CEBU CITY, Philippines— Every pet should be treated like they are part of the family, from the day they step foot in our homes up to their last day.
This was the reminder of Dr. Jessica Maribojoc, head of the Cebu City Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries, following an incident on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, in Lower Busay, wherein a dead dog was left in a grassy area, wrapped in a white cloth.
The incident caused a bit of a panic after residents thought at first that what they discovered was a body of a person since it was emitting foul odor.
Police arrived later and it was then that they found out that what was wrapped in a white cloth was a large deceased dog.
READ: Dead dog wrapped in tarpaulin mistaken for dead person, alarms residents in Cebu City
Maribojoc told CDN Digital that pet owners have the responsibility to give their pets a proper burial.
“Supposedly ilaha gyud nang i-lubong kay apil man gud na sa responsibiidad sa owner. Gikan sa pag buhi niya hangtud mamatay”
(Supposedly, they should bury the deceased pet because it is part of the owner’s responsibility. From the time it is born until it dies.)
Irresponsible
Maribojoc believes the person who disposed the dog, who remains unidentified as of this posting, had no place to bury the pet or probable is just an irresponsible person.
“Kay kung gi treat to niya as part of the family, dili gyud na niya ingon ana-on ang iyahang dog,” she said.
(Because if the person treated the dog as part of family, he or she wouldn’t have done that.)
Maribojoc also reminded the public that improper disposing of deceased pets could be harmful to others.
“Hazardous sad na siya sa mga nearby nga mga neighbors ana kung asa to nga naay mga balay, kay ang baho raba pwede raba sad na maka cause og mga sakit,” Maribojoc said.
(It is hazardous to neighbors because the foul odor can bring deceases.)
With this, Maribojoc reminded all pet owners to take care of their deceased animals the right way. They could either bury the deceased pet in a safe place or could also contact companies who offer incineration of deceased animals.
Netizens were also quick to criticize the person who left the poor animal in Lower Busay.
Here are some of the comments from the netizens about this incident:
May this incident teach every pet owner out there to be responsible in giving their pets a proper resting place in exchange for the years of loyalty, laughter, and happiness these pets have given us.
Rest easy, doggie!
/bmjo