Senator Grace Poe underscored the need for a separate funding for animal welfare in the 2025 national budget to ensure the protection and humane treatment of animals.
“We will look at the fiscal space and see how much can be appropriated. But that item in the budget for animal welfare has to be very specific,” said Poe, the Senate finance committee chairperson.
The veteran legislator said the animal welfare item can have programs and activities like neutering, spaying, anti-rabies shots, and support for local government units that are maintaining pounds for dogs and cats.
“We must put our money where our advocacy is.”
“It’s time for animal welfare to be reflected in the budget. We must put our money where our advocacy is,” the seasoned lawmaker said.
Poe, together with Senators Cynthia Villar and Nancy Binay, is pushing for a massive nationwide campaign to neuter and spay dogs and cats as part of responsible pet ownership.
This is also aimed at curbing the number of stray dogs and cats that pose danger of spreading rabies once they bite people.
Currently, the animal welfare fund is lodged with the Bureau of Animal Industry, which is under the Department of Agriculture (DA). There is no allocation, however, for spay and neuter programs from the national government.
The lady senator earlier filed Senate Bill No. 2458 which seeks a revised Animal Welfare Act to strengthen animal welfare standards, policies, rules and regulations, implementation and enforcement as well as provide tougher penalties to violators.
“There is a need to strengthen the DA in addressing animal welfare issues through a proper bureau.”
She said there is a need to strengthen the DA in addressing animal welfare issues through a proper bureau that will be given sufficient budget and permanent personnel.
The bill proposes a Barangay Animal Welfare Task Force to capacitate local officers to address the animal welfare issues with dispatch.
The measure also aims to establish standards geared towards engendering responsible pet ownership, as well as ethical behavior and accountability from all those who have control over or provide care to animals.
“We will continue to push for our bill and for adequate animal welfare funds. But responsible ownership is also crucial because as they said, behind every dog or cat on the streets is a human to blame,” Poe concluded.
