The municipal government of La Castellana in Negros Occidental has created the Mt. Kanlaon Task Force Pet Rescue to feed pets left behind in the six-kilometer radius extended danger zone of Mt. Kanlaon.
Municipal information officer Remuel Seladan Lajo said on Thursday, Dec. 19, that they received excess food and dog food for those who want to help feed the affected animals.
“Please coordinate with us at the Mayor’s Office. This will help in feeding pets left in the barangays within the four to six-kilometer extended danger zone,” he said.
So far 54 dogs have been brought by their owners to the evacuation center at the La Castellana National High School-Junior High School.
A headcount of pets still staying in several communities in barangays Cabagnaan and Biak na Bato is ongoing, Lajo said.
The animals left in these areas are being given food and water while their rescue and evacuation is being arranged.
Lajo said the municipal government has been receiving food from town residents and dog food donations from groups in the cities of Bacolod and Iloilo.
The Provincial Veterinary Office has also been assisting the municipal government with the needs of affected animals.
Animal welfare group Bacolod Animal Chance and Hope (BACH) Project has also partnered with the Mt. Kanlaon Volcano Task Force Pet Rescue to facilitate donations for the pets in La Castellana.
They continue to receive excess food, dog or cat food, rice and vegetables, as well as buckets, basins, or any container that can hold food for the dogs.
“Lots of animals need our help, and your donations will go a long way in feeding the pets left behind,” the group said in a Facebook post.*PNA