Stray Dog Bites Photographer in Bacolod City Public Plaza
A 60-year-old photographer was bitten by a stray dog while working at the Bacolod City Public Plaza.
On February 22, 2026, a senior citizen photographer was left shaken after being bitten by a stray dog. He is calling for better safety in the area.
Jo Mercado has been earning a living as a photographer at the plaza for 35 years. He usually takes photos of tourists and visitors who want souvenirs of their trip to Bacolod City.
On Sunday morning at around 10:30 a.m., he was taking pictures of tourists who had come all the way from Davao. After snapping their photos, he told them to wait for about 10 minutes so he could prepare the prints.
While heading back to give the pictures, a stray dog suddenly approached and bit him on the side of his body. The attack happened quickly and without warning. Mercado sought help and later shared his experience to raise awareness about the growing number of stray dogs in the plaza.
He said he is not the only one who has been bitten. Over the years, he has witnessed around 15 similar incidents involving stray dogs in the area. Just recently, a resident from Barangay Singcang Airport also reported being bitten on the foot by a stray dog at the same plaza.
Many people are now concerned about safety, especially since the plaza is a popular place for families, children, and tourists. Mercado and other residents are asking the local government of Bacolod to address the problem of stray dogs and to strengthen security in the public plaza.
The residents are hoping that action will be taken soon to prevent more people from getting hurt while simply enjoying or working in one of the city’s well-known public spaces.
In a previous post, a man criticized online for admitting to abusing their pet dog
The social media users expressed their reactions to the incident:
