ni Jasmin Joy Evangelista | March 1, 2022
Nakatakdang i-train ng Quezon City Veterinary Department (QCVD) ang mga asong gala sa Quezon City upang maging mga service dogs.
Base sa report ng QCVD, nakaka-rescue sila ng 57 na aso kada araw, kabilang ang mga isinu-surrender ng mga may-ari nito. Lahat ng ito ay binibigyan ng matitirahan at kabilang sa candidates for rehabilitation at adoption upang maging pet ng QCitizen families, emotional support dogs, o maging explosive detection dogs.
“Before training them, our veterinarians make sure that the rescued animals undergo comprehensive assessment, health check, and even temperament test. This is for us to determine if a dog is suitable as a pet or a community service canine,” ani Mayor Joy Belmonte.
Bawat aso ay sasailalim sa three-day observation at Safety Assessment for Evaluating Rehoming (SAFER) test na tutukoy sa comfort level with restraint and touch ng aso, reaksiyon sa mga bagong karanasan, katulad ng movement and sound stimuli, bite inhibition, behaviour sa paligid ng mga pagkain at laruan, at pakikitungo sa ibang aso.
Sasailalim din sila sa screening ng mga karaniwang sakit tulad ng Parvovirus, Distemper, Transmissible Venereal Tumor at Mange and parasitism. Tanging mga malulusog na aso lamang ang qualified sa Rehabilitation and Adoption Program.
“Since the establishment of the QC Animal Care and Adoption Center in November, the city has already partnered with the Quezon City Police District and Bureau of Fire Protection. These agencies will be the first recipients of selected sheltered dogs that they will further train as drug, bomb-sniffing, and rescue dogs,” pahayag pa ni Belmonte.