| CDN file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines —The Cebu City Pound won’t kill dogs just because they don’t have any room for them or because they haven’t been adopted in time.
This is what Dr. Alice Utlang, head of the Cebu City Pound, told CDN Digital, amid reports that a pound in Muntinlupa was set to euthanize 35 dogs if they were not adopted by Tuesday, June 18, 2019.
Utlang said the Cebu City Pound can actually accommodate 50 dogs and they can actually stretch it to 150 if needed. She said these dogs will not be put down unless for safety reasons.
“Dili man gyod ta mo euthanize basta-basta og iro. Ang ingon sa balaod pwede na sila i-euthanize after three days nga dili sila maclaim. Pero sa Cebu City, dili ta moeuthanize abi wala nay space sa pound. Mangita gyod tag paagi,” said Utlang.
(We just don’t euthanize dogs like that. The law says it can be done after three days that they aren’t claimed. But in Cebu City, we don’t do that just because there’s no space in the pound. We look for ways.)
Meanwhile, the PAWSsion Facebook page reported in a post on Tuesday afternoon that said the euthanasia of the 35 dogs didn’t push through in Muntinlupa.
“Best news — THEY WILL NOT BE EUTHANIZED THIS WEEK. Thank God. We have asked for some time so we can look for adopters from Muntinlupa because it was confirmed that they only allow residents from there to adopt the impounded dogs,” the post read.
Utlang said that to avoid overcrowding in the city pound, not all street dogs are brought to the pound if they have not been abused or are not needing of rescue.
The city conducts spaying and vaccination on street dogs and allow them to stay on the streets because, according to Utlang, putting them inside the pound will only cause them stress.
“Street dogs are actually stressed when you put them in the pound. So might as well keep them on the streets but we just keep monitoring them,” said Utlang.
The dogs inside the pound are identified if they are ready for adoption, in such case, the dog is transferred from the cages to the old Cebu City abattoir where the dog is tied instead of caged and has more access to humans.
The caged dogs are rehabilitated so they will always be ready for adoption.
However, Utlang said that they do practice euthanasia in rare cases that a dog is too aggressive or if there are sickly dogs that have no chance to recover.
The reason for the euthanasia is to free the dog from further suffering or to avoid any attacks against humans.
Utlang, meanwhile, urges the public to adopt the pound dogs as these are the dogs that need families to take care of them.
The City Pound will only charge 150 for the registration and adoption process and this will include free anti-rabies shot.
She said that a matched adoption should be mutual between the dog and the human as the human must like the dog and the dog must show affinity to the human as well through gestures such as licking and wagging its tail.
Utlang said that adoption goes through a process. As much as the human gets to choose a dog, the dog gets a choice as well.
Utlang hopes that people will eventually turn to adoption and save the dogs in the pound, especially as the Asong Pinoy (Aspin) Day draws nearer on June 25, 2019.
“Our Aspins are as good as those international breeds. They are smart and loving,” said Utlang.
She said local dogs deserve as much love as the other dogs. /bmjo