TECH4GOOD
It looks like the Philippines is still far from being an animal-friendly state. The recent cases of maltreatment exemplified by the bludgeoning to death of a golden retriever in Bicol and that of the cats left without food for days that resulted in cannibalism which happened in what was supposed to be a cat sanctuary generally reflect the current woes being experienced by most animals in the country.
As an animal welfare advocate, I am appalled by all these recent news stories and what I see just by driving around. Stray cats and dogs scramble for anything they can scavenge for food from piles of trash along the streets. Most look sick and thirsty. What we see reflects our society’s values and priorities in life and the extent of willingness we have to extend our humanity to all living beings. It could simply be plain apathy, a reflection of how our parents raised us or how civilized we are. It could also be the result of what our schools did not teach us.
The kind of attitude we see today translates to rampant street animal neglect, with countless dogs and cats left to fend for themselves, often succumbing to hunger, disease, or accidents.
Stray dog culling, a brutal but common practice employed by some local governments, highlights the lack of a comprehensive stray management program. Rehabilitation and rehoming initiatives remain limited.
When we moved to our new place six years ago, one of the first things we noticed was the number of stray cats around — to say numerous is an understatement. The cats were there because of the construction workers’ leftovers. Every week, we saw newly born litters, and the cats’ fast-growing population was beginning to be a significant challenge for the residents. The situation had to be addressed quickly.
Solutions suggested include having the workers put the animals in sacks and release them somewhere far away or having the city pound round them up. However, we all know that the easiest way for City Pounds to address stray animals is to have them euthanized. Both solutions did not bode well with the residents especially the idea of having them euthanized. Most agreed that, even if we can get rid of them, give it a week, and a new set of cats will come in to stay, and we are back to square one. We had to devise a humane solution, allowing the felines to become part of the community.
Our community, Mirea Residences, entered into an arrangement with an animal welfare group to help us manage the cat population and, more importantly, educate the community on why we need to care for the felines and how to do so. We rounded up all 30-plus cats and brought them for neutering and spaying, including their anti-rabies shots. Today, the community has about 30 passionate volunteers, all busy with their day jobs, who ensure that all the community cats are adequately cared for. The satisfaction the volunteers get out of doing volunteer work for our community cats is not just seeing the cats become an integral part of the community but, more importantly, showing others that it can be done.
Change requires sustained efforts like a carabao patiently pulling a plow. To address the situation, we must take a multi-faceted approach. We must increase public awareness about animal welfare and responsible pet ownership. Educational campaigns can help shift cultural perceptions and encourage empathy towards animals.
The right laws are in place. We need stricter enforcement and harsher consequences for those who violate them, including government officials, like barangay officials, who are supposed to take the lead. We must report cases of animal cruelty to the authorities. The gaps we see today result from inadequate law enforcement, with the concerned agencies seemingly turning blind eyes to the realities.
We also need to support animal welfare organizations, which play a vital role in animal rescue and advocacy. We can help them by giving donations, volunteering, and adopting. Community involvement is critical. We can do our share by leading (it could be in coordination with the local government) periodic anti-rabies drives, spay/neuter programs, and adoption drives.
Imagine this: in the heart of the Philippines, a nation vibrant with culture and life, lies a silent plea for compassion that echoes through the streets and shelters. We can rewrite the narrative by amplifying the voices of animal advocates, demanding better enforcement of existing laws, and embracing a culture of civilized compassion. We need to create a future where respect and empathy extend to all creatures, big and small. ([email protected])
(The author is an executive member of the National Innovation Council, lead convener of the Alliance for Technology Innovators for the Nation (ATIN), vice president of the Analytics and AI Association of the Philippines, and vice president of UP System Information Technology Foundation.)