ILOILO City – A community-based approach would be more effective in solving the problem on stray dogs just like the problem on illegal drugs, according to Mayor Jerry Treñas.
“City hall could not possibly address the problem alone. This is a community concern so the solution must come from the community too,” he stressed.
Treñas pressed for the establishment of dog pounds in each of the city’s 180 barangays. Village councils must find the means to do this, he said.
“We have to talk about this. Kon ihaboy lang na tanan sa city hall, indi naton tanan mahap-an,” said the mayor. “Take the problem on illegal drugs, for example. The city government is dealing with it hand in hand with communities.”
In coordination with barangays, the city government has a community-based rehabilitation program for identified drug suspects (users and pushers).
Reports reached the mayor that some barangay councils are not keen on running after stray dogs and impounding them.
“The city government cannot build a gigantic dog pound and lock all the stray dogs in it. Ang matabo gid, all have to work together,” said Treñas.
He will be conferring with barangay captains and city veterinarian Dr. Tomas Forteza about the problem.
The city government has a dog pound at the city’s motorpool but according to Treñas it “does not look very ideal.”
He plans to build a new one in Barangay Calajunan, Mandurriao.
Treñas stressed he was not amenable to euthanizing stray dogs as a solution to the problem.
Forteza previously said apprehended stray dogs would be impounded at the city government motorpool on Delgado Street where owners could claim them.
Unclaimed stray dogs would be euthanized by overdosing them with barbiturates.
“If no one shows up to claim the dogs or adopt them, we will do mercy killing. We will put them to sleep,” Forteza.
But according to Treñas, “I have not yet approved any. We will not do it.”
Animal lover Mikaela Chavez kick-started an online petition (“Stop the Stray Dog Mercy Killing in Iloilo City”) right after the City Veterinary Office announced it would round up stray dogs and kill them for destroying ornamental plants at the Iloilo Esplanade and elsewhere in the metropolis.
Treñas said the immediately thing to do is look for a vehicle that the City Veterinary Office could use for catching stray dogs as well as a space for a dog pound.
“After may salakyan na kag dog pound, then maybe we could start thinking about what else to do. We will work on this slowly so that we will be able to come up with a very good program for pet welfare,” Treñas said.
For the time being, he said, “It is incumbent among owners to be responsible with their dogs.”
Councilor Jay Treñas, on the other hand, said under Regulation Ordinance No. 2018-024 (An Ordinance Creating the Iloilo City Pound), barangays shall provide temporary impounding/holding facility for stray dogs and other animals at large.
“Dugay na naton gina ayo sa city government nga makapatindog sang fully functional shelter or city pound. Napasaran na naton ini ordinance madugay na pero wala pa naka-take into effect,” the city councilor said./PN
