CEBU CITY, Philippine?The Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries (DVMF) in Cebu City has opened the first public animal birth control center.

The center will give free castration and spaying for dogs and cats.

Pet owners have to pay a registration fee of P150, which is required under the city ordinance.

City veterinarian Dr. Alice Utlang said the center was constructed due to the increasing number of dogs in the city.

Utlang said there are 78,000 dogs in the city but only less than 4,000 of them are registered and those that are not registered have a big risk of having rabies.

Utlang said despite the operations conducted last year to impound and kill stray dogs, the population continued to increase.

She said it is better to give free castration to dogs and cats to reduce their population rather than killing them.

Dr. Daniel Ventura of the World Society for the Protection of Animals told that the system adopted in the Animal Birth Control Center is being recognized by their group.

Birth control of animals does not violate their rights to live since it is meant to protect the welfare of the human being.

Fr. Loreto Jaque of Cebu?s Archbishop Palace also agreed with Dr. Ventura, saying the public welfare and health should always be considered. Chris A. Ligan, Correspondent