Pet ownership is a lifetime commitment

I have been often moved by pity to rescue stray kittens in our village.  Yet, I know that there are only so many kittens (which eventually become cats) that I can properly care for.

I make it a point to have the kitten fixed when it is old enough, so that I would have prevented at least one more kitten from having other kittens. It is the best way to help curb the growing population of strays.

I know that taking care of rescues and my doggy companions is a lifetime commitment so it is only fair to them that I take in only what I can handle.

Likewise, there are too many times that I have received calls here at The STAR asking if I can adopt a pet that an owner can no longer care for. I have also seen so many abandoned pets in shelters that are left at the entrance of the place because their owners can no longer care for them.

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Recently I got an e-mail from the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) telling me about the many people who visit PAWS and ask them to take in a pet they can no longer care for.

The goal of PAWS, or any other animal welfare group is not solely to rescue pets, but rather to prevent animal rescues.

“Stray dogs in need of help are a symptom of a bigger problem caused by the following: irresponsible pet ownership, pet owners not spaying/neutering their pets, people still buying and breeding instead of adopting or fostering shelter animals or rescued animals,” says Heidi Guzon, PAWS shelter director.

Guzon says that PAWS works to address the problem more than just to cure the symptoms. PAWS does this through education, campaigns, lobbying, low-cost spaying and neutering, and prosecution.

The animals at the PAWS shelter are those that are the subject of criminal cases that PAWS has filed against animal offenders.

“We currently have 246 cats and 64 dogs at the shelter. We do not accept pet abandonments and we do not have the power to seize or confiscate animals if the concerned citizen reporting cruelty does not file charges as guided by the PAWS’ Frequently Asked Questions on www.paws.org.ph,” Guzon adds.

One of the biggest misconceptions about PAWS is that it is a government agency and that it is in charge of strays and getting them off the streets. The Bureau of Animal Industry’s Animal Welfare Division is the government agency in charge of implementing the Animal Welfare Act.  The local government unit’s city veterinarian offices are in charge of animal control services. Animal control means getting animals off the streets out of concern for human welfare — public health and safety. The people’s taxes pay for a city’s animal control services — among the other services that local government units offer to their constituents.

For its part, PAWS is a private, volunteer group that survives on donations and the availability of its volunteers in order to keep its programs running.  Many times, because of the calls PAWS receives (about 40 a day) it does not have enough staff to answer all the calls for rescue.

Guzon added that PAWS is not a group like the animal cops on the TV show Animal Planet but a volunteer-based non-government agency with limited resources.

Here are some the questions frequently asked of PAWS: Can I donate my pet to PAWS? Can PAWS adopt my pet? Or can I surrender my pet to PAWS?

PAWS welcomes such queries because it is here that the group is able to clarify what the work of PAWS is.

But PAWS does not adopt or take in owned pets (although most of its volunteers adopt from the shelter or rescue animals on their own, too.)

PAWS puts its rescues up for adoption and screens all applicants. 

Guzon adds, “A lot of people come to us and say that ‘Ipapaampon ko sa inyo ang pusa/aso ko’  (I am bringing my pet to PAWS for adoption), but we correct the statement by saying that these pet guardians are not ‘adopting out’ their pets to us. They are, in fact, abandoning their own dogs or cats to PAWS and making the job of volunteer animal advocates more difficult.”

“I want to donate my pet to PAWS” is another common request from pet owners.  PAWS would like to clarify that donations are meant to help an organization, and “donating” one’s pet to an animal welfare organization does not do this. Taking in abandoned pets takes us away from PAWS efforts at rescuing animals in distress or educating more people about responsible pet guardianship.

“As for people who want to give up their pets, we have come up with policies for people to realize that, most of the time, they can still keep their animals when they are informed,” says Guzon. “There is the option of spaying or neutering a pet. If a pet is properly trained it can develop habits acceptable to their owners. PAWS does not encourage people to give up their pets. In order to help pet owners, PAWS offers assistance in terms of advice, low-cost veterinary services such as low cost spaying/neutering and behavior training so that pet owners can keep their pets.”