No holding of animal fair, market, exhibition

On threat of ASF, zoonotic animal diseases

CAGAYAN de Oro City will implement restrictions on the holding of animal market, fair, exhibition and any activity which involves grouping or gathering of any species of animals within a quarantine area.

This, after the City Council headed by Vice Mayor Raineir Joaquin V. Uy enacted Ordinance No. 14043-2021 or the Animal Diseases Prevention and Control of Cagayan de Oro City.

The prohibition will be in effect unless the city veterinarian may, suo motu or on the application made to him in this behalf, relax the prohibition in relation to any species of animals, in a case where animals belonging to that species are not susceptible to the livelihood disease and are incapable of carrying it.

The use of swill or leftover food as feeds for livestock, and the carrying, transport, shipment, distribution, storing, trading, marketing and sale of prohibited animal and animal-related products in whatever form or quantity coming from other countries with confirmed animal disease outbreak are also prohibited under the ordinance.

TASK FORCE

A task force headed by the city mayor with the city veterinarian as the vice-chair was created to oversee the implementation of the ordinance and other related activities.

Members include the chair of the City Council committees on agriculture and on health, Liga ng Mga Barangay, the city agriculturist, chief of the City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (CLENRO), city director and city information officer, among others.

The ordinance is one of the measures undertaken by the legislative body in the battle against African Swine Fever (ASF) and other emerging and re-emerging infectious and zoonotic animal diseases in the city.

Legislators noted that animal diseases outbreak in the country and abroad, particularly ASF, Avian Flu, and Swine Flu pose a major threat to the industry and public health. (SP)