Davao del Norte – It will be a holiday for dog lovers on June 28, 2018 as Davao del Norte is staging the first-ever Mindanao Dog Sports Competition at the Capitol Grounds in Tagum City.

The show is among the highlights of the Kadagayaan Festival 2018, in celebration of the 51st founding anniversary of the province.

Canine buffs and spectators will be in for a big treat when versatile furry friends easily transition from being family pets to sports show dogs, showing off their agility and skills in fast and action-packed performances.  

The dogs will be competing in four categories, namely: Non-standard jumpers and Standard Agility for small, medium, and large dogs, Open Category in Team Relay, and the Extreme Weave for small and medium dogs.

Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Renato Embate said that aside from showcasing the agility and skills of the dogs, the event will also provide a venue in raising awareness on responsible pet ownership. 

“Besides displaying the skills of our competitive dogs, the show is also a good venue for our pet lovers to learn how to keep and care for their pets responsibly,” the veterinarian said.

Embate said responsible pet ownership is the best way to deter dog bites, which remains a serious problem in the country today.

He added that in addition to providing various pet care services, the provincial government also continues to intensify its anti-rabies awareness campaign and vaccination services.

He revealed this drastically reduced the cases of canine rabies and human rabies and deaths in the province.

“This is a big boost to our goal of becoming a rabies-free province by 2025,” he revealed.