It was a big day today, February 19, for animal advocates and man’s best friends as the city government of Bacolod has committed to improve the plight of impounded dogs.
Animal welfare groups PAWSsion Project and BACH Project PH, both represented by founder Malou Perez and spokesperson Daniel Sam Salvatierra, respectively, again met with the city hall executives to discuss their concerns on the dogs held at the city pound.
The city government had earlier put on hold the scheduled mass euthanasia of the impounded dogs, supposedly scheduled after February 20.
During the meeting, the two groups proposed to create an Animal Welfare Task Force that would formulate and implement plans and programs for animal welfare in the city, and to ensure effective coordination between the local government unit and non-government organizations.
The group also agreed to have a regular meeting, every last Tuesday of the month for monitoring and updating.
Leading the meeting were Executive Assistant Ernesto Pineda – cluster head for Sectoral Concerns, City Veterinary Office head Dr. Maria Agueda Trinidad Dela Torre, City Pound officer-in-charge Julius Galve, and Executive Assistant Meneil Lopez of the Public Information Office.
PAWSsion, in a Facebook post, said: “We are all coming together for the animals of Bacolod. This is just the beginning. The goal is to have all other animal welfare groups and concerned government agencies come together to create a kinder environment for pets and strays.”
They also thanked the city government “for hearing us out, giving us a chance, and working with us.”
“Let us kiss gunshot goodbye. There is no place for that in a city with people committed to be the voice of the voiceless. One of the few if not the first task force for Animals in the Philippines is finally happening,” the group said.*