September 30, 2016. The Antipolo pound has scheduled for Euthanasia 60 dogs! We are appealing to the City Government of Antipolo to stop this Euthanasia. This is not the answer to the growing population of stray dogs. Rather, we should strengthen and re-direct our efforts towards:

1. Informing our citizens specially dog owners through a city-wide information campaign about R.A.8485-Section 7/9 That they can be fined up to (P100,000) and imprisoned if they neglect, maltreat or abandon their dog.

SECTION 7. It shall be unlawful for any person who has custody to an animal to abandon the animal.

If any person being the owner or having charge or control of any animal shall without reasonable cause or excuse abandon it, whether permanently or not, without providing for the care of that animal, such act shall constitute maltreatment under Section 9.

If the animal is left in circumstances likely to cause the animal any unnecessary suffering, or if this abandonment results in the death of the animal, the person liable shall suffer the maximum penalty.

Abandonment means the relinquishment of all right, title, claim, or possession of the animal with the intention of not reclaiming its ownership or possession.

SECTION 9. Any person who subjects any animal to cruelty, maltreatment or neglect shall, upon conviction by final judgment, be punished by imprisonment and/or fine, as indicated in the following graduated scale:

 Imprisonment of one (1) year and six (6) months and one (1) day to two (2) years and/or fine not exceeding One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) if the animal subjected to cruelty, maltreatment, or neglect dies

2. The  city government should sponsor or subsidize not just the Rabbies vaccination but also the spaying and neutering to reduce the stray dog and cat population. Kapon ang solusyon!

3. Educate our citizen about Responsible Pet Ownership. We need to keep our dogs in our houses, put them in a leash when we walk them and clean up after them.

These are all simple things but very easy to achieve. If we don't do these things we will just end up euthanizing 60 dogs every 6 months!

Let us appeal to the city government of Antipolo and let this be a start for the other cities as well.