Abandoned dogs and cats are given a new lease at life inside the Cebu City pound where veterinarians and their staff exhaust all means to rehabilitate the animals.
“This is what really makes the Cebu City Pound unique. We try our very best to help the dogs and cats here. We want them to have a new and better life and not just dispose of them so easily,” said Dr. Jessica Maribojoc, head of the city-owned and operated facility in the North Reclamation Area.
Impounded animals not claimed after three days shall be placed for adoption “to qualified persons with the assistance of an animal welfare NGO, when feasible, or otherwise disposed of in any manner,” according to Republic Act No. 9482 or the Anti-Rabies Act of 2007.
To avoid having to euthanize the animals, Maribojoc said they are being aggressive in promoting pet adoption.
Aside from going to their office on Batiller St., interested adopters can check the “Cebu City Pound” Facebook page for actual photos of the animals up for adoption. The page also has pictures of animals with their new owners, as well as the various activities of their office.
There are nine cats and 58 dogs awaiting the care of new owners. Most of them are “aspins” or asong Pinoy and “puspins” or pusang Pinoy, although some are of mixed breeds.
Potential owners not only see the photos of the animals in the Facebook page, they can also get an idea of their future pet’s attitude or personality.
Stray or surrendered cats and dogs at the pound are first placed in a quarantine area where they are assessed or rehabilitated. They are then spayed or neutered, vaccinated and dewormed before they are transferred to cages inside the pound.
“We really spay or neuter our dogs and cats for adoption because we are promoting population control. We even have an Animal Birth Control Center here,” Maribojoc said.
For one wishing to adopt a dog or cat, a visit to the city pound office is a must, where an application form is filled up. The interested adopter is interviewed and assessed for his capability in owning a pet, and a briefing is given on how to handle their new pets.
The animal and the adopter then meet each other and the staff try to help them get comfortable with each other.
An adoption fee of P150 which also serves as the animal’s registration fee to the city, has to be paid.
“The advantage of being registered is that they can get free anti-rabies vaccination, free spay or neuter, free deworming every three months for one year, free consultations plus a tag and collar,” Maribojoc said.