Manila, Sept. 29 -- Rabies cases in the Philippines have climbed to 260 from January to September 20 this year, the Department of Health (DOH) said Monday.

In a public advisory, the DOH reported that 95 percent of the infections were linked to animals that were unvaccinated or had unknown vaccination status.

With the rising number of cases, the DOH urged the public to take preventive measures through responsible pet ownership.

Annual vaccination of pets is the most effective protection against rabies for both humans and animals. The Anti-Rabies Act of 2007 makes vaccination mandatory for pet owners to help eliminate rabies nationwide.

Local government programs provide rabies vaccines for free. The first rabies vaccine is given to pupp...