Advocating for sustainable animal welfare

A positive, noticeable shift in the attitude of Filipinos toward animal welfare is palpable and more evident in recent years – a movement that I hope will lead to lasting, systemic change.

This growing awareness was particularly noticeable during the recent onslaught of a series of typhoons that devastated parts of the country. Social media was flooded with calls for the inclusion of animals, including both pets and livestock, in disaster preparedness and response efforts. News reports on the impact of the storms included updates on animal welfare – a recognition of the need to protect all living beings during times of crisis.

These conversations signal a cultural shift in our relationship with animals and emphasize the urgent need for more strategic and comprehensive animal welfare programs. With most Filipino households owning pets at 64 percent, I believe that animal welfare is a serious social issue that deserves greater attention – from both the government and the private sector.

Among the many inspiring and pioneering animal welfare advocates doing remarkable work here in the country is Rina Ortiz, founder of the social enterprise Biyaya Animal Care, who has a strong understanding of the prevailing landscape in the country.

While other animal welfare programs rely solely on donor funding or government support, Biyaya Animal Care stands out as a model of sustainable animal welfare advocacy. It operates a low-cost spay and neuter (kapon) clinic, a 24/7 hospital, a pet clinic, and “Pawshoppe by Biyaya,” selling pet products and merchandise such as shirts, mugs, and caps. The revenue generated from these ventures supports over 1,400 rescues in its animal sanctuary in Alfonso, Cavite. Since its founding in 2022, Biyaya Animal Care has spayed and neutered 110,000 animals – a significant contribution to the reduction of stray animal overpopulation.

This, of course, was made possible because Ortiz understands the challenges posed by limited resources–from both the government and the private sector – in supporting animal welfare, prompting her to find sustainable solutions to support this important cause.

The Biyaya Animal Care model is a testament to the importance of adaptability and resourcefulness. Through a self-sustaining mechanism, Biyaya Animal Care shows that animal welfare doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game but can instead be a collaboration where the private sector plays a more active role in pushing for the cause.

I share Ortiz’s passion for sustainable animal welfare advocacy, which is why I introduced the cause to my own workplace, Meralco, and went a step further by institutionalizing it with the program “Catropa.”

Through “Catropa,” Meralco employees are able to contribute to efforts to address the overpopulation problem of stray cats through spay and neutering programs. Ensuring they are spayed or neutered helps prevent overpopulation while enhancing their overall well-being. Doing so also contributes to improving public health conditions since controlling the growth of the stray animal population through neutering helps minimize the risk of rabies.

I myself have adopted two stray cats, but the reality is that we can only do so much in pushing for animal welfare if the growth of the stray population remains uncontrolled.

This is why institutionalizing animal welfare is a significant step in addressing major challenges, as it fosters collaborations between advocates and institutions capable and willing to support the cause.

In this context, the private sector can play a huge role in promoting animal welfare with the help of their resources, infrastructure, and influence.

For example, the private sector can embrace and implement animal welfare programs as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives to raise greater awareness of the cause and provide much-needed resources. By pursuing collaborations with animal welfare groups, the private sector can help garner more community support and advocate for systemic change to ensure the lasting success of this advocacy.

The private sector can drive meaningful change in animal welfare advocacy. If more companies integrate animal welfare initiatives into their CSR portfolios, we could foster an environment of systemic support and collaboration to find sustainable solutions to recurring problems and persisting challenges.

Doing so would not only benefit animals but also contribute to the improvement of community well-being, public health and safety.