Friday, June 08, 2007
City Council passes ordinance protecting animal welfare
By Ian C. Espada
THE City Council finally approved the provincial ordinance that protects and promotes animal welfare in the Province of Iloilo.
The ordinance, jointly sponsored by Board Members Domingo B. Oso, Jr., and Lilia Y. Gonzales, is crafted in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act 8485 or the Animal Welfare Act of 1998.
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Dr. Silvino R. Teodosio, Provincial Veterinarian, in an interview said the ordinance primarily aims to protect animal welfare; to conduct sustained information drive about the provisions of RA 8485 as well as to prosecute those engaged in the illegal trading of animals; and to prohibit any form of cruelty to animals.
He said the Philippine government is one of the signatories to the Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare on San Jose, Costa Rica and recognizes that "animals are living sentient beings (capable of experiencing pain and suffering) and therefore deserve due consideration and respect.
Teodosio said further the ordinance is passed to ensure the protection and promotion of all animals found within the territorial jurisdiction of Iloilo Province whether wild or domesticated, which are kept, bred, treated, trained either as object of trade or as household pets including birds.
He said the ordinance prohibits any person, association, partnership, corporation, cooperative or any government agency or instrumentally including slaughterhouses to establish, maintain, operate any pet shop, kennel, veterinary clinic, veterinary hospital, stockyard, corral, stud farm or stock farm or zoo for the breeding treatment, sale or trading or training of animals without first securing certificate of registration from the Bureau of Animal Industry.
The said facilities should be kept adequate, clean and sanitary and will not be used for, nor cause pain/or suffering to the animals, otherwise, the Regional/Provincial/City Veterinarian will order the closure of those facilities and the cancellation of the Certificate of Registration.
Under the ordinance, it shall unlawful for any person to torture any animal, to neglect to provide care, sustenance or shelter, or maltreat any animal or to subject any dog, horse or carabulls fights, kill or cause or procure to be tortured, or deprived of adequate care, sustenance or shelter, or maltreat or use the same in research or experiments not authorized by the Committee on Animal Welfare.
The ordinance also requires shipping/public utility to secure a written permit from the Director of the Bureau of Animal Industry before transporting any animals.
The ordinance further prohibits the transporting or trafficking and trading of dogs and cats as well as other animals not considered or defined as food animal by the National Meat Inspection Service except when done as part of a religious ritual of an established religion or sect or ritual required by tribal or ethnic customs of indigenous cultural.
The ordinance likewise obliges every pet owners to be responsible and caring of their pets by immunizing their pets regularly, providing them with adequate food, water and shelter, leashing or caging and not allowing them to go astray, assuming full liability whenever his pet has bitten a victim outside of his enclosed premises or whenever he lost control of his pet; and participating in any activity to eradicate dangerous and communicable animal diseases and control of stray animals, among others.
Any person who violates any provision of this Act, if found guilty, will be punished by imprisonment of no less than six months nor more than two years or a fine of not less than P1,000.00 nor more than P5,000.00 or both in the discretion of the Court.For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Davao. (June 8, 2007 issue)
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