Bill strengthening Animal Welfare Act starts rolling in Senate

On the national level, Poe, the bill’s author, said the responsibility of ensuring animal welfare falls under the purview of the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI). (File: Anoir Chafik/Unsplash)

MANILA – The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform on Wednesday began discussions on Senate Bill (SB) 2458, which seeks to address animal welfare issues, including overpopulation, rabies incidence, and insufficient animal welfare programs, amending for the purpose Republic Act (RA) 8485 or the Animal Welfare Act.

“Despite their worth and value to human society, many animals are neglected, deliberately abandoned, starved to death in animal pounds, or fall victim to animal cruelty. On the other hand, some irresponsible pet owners have permitted their unvaccinated pets to cause nuisance, fear, or harm to their communities,” Senator Grace Poe said during the public hearing.

On the national level, Poe, the bill’s author, said the responsibility of ensuring animal welfare falls under the purview of the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).

However, she said the delivery of veterinary services to the communities has been devolved to local government units (LGUs) under the Local Government Code which mandates only provinces and cities to have their veterinarian officer.

“Hence, there is a reported shortage of veterinary personnel in smaller municipalities.

And even cities that have veterinarians have to contend with inadequate resources,” Poe said.

If passed into law, SB 2458 will improve the capacity of the DA in addressing animal welfare issues through a proper bureau, which will be given sufficient budget and permanent personnel.

It will also establish firm standards in engendering responsible pet ownership, as well as ethical behavior and accountability from all those who have control over or provide care to animals by imposing more stringent penalties for violations and funding.

Senator Cynthia Villar, who chairs the panel, agreed with Poe, noting that despite the law, animal cruelty remains a problem, leading to calls for increased public awareness and responsible pet ownership.

“The main problem that our country faces with regards to animals are stray, and neglect, with countless dogs and cats left to fend for themselves, often succumbing to hunger, disease, or accidents, overpopulation, the lack of education in terms of animal welfare, and responsible pet ownership. Another issue is the trading and eating of dog meat,” Villar said.

In 2022, she said the Philippines reported about 13 million stray dogs and cats, which are mainly a human health hazard, because of the spread of diseases, such as rabies, leptospirosis, and other parasites.

Apart from Poe, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva and Senator Nancy Binay also filed separate versions of the measure.