grocery stores, flea markets and other outlets of fresh meat and meat products.

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