No more mercy killing of stray dogs, city hall says

By: Emme Rose Santiagudo

Appeals from the public, especially animal rights advocates, prompted the Iloilo City government to call off its earlier pronouncements that unclaimed stray dogs captured by the City Veterinarian Office (CVO) will be subjected to euthanasia or mercy killing.

Mayor Jerry Treñas said he was surprised because he was not properly consulted with the proposal.

“I have not been consulted about that proposal I was surprised that was announced without consultation. Waay ko pa gani naistoya si Vice Jeffrey Ganzon kag mga konsehal ta parti sina so we will have to think that out very carefully,” he told media reporters on Monday.

Last week, City Veterinarian Dr. Thomas Forteza announced that the increasing number of stray dogs in the metro need to be controlled for the sake of public safety.

According to Forteza, their office is mandated to subject unclaimed dogs to “mercy killing” three days after capture.

“Dapat maintindihan sang publiko na we need to control the stray dogs for their protection. We are making the city beautiful and iban na stray dogs gapangaykay tanom kag nangin cause of danger sa mga naga lakat-lakat kag motorists that is why aton na mayor nag-instruction na please control and pandakpon ang mga ido nga ini,” he said in previous interviews.

The euthanasia proposal garnered mixed reactions from netizens and animal advocates.

An online petition was also initiated in a bid to stop the proposed mercy killing of stray dogs.

“I write this petition in behalf of a lot of my fellow Ilonggo animal lovers. More importantly, I write this petition in behalf of all the stray dogs who cannot speak for themselves. Help me sign this petition to stop mercy killing of stray dogs in Iloilo and be the voice for these stray dogs who cannot speak for themselves. Let us help in giving them another chance to live a better life,” Mikaela Chavez said in the petition.

As of this writing, the petition already gained more than 7,000 signatures.

Several establishments in the metro also committed to donate leftover food from restaurants to help save the lives of stray dogs.

Treñas said he will look into the possible establishment of a City Pound and purchase of a vehicle for the CVO.

“Waay salakyan ang City Vet para magpang-dakop, waay kita dog pound, mapaobra kita dog pound then after may salakyan na ta kag dog pound na kita, after then maybe we could start thinking about what else to do. There are so many groups that are willing to help us,” he said.

Meanwhile, Councilor Jay Treñas called for the implementation of Ordinance No. 2018-024 or the ordinance mandating the establishment of the Iloilo City Pound and requiring barangays to provide a temporary holding facility for the impounded animals.

“Medyo gutok na ang facilities naton sa CVO amo na gapati kita nga paagi sa pag-empower sang aton kabaranggayan and by working together masolbar naton ini. It’s a gradual process. We’ll keep on calling for the implementation of the ordinance and for the creation of the city pound,” he said in a separate interview on Monday.

Under the ordinance, any stray animal or animal-at-large caught by animal catchers shall be impounded for three days at the temporary impounding/holding facility of the barangay where it was found and shall be brought to the City Pound at the end of the three-day period.

All animals impounded unless redeemed shall be sold to a public auction and those not sold at public auction for two straight days shall be disposed in the following manner:

-healthy animals shall be donated to a research institution or shall be disposed in a manner which will not amount to unnecessary cruelty to the animals by the City Veterinarian;

-healthy cows, carabaos, pigs, and chickens shall be slaughtered at the Iloilo City Slaughterhouse; and

-all sick and other kinds of impounded animals shall be killed humanely.

Forteza said their office has limited budget for the establishment and maintenance of a shelter or a city pound facility for the stray dogs.

“Limitado and waay kita budget for treatment and grooming amo na nabudlayan man kita sa adoption because people are expecting the stray dogs to be well groomed and in good shape.  No government in this country could afford shelter, kamahal unless founded by private sectors and maintained by donations and volunteers,” he said.

In the meantime, Treñas appealed to residents to become responsible pet owners.

“I think it is incumbent among the pet owners to be responsible to take care of their dogs. Kadamo-damo gid nagakadto diri para mangayo bulig sa injection so I hope they will be responsible enough to make sure nga indi mangagat ila ido,” he said.