CEBU CITY – Animal welfare desks will soon be established in all police stations here.

The Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries (DVMF) said these animal welfare desks will be put up in 14 police stations and substations under the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) to ensure that cases of animal abuse will be given priority.

Dr. Jessica Maribojoc, chief of the DVMF, said police personnel who will man the desks have been training since November last year.

“A lot of people do not know where to report animal abuse cases. And some people are even unaware that animal abuse can be reported to authorities,” said Maribojoc.

Maribojoc said the public should know that animal abuse is punishable under the Animal Welfare Act of 1998.

The seminar-workshop allowed police who will man the help desks to be more knowledgeable of the law that protects animal rights, Maribojoc said.

Maribojoc said having animal welfare desks will give more teeth to the law.

“On our part, we can only issue a citation and it only involves a minimal amount, a minimum of P2,000 and a maximum of P5,000,” Maribojoc said.

Maribojoc warned that the DVMF is serious in its campaign against animal abuse. She said that last year, a resident was fined P30,000 for abandoning five dogs.

She said the DVMF is pushing for the protection of animal rights not just in Cebu City but also in the entire province of Cebu.

Maribojoc condemned the recent incident in a subdivision in the City of Naga where several dogs were poisoned.

“That was very barbaric, very inhuman. There are a lot of ways to control strays and the simplest way is to bring them to the pound area. There is a city veterinarian office there. The local government unit has the mandate to control rabies,” said Maribojoc.