Canine toilets in QC?

Quezon City may soon become the first city in the country to provide public toilets for canine pets once the resolution filed by QC District 4 Councilor Janet Malaya gets the nod of the City Council.

Malaya said the measure calls for the construction of ground-level toilet facilities for dogs and other pets in strategic places around the city like parks, plazas, subdivisions and other areas frequented by pet owners.

She filed the resolution after being impressed by a similar model in one of the cities in Japan she visited last year. During the trip, she observed dog owners leading their trained pets to several spots on the streets that she learned were actually "toilets" for dogs and other pets.

"No wonder Japanese cities are among the cleanest and most hygienic in the world, even dogs there know where to properly make a "discharge," Malaya said. "I think we can adopt this Japanese example here not only in Quezon City but throughout the Philippines."

The provision of these toilets, Malaya said, would greatly contribute in the cleanliness and upkeep of communities and prevent as well the spread of diseases including rabies.

"It is quite disappointing to see dogs roaming our streets freely and defecating just and about anywhere," the councilor lamented. "Dog owners should train their dogs and show some sense of responsibility in not allowing their pets to simply stray in public places."

Malaya is confident that the measure she recently filed before the council would be approved soon even as she strongly recommends an education campaign among pet owners on responsible pet care and ownership once the toilets are in place.