Cats of BGC will not be forcibly removed from condominium area, group says

MANILA, Philippines — After stray cats roaming in Bonifacio Global City were under threat once again, an animal welfare organization assured the public that the spayed or neutered felines would not be forcibly removed in the area.

Advocate group CARA Philippines made the statement on Tuesday after concerned residents and pet lovers took to social media to report that the administration of Two Serendra issued a memorandum to its homeowners saying its council “have the right to surrender the animal to the Barangay Fort Bonifacio Taguig City for impounding.”

Concerned online user Carla Bianca Dado reposted the letter of unit owner Jem Lim citing that the “Taguig pound is neither trained nor prepared to handle cats.”

“The last time they impounded the Serendra cats, we were told they were going to be euthanized in 3 months' time. Imagine the stress it created for us. These were all SPAYED AND NEUTERED cats,” the Facebook post read.

The unit owner also said there is also a circular issued indicating anyone caught feeding the stray cats would be fined P10,000 or close to USD200

Lim cried extortion as she lamented that the property developer does not impose fines on those caught smoking or throwing trash indiscriminately.

CARA Philippines, however, said while they were "aghast" at how Two Serendra's Administration chose to approach the issue of their community cats, they are hopeful that the concerns on cats would be addressed.

“We remain hopeful that all parties shall reach a beneficial solution for all given a respectful dialogue and full cooperation of all parties with each other,” CARA said.

CARA said it has initiated discussion with Serendra retail as early as August to continue protecting the cats. It also reached out to the City Vet Office and Office of the Mayor to help address the issue.

The advocate group added that it has worked out an arrangement in Serendra’s Retail to ensure that cats are fed by assigned feeders since the public and employees are prohibited to do so. 

The group also has a memorandum of agreement with the Serendra Condominium Corporation.

The MOA stated that cats would not be forcibly removed in the area since they are important to keep rats at bay and keep other stray cats from coming in.

CARA and Serendra have also agreed that employees should be educated about the basic principles of trap-neuter-return such as how to recognize community cats and not to hurt them as “they are already fixed, vaccinated against rabies and cannot do any harm.”

Employees are also encouraged to be educated about what CARA and the property are doing to humanely manage the community cat population.

The welfare group stressed that the guidelines never included starving the cats, relocating them to a strange place to fend for themselves and having them picked up by the city pound to be euthanized within days.

It reminded the public of the Animal Welfare Act, amended by Republic Act 10631, stating that cruelty, maltreatment, neglect and torture of animals are a violation of the law. Abandoning of pet and neglecting to provide them adequate sustenance or shelter is also a violation of the measure.

Last February, there was also public outrage on the alleged disappearance of cats.

A concerned citizen, Lucy M., wrote a message accusing Shangri-La at The Fort of hiring PestBusters Philippines "to deflect cats from their perimeter."

CARA and cat welfare organization Cats of BGC also reported that the missing cats were not relocated in the supposed areas mentioned by the hotel. 

RELATED: Missing BGC cats not in their supposed relocation areas, groups say