Be kind to animals

CAN we be kinder to animals in this country where millions of them, particularly cats and dogs, are strays? They are homeless, without regular access to food, health care when needed and left to the elements. They are regarded and treated as a nuisance. There is a general lack of empathy for them due to prevailing habits of neglect and irresponsibility, as well as an absence of education about animals and their worth and place in creation.

Animals have life, life is a gift of the creator, whether in a human being or an animal. Willfully taking it away or impairing it for reasons of cruelty, convenience and general neglect — directly or indirectly — are an affront to the gift of life.

In this country, we are living with approximately 12 million stray cats and dogs. They may have been formerly pets now abandoned, homeless and living on the streets where they reproduce in shelterless circumstances. Most civilized countries address problems like this, and the better managed ones do not allow them to be this large a problem. But we don’t.

Yes, some are pets who come with responsible or irresponsible owners. Responsible owners shelter their pets, do not allow them to roam freely in public places, feed them, keep them in health with necessary vaccines or medicines and give them love and companionship. Irresponsible pet owners do the opposite, and most times even abandon their pets when they feel inconvenienced by them. Thus, begins and multiplies the stray animal population.

While there is no permanent solution in the offing, there are models that address the stray animal problems that allay the situation and show humanity or humaneness in the process. These are animal welfare groups like the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), plus animal shelters in various places in the country.

There are also a number of individuals who from the goodness of their hearts and appreciation for animals start animal shelters where they are treated with kindness, or individuals who adopt or rescue distressed, homeless animals and give them love and care. In a recent example, a thoughtful animal welfare group rescued the abandoned dogs and cats in the recent landslide in Davao that killed most of their owners. In cases of calamities, these groups think of the animals who are equally affected as humans and do something to alleviate their suffering.

The animal welfare agencies, and the like, are able to operate with donations from people who empathize with stray animals though the assistance is less than needed compared to what is the reality. Yet these groups carry on raising their cause and mission for the public to be educated and to respond.

Legislators like Senators Mark Villar and Grace Poe have taken note. Senator Villar has a proposed bill to encourage the adoption of strays from animal pounds where some local governments segregate them, with the attraction of tax incentives. Senator Villar notes the low pet adoption rates here, with pet owners preferring to buy or acquire purebred animals that come from a thriving animal breeding industry. Stray dogs and cats give the same companionship, loyalty, have the same intelligence and ability to be house pets as the purebred ones.

Meanwhile, Senator Poe, in a related proposed measure, defines policies, rules and regulations for animal welfare as well as penalties for violators. In 1998, an Animal Welfare Act was passed which took note of the welfare of animals, particularly prohibiting and penalizing the eating of dog meat. But still, we need more animal welfare laws.

One responsibility of pet owners in these modern times should be the spaying and neutering of their animals so that there is no uncontrolled reproduction. If they do not, it is likely that they will abandon the new population which then take to the streets where they indeed can become predators, or cause road accidents or even transmit zoonotic diseases.

Another responsibility of pet owners is to have their animals vaccinated for diseases that they can incur as well as contaminate others like humans. These vaccines have proven to be effective. Some local government units (LGUs) like Quezon City encourage the registration of pets with a chip to be embedded in the animal to help find it in case of loss or disappearance.

Aside from pet owners who have to take responsibility for animals, the LGUs should, too. They have to catch and impound stray animals, treat them humanely and give them health care as well as encourage adoption as pets. Apparently, euthanasia is allowed under Republic Act 8085, or the “Animal Welfare Act of 1998,” but if carried out must be done humanely when the population in the pounds has gone beyond capacity. This is a last and unfortunate resort to deal with the problem.

One new stopgap measure is the Trap, Neuter, Release (TNR) policy where strays are caught humanely, neutered and then released in the areas where they were found. Then they do not reproduce and keep the territory for themselves, which means an animal population is under control. Community care and empathy will allow and encourage members of the community to feed these strays in place.

It would be nice to say that the above is understood and accepted. But it is not, particularly by gated villages in the rich enclaves. In these areas, it is not unusual to find “Do Not Feed The Animals” signs all over or worse, as has happened in certain modern commercial developments, hiring exterminators to do away with them. This anti-life behavior is uncivilized, inhumane and despicable. But it is happening. In contrast, many homeless people have the kindness to keep and care for animals with their meager resources.

At least there is some silver lining in that a number of membership clubs and developers have adopted the TNR and community feeding, and are having an affectionate people-animal relationship. There are committed volunteers to the animal welfare organizations. There is pending legislation to help animals. A few LGUs offer vaccinations and neutering for free and through their actions inculcate the place and worth of animals in human communities.

In fact, the key to animal welfare would be the local governments. They should be given the budgets necessary to take care of animal welfare in their communities. During the last barangay elections, the youth sector mentioned animal welfare as one of their platforms. Surely, with the help of the local government, these youths can be an effective source for taking care of the animal population in their areas.

I have heard of two women who on their own, by themselves at the start, have addressed the problem of strays. The first one rescued many, many cats and her efforts impressed enough people to volunteer to help. They speak to businesses, villages, local government officers about the right to life of animals and get converts who work for animal welfare. Indeed, this lady was a pioneer in doing something about stray cats and giving them a chance for a better life.

Another committed woman organized veterinarians to neuter strays and persuaded LGUs around the country to take an interest in doing the same. Over a number of years, she has managed to have about 30,000 animals neutered in many LGUs for a more manageable animal life. She has also established a clinic for animal services at affordable prices. Indeed, she is her own one-woman animal welfare agency. Both women do this work of animal welfare without publicity or expectation of praise or awards. Would there be more like them?

We still need a lot more effort, a lot more education and a lot more empathy for the animals among us who may be dumb only because they cannot speak (but they can communicate), and they do have feelings and sensitivities like all that have life.