BY VISITING the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño yesterday, Tony Vargas was not only able to hear mass, but also welcomed a new addition to his family.
The 56-year-old was just leaving the church to visit a friend when he chanced upon the activity organized by Cebu City’s Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries (DVMF) at Plaza Sugbo in celebration of Asong Pinoy (aspin) Day.
“Akong tuyo ra baya gyud unta kay ang pagsimba ug pakigkita sa akong amigo. Wa man gani ko magdala og sakyanan kay lagi, solo flight ra man unta ni,” he said.
Tony may have left his home in Talisay City alone, but he returned with nine-month-old Queen in tow.
Queen is an aspin rescued by DVMF from the streets last month.
The female pup is one of the 17 rescued dogs that found new families yesterday through the adopt-a-puppy program.
Although he already has two older dogs at home, Tony did not have reservations about adopting another addition to his family.
Cecil Brigoli also did not have seconds thoughts when a friend offered a male aspin for her to keep.
At that time, the 55-year-old businesswoman already had two Japanese spitzes at home.
‘Adoptive parents’
“If only my home was much bigger, I’d keep on taking in homeless dogs and cats. I’ve always had a soft spot for animals ever since I was young,” she said in Cebuano. While two-year-old Ranger may need less maintenance compared to her two imported dogs, Cecil said she treats them all fairly.
“I think the one they call animal cruelty is not only about beating animals, but also showing you play favorites. Like people, they should be treated fairly and with respect,” she added.
The same concerns on animal cruelty shaped how the adopt-a-puppy program program came to be. City Veterinarian Dr. Alice Utlang urged pet owners to educate themselves with the provisions of Republic Act 10631, or the Animal Welfare Act.
“Taking in animals carry with it a huge responsibility. Pet owners must also remember that they’re not only taking in house guards, but beings with life. For all you know, those aspins could’ve had better lives outside, away from maltreatment,” she said.
To ensure that all “adoptive parents” take care of their pups, DVMF has embedded microchips in the aspins so that they can monitor them. Interested parents are also screened before they are given approval.
For next year, Utlang said DVMF will make sterilization mandatory for pet cats and dogs.
They also plan to continue to reduce rabies cases in the city by expanding their house-to-house vaccination visits.
From 23 cases in 2016, DVMF recorded only seven rabies cases last year.