Adopt Don’t Shop: How This Animal Shelter in Angeles City is Shedding Light on Strays’ Welfare

Stray dogs and cats in Angeles City, Pampanga can now find a temporary home in the newly-opened Angeles City Dog Pound and Animal Shelter.

Stray dogs and cats in Angeles City, Pampanga can now find a temporary home in the newly-opened Angeles City Dog Pound and Animal Shelter.

The shelter is the only no-kill animal pound in Pampanga and the second of its kind in the whole Central Luzon region. Aiming to prevent “abuse, maltreatment, cruelty and exploitation of animals by humans”, the center will rescue stray animals and put them up for adoption.

The pioneering animal home was inaugurated on July 18, 2023, and is located at the Angeles City City Hall compound. It can house up to 103 animals. The city government pledged that the center would “freely provide all the needs of the house animals, including food, check-ups, vitamins and medicines, anti-rabies vaccinations, and spaying and neutering.”

The center was granted a license by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) in May 2023. Aside from rehoming rescued animals, the city government will also be placing stricter measures to monitor and accredit pet breeders.

When announcing the shelter’s BAI certification, IC Calaguas, the Chief Adviser to City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin, Jr., assured that all animals at the shelter will be given “appropriate standards of accommodation, feeding and general care, the prevention and treatment of disease and the assurance of freedom from fear, distress, harassment, and unnecessary discomfort and pain, and allowing animals to express normal behavior.”

City Veterinary Officer-in-Charge Dr. Christian Xyric Arcilla added that Angeles will be holding training on animal welfare and dog pound management for its 33 barangays. Quoting Arcilla, the City Information Office echoed that the local government will “conduct continuous monitoring throughout the city to ensure that all animals are being given proper handling and care.” After the training concludes, each barangay in Angeles City will have a dog pound of its own.

At the opening ceremony, Lazatin encouraged Angeles residents to visit the shelter and consider adopting an animal. Adoption queries can be coursed through the Angeles City Veterinary Office Facebook page, linked below. The center will also be entertaining walk-in and scheduled visits.

For residents who are unable to care for several animals, Arcilla recommended that they sterilize their existing dogs and cats through the city government’s upcoming spay and neuter program. He also rallied citizens to be responsible pet owners to prevent diseases and accidents.

The animal shelter will be supervised by Arcilla, alongside Calaguas and Executive Assistant IV Reina Manuel.

With the shelter, Manuel hopes that more animals will be adopted instead of purchased from breeders and pet shops. Angeles is also providing free check-ups and medicines for residents’ pets and conducting a house-to-house anti-rabies vaccination campaign.

There are about 12 million stray cats and dogs in the Philippines, according to the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) estimates. PAWS attributes animal homelessness to rampant breeding, abandonment of family pets, and failure to practice spaying and neutering. Sadly, many animal pounds in the Philippines euthanize strays if they are not adopted.

In 2021, PAWS celebrated World Animal Day by promoting the welfare of strays. In 2022, Ayala Malls encouraged Filipino homes to adopt, not buy, pets.

SEND CONGRATULATIONS in the comments below to the people of Angeles City, Pampanga for breaking new ground in animal welfare!

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