EDITORIAL - Affordable to all pet owners?

Following cases of animal abuse, Cebu City veterinarian Dr. Alice Utlang is suggesting that pet owners, pet breeders, and animal rescuers in Cebu City secure permits for all their animals so that these can be monitored.

“Mag-propose pud ko sa council nga maghimo og ordinansa nga before makabuhi og iro sa kada barangay… they should get a permit before owning a dog or cat… Kinahanglan ilang atimanon g’yud ang hayop og tarong by basic freedom sa hayop. Unya, kinahanglan pud unta moparehistro sila dire sa atoa sa opisina para ma-monitor ug matabangan sab ang hayop for vaccination,” Utlang said.

She is also proposing that animals under care get microchips.

We suppose her intentions are good. Too many cats and dogs roam our streets, and because they have collars on them we don’t assume they are feral or stray animals, just regular pets whose owners let them run wild. Animals like these become prone to injury or even rabies if they get into contact with infected strays.

We also agree that pets should get all the vaccinations they need. Many people lose pets to diseases, illnesses, and complications that could have been preventable had they been vaccinated.

But now there are questions to ask. The foremost of which is can ordinary pet owners afford to have a permit for each pet? A permit is something that costs money, and costs may skyrocket especially if Utlang suggests one for each pet.

The same goes for these microchips. Are these microchips affordable for the ordinary household? Can our veterinarians even provide enough chips for all pet owners and their pets?

We realize pet ownership isn’t a privilege it’s a responsibility. Those who have pets should be able to give them the life that they deserve. We aren’t talking about just food, but vaccinations and medicines when they need them, and a safe space for them to live in instead of just roaming the streets.

But then there are also others who may not be able to afford these things yet need and have pets because it’s the only thing that keeps them going, the only creatures that provide them love and company. What, if any, arrangements or compromises can be given to them if Utlang’s proposal is adopted?