While I was in Baguio recently I got to talk to Erick Kim, who lives in Boracay. Erick and his Labrador Julie won third place in the Alpo Frisbee Challenge held recently in the City of Pines.
Kim told me about the sad plight of Julie in Boracay because the law enforcers on the island have become more strict with dogs that roam the beach.
“I have been living in Boracay for four years,” said Kim. “Since November 2007, the Boracay government has been catching dogs that walk freely on the beach because the tourists in the area are complaining about them.”
Kim told me that he understands that there is a need to keep the beach clean and safe, but what he does not understand is the way the dogs that are caught are treated.
“It is horrible to hear the dogs crying while I walk on the beach,” he added. “Worse, it is terrible to see that the dogs are chained and dragged to the ‘prison.’”
Kim said that responsible dog owners know that their dogs should be on a leash when walking on the beach, and as much as possible he and the other responsible dog owners have complied with this rule.
But the problem for Kim came as he was training Julie for the Alpo Frisbee Challenge. Of course, Julie had to be free from a leash while in training. What Kim lamented is that Julie could be caught again by the law enforcers and Kim would have to pay P1,500 to get her back. This, even if Kim is there with Julie.
Talk about following the law to the letter.
Kim added that if a dog owner cannot get his or her dog back within the day, the penalty increases. He further added that dogs not claimed within one week may be put to death.
Just like Kim, I wonder how these things can happen in Boracay, the island known as the best place to take a much-needed break.
Kim believes that a dog does not have to be leashed at all times. More so if their humans are standing beside them. “They pollute the beach,” said Kim as to the reason given to him when Julie was caught. But Kim swears that he had a bag with him and was going to scoop up Julie’s poop — but he was too late, as Julie was caught by the beach law enforcer.
Kim said that when he asked the people who took Julie why they didn’t just catch the wild dogs on the beach, they replied: “The wild dogs are too fast, while the dogs with the owners are easy to take because they are fond of people.”
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The people at the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) have also been trying to reach the head of the local government of Boracay so that they can help to address the problem.
Kim has tried to meet with the Boracay mayor but he has been told that the mayor is too busy to meet with him or that he is out of town.
There is one more question that Kim has raised, the more valid one, I might add. He was told that the money collected from the release of stray dogs is to be used for keeping the beach clean. There has been no accounting made yet as to where the money has specifically gone.
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The problem Kim faces is not a new one. I understand that it can be difficult to keep a place like Boracay clean. I have also been told by other folks that it is true that there was a time that the beach was littered with dog poop. It is also true that many tourists in the area have complained about the stray dogs and about not feeling too safe when they were being followed by these dogs.
I also know that Kim has good reason to be angry. He is one dog owner who is truly responsible. I have seen him and Julie in action at the last three Alpo Frisbee Challenges and they have a bond that is really fun to watch.
Perhaps it is time that the Boracay local government got the dogs on the island registered. They can charge a small registration fee and give out collars for the registered dogs. The responsible dog owners who get their dogs registered can also be briefed on the do’s and don’ts.
Sometimes it just takes making the rules clear so that responsible pet owners will do their part to help keep Boracay clean and safe.
After all, it’s not the dogs that are to blame if they poop on the beach or if they are not leashed when they walk on the beach — it is their humans.
Don’t punish the dogs, punish the humans.
Better yet, find a humane way of dealing with the situation.