Senate eyes tougher animal welfare law

MANILA, Philippines — Senators have called for an inquiry in aid of legislation following a pet crematorium’s alleged dumping of animal remains in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.

Sen. Pia Cayetano said she would file a resolution to investigate possible animal rights as well as environmental and sanitation violations committed by Bacoor-based Ahjay Paws Aftercare Pet Crematorium.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan said he would be revising a bill he filed, seeking to amend the 1998 Animal Welfare Act in order to make pet crematoriums accountable for such deed.

Jonathan Legaspi, the pet crematorium’s owner, reportedly could not be held liable under the existing law for an act committed on a dead animal.

Pangilinan recalled the time during the 15th Congress when he helped the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) strengthen the Animal Welfare Act to impose stiffer penalties on animal cruelty and abandonment.

In his Senate Bill 2501 he nicknamed “Dolly’s Act” – named after the aspin in Aklan that survived being scalded with cooking oil – Pangilinan is proposing the creation of an Animal Welfare Bureau under the Department of Agriculture to inspect facilities and ensure the law is implemented with the help of Animal Welfare Enforcement Officers.

“In the final version of the law, we will include facilities like pet crematoriums,” he added.

Pangilinan said even deceased animals deserve dignity after death, as he urged authorities to investigate the crematorium in Bacoor for estafa, breach of contractual obligations under Article 1170 of the Civil Code and local sanitation and solid waste management violations.

Cayetano described the dumping of animal remains “a wanton display of negligence and disdain for the deceased pets.”

“Pets are beloved members of many families. As a pet owner, I understand the grief of losing a pet. A lot of us follow rituals for a proper goodbye,” the senator said.

Sen. JV Ejercito welcomed the Bacoor city government’s move to close the pet crematorium and lead the investigation for criminal charges.

He vowed to support the call for a Senate inquiry on the incident to prevent a repeat of the desecration and to ensure good aftercare services.

“We will look into this matter in aid of legislation to determine what gaps need to be addressed and what measures can be strengthened to prevent similar incidents from happening again,” Ejercito said.

Sen. Joel Villanueva, who hails from Bulacan, lauded the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for leading a parallel probe.

Villanueva also urged the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Trade and Industry to look into solid waste violations and possible business fraud.

Pet owners yesterday went to the NBI to file complaints against Ahjay Paws Aftercare Pet Crematorium and to have the ashes in their possession verified against the animal remains found in Bulacan.

Members of PAWS and the Animal Kingdom Foundation accompanied the pet owners to the NBI’s Environmental Crime Division.

PAWS executive director Anna Cabrera said the incident had caused severe distress among pet owners.

“We are glad that the NBI invited us because many fur parents have called PAWS in tears. They do not know whether the ashes they have are really those of their fur babies. One of them is even on bed rest because of severe anxiety,” Cabrera said.

AKF president and program director Heidi Marquez-Caguioa said the foundation hoped the NBI investigation would encourage more affected pet owners to come forward. — Mark Ernest Villeza, Ramon Efren Lazaro

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