At the Cebu City pound: Dogs are still euthanized

CEBU, Philippines — Mercy killing or euthanasia is still being implemented at the Cebu City pound as a last recourse for dogs given up by their owners.

That is why Dr. Alice Utlang, city veterinarian, called on the people to practice responsible pet ownership to prevent or lower the number of incidents that they are forced to do such.

"Og ako ray magbuot, di gyud ko mosugot. Ngano man? When you surrender your dog, this means, you abandoned your responsibility," she said during a news forum yesterday.

She said that abandonment of pets is punishable under the of the Animal Welfare Act. She, however, said that the need to admit animals in the city pound is backed by a city ordinance, with a P2,500 fee.

Once a pet owner has paid the fee, they also need to sign a waiver formalizing their surrender of their pet to the facility.

"Unya og daghan siyag iro, hutdon man nato’g kuha kay wala naman siyay katungod magbuhi og iro kay ngano man i-surrender imong iro," said Utlang.

"Bisan sakit sa among buot, we have to put the dog to sleep. So, we still have euthanasia in the office," she added.

Utlang underscored that no shelter observes a "no-kill pound" as they have to put down sickly dogs, which should not be allowed to suffer.

"But they die, humanely," she, however, assured.

She said that for 2020, the city pound put 196 dogs to sleep. This more than doubled in 2021 with 422; 300 dogs in 2022; and 411 dogs in 2023. From January to May this year, the city pound euthanized 261 dogs.

Utlang, who assumed back as city veterinarian only last month, said they advocate fewer or no mercy killing, which is why they are intensifying the "vaccinate, neuter and release" program, which only leaves sickly dogs to be euthanized.

"You will see that there are dogs in the streets that should not be, or di gyud unta angay sa tag-iya gyud," she said, which is why she is calling for the imposition of penalties on pet owners through citation tickets.

Last October 2023, the Cebu City Council passed City Ordinance No. 2526, which mandated the creation of an Animal Welfare Council.

It was authored by then Vice Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, now the acting mayor, who said that the council will carry out policies and guidelines that would ensure the protection and promotion of animal welfare. — (FREEMAN)