According to Dr. Jessica Maribojoc, only 2 of the 108 rescued dogs in an abandoned animal shelter in Barangay Adlaon, Cebu City, have remained in Department of Veterninary Medicine and Fisheries’ custody. | (FILE PHOTO, DVMF)
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Of the 108 dogs rescued in an abandoned shelter in the mountain barangay of Adlaon in Cebu City, only two remain in the city’s Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries’ (DVMF) custody.
Dr. Jessica Maribojoc, head of the city’s DVMF, in a press conference on Friday, July 21, 2023, said only one of the two remaining dogs would be up for adoption.
READ: 8 dogs rescued from abandoned shelter in Adlaon got adopted
One is up for adoption
Cebu City Veterinarian Maribojoc said that the other remaining dog was sickly and would be euthanized.
The rest of the 108 dogs were either adopted or those ailing and starving were euthanized.
Aside from having the healthy dogs adopted, the city government had also filed a formal complaint against the couple, who abandoned dogs before the Office of the City Prosecutor last week.
READ: Rescued dogs from Adlaon up for adoption until Monday – DVMF
Complaint filed
The city government charged Lorna Oberes, the identified owner of the shelter, her partner Erwin Casas and several unidentified caretakers, last July 5.
The city government lodged a criminal complaint against Oberes, Casas, and several john does for violation of Sections 16 and17 of City Ordinance No. 2526 otherwise known as the Animal Welfare Ordinance of Cebu City and Section 6 of Republic Act 8485, otherwise known as the Animal Welfare Act of 1998 as amended.
READ: Here’s more proof that dogs are man’s best friends
Clarificatory conference
Cebu City Veterinarian Maribojoc said before the city filed the complaint, the city conducted a clarificatory conference with Oberes last May 31 after she allegedly abandoned the illegal shelter in Adlaon that had over 100 dogs.
Oberes apparently acknowledged that because she was not aware of the procedure, she did not register the canines with the DVMF.
After her relationship with Casas “turned sour,” Oberes claimed she left Barangay Adlaon in February 2023 and no longer monitored the dogs, saying she left the care of the dogs to their keepers, whose names had not yet been revealed.
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