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stray dogs

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Sen. Cynthia Villar, chair of the Senate agriculture committee, wants to control the population of dogs and cats especially in poor areas because they pose health risks, she said Wednesday as the panel held discussions on various animal welfare bills.</p><p>&quot;Alam niyo, ang problema natin, marami tayong mahihirap and then nangangak nang marami yung kanilang mga dogs and cats,&quot; she said.</p><p>She said that she had been told that a cat can give birth to up to 12 kittens a year while a dog can give birth to around four puppies.</p><p>&quot;So, pag mahirap at nanganak yung cat nila ng 12 at yung dog nila ng 4, ano naman papakain nila doon? So they become stray dogs and they&#x27;re all around,&quot; she said.</p><p>The number of strays increases the risk of disease like rabies, leptospirosis and parasites, she said. </p><p>&quot;Dapat, para ring mga tao, we do population control, especially for the poor kasi they won&#x27;t have the money to feed the dogs and cats borne out of their dogs and cats,&quot; she said.</p><p>(We should control the population, as with people, especially the poor because they won&#x27;t have money to feed the dogs and cats)</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/4/filipinos-delaying-marriage-having-children-amid-economic-instability-cpd-1318">READ: Filipinos delaying marriage, having children amid economic instability — CPD</a></div><p>She said that local governments should conduct more spaying and neutering campaigns so there are fewer strays on the streets.</p><p>Apart from government efforts, <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/6/cat-in-capture-net-goes-viral-araneta-city-assures-public-of-cats-safety-653">some volunteers feed strays</a> and conduct catch, neuter and release programs to help curb the growth of the animal population.</p><p>In her opening remarks, Villar said that stray dogs and cats are left to fend for themselves, often succumbing to hunger, disease, or accidents. </p><p>Although local governments put rescues and strays in animal shelters, she said that, because of limited resources, &quot;animal homelessness has reached a crisis point as countless dogs and cats are euthanized every month.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/3/26/house-lawmaker-wants-tax-breaks-for-animal-adoption-1215">RELATED: House lawmaker wants tax breaks to encourage animal adoption</a></div><p>Sen. Grace Poe also pointed out the problem of too many stray animals, saying this also leads to poor health because of lack of care.</p><p>&quot;According to the Mars Petcare Pet Homelessness Project report, there are a total of 13.11 million stray cats and dogs in the Philippines today.&quot;</p><p>Mars, a conglomerate involved in petcare and in food and nutrition, released the results of its worldwide study in January.</p><p>&quot;Because strays lack proper care or vaccinations, rabies is most common in countries where stray dogs are present in large numbers,&quot; Poe said. </p><p>&quot;The Philippines is, in fact, ranked 6th among countries with the highest rabies incidence in the world.&quot;</p><div><strong>ANIMAL CRUELTY </strong></div><p>&quot;Animal cruelty remains an ongoing problem that impacts vulnerable animals that are unable to protect themselves,&quot; Villar also said during the hearing.</p><p>Recently, a golden retriever named Killua was reportedly killed by Anthony Solares because the dog was being aggressive.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LigyoCBxWeU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span>There have also been incidents such as the stabbing to death of an Aspin (asong Pinoy) named Erika by a South Korean national, and a dog being hurled away by a mall security guard.</div><p>Villar said that under the Animal Welfare Act, the Bureau of Animal Industry is tasked to supervise the implementation of the law and its rules and regulations.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/regions/2024/3/19/public-outcry-prompts-investigation-into-pet-dog-s-death-in-camarines-sur-2210">READ: Public outcry prompts investigation into pet dog&#x27;s death in Camarines Sur<br/></a></div><p>But Villar acknowledged the agency does not have much power so they are pushing for a law that will reorganize the agency.</p><div><strong>PROPOSED CHANGES TO BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY</strong></div><p>&quot;We are amending the Livestock. Poultry and Dairy Bureau and (the bill) is now in the period of amendment and we hope to pass it next week. And in that law, we are dividing the animal industry,&quot; Villar said.</p><p>&quot;We are making changes — the BAI would become purely developmental and the National Meat Inspection Service will be turned into a bureau and will become the Bureau of Animal Regulation and Inspection,&quot; she said.</p><p>She said the Animal Facilities Regulation Section, the Animal Information Advocation Services and the Animal Welfare Policy Unit — under the Livestock and Poultry Inspection Service — can be tasked with animal welfare.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/3/20/dogs-attend-senate-session-as-animal-welfare-bill-is-pushed-1702">RELATED: Dogs attend Senate session as bill on animal welfare is pushed</a></div><p>Poe, for her part, said she believes the Department of Agriculture should be able to train and deputize animal welfare enforcement officers from communities and from animal welfare organizations, and from the police.</p>

<p>"Alam niyo, ang problema natin, marami tayong mahihirap and then nangangak nang marami yung kanilang mga dogs and cats," Villar said.</p>

"Alam niyo, ang problema natin, marami tayong mahihirap and then nangangak nang marami yung kanilang mga dogs and cats," Villar said.

Senators call for population control for stray cats and dogs

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Senators call for population control for stray cats and dogs

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 15, 2024 02:40 PM PHT

Read More:

animal welfare

animal control

stray animals

Cynthia Villar

Grace Poe

Bureau of Animal Industry

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