Pet crematorium issue exposes gaps in animal welfare laws – analyst

MANILA, Philippines — Cases of animal neglect that have recently drawn public attention — from the abandonment of pet remains entrusted to crematoriums to recurring incidents of animal abuse — underscore the need to strengthen the country’s animal welfare mechanisms.

This was the assessment of Dr. Alicor Panao, an Inquirer data scientist and associate professor at the University of the Philippines, who said recent reports that shocked the public have renewed concerns over how the government protects animals, including pets increasingly regarded as members of the family.

“These incidents bring into focus the need to strengthen the country’s animal welfare framework, not only by penalizing cruelty but also by ensuring that institutions have the capacity to enforce the law and provide basic services,” he said as he released a new analysis of animal welfare bills filed in Congress.

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READ: 250 pet owners file raps vs crematorium over dumped remains in Bulacan

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Republic Act No. 8485, or the Animal Welfare Act of 1998, as amended by RA 10631 in 2013, provides the legal foundation for animal protection in the country.

However, Panao raised the question: “What has Congress done to address its gaps?”

Across the Senate and the House of Representatives in the 20th Congress, at least 24 bills have been filed seeking to amend or strengthen the country’s animal welfare framework.

Sixteen of these seek a comprehensive revision or repeal of RA 8485, with some also proposing the creation of a dedicated Animal Welfare Bureau or Commission.

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Four other measures seek to impose stiffer penalties and introduce additional enforcement and oversight mechanisms.

READ: NBI to investigate pet crematorium

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At least four bills focus on strengthening implementation at the local level, while three seek to require every city or municipality to establish animal shelters and public veterinary clinics.

Another proposed measure seeks to establish an animal welfare desk in every barangay to handle mediation, enforcement and coordination on public health concerns.

“Despite the range of proposals, however, not one of the 24 bills has advanced beyond the committee stage,” Panao said.

All 20 House bills remain pending before their respective committees: 16 with the Committee on Agriculture and Food, two with the Committee on Health, one with the Committee on Public Order and Safety, and one with the Committee on Local Government.

Meanwhile, all four Senate bills remain pending before the Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform.

Panao pointed out, however, that “to be fair, many of these measures were filed long before the pet crematorium controversy brought animal welfare back into the headlines.”

“The proposals suggest that lawmakers had already recognized the inadequacy of existing protections and the lack of facilities and enforcement mechanisms at the local level,” he said.

Panao expressed hope that the public attention generated by the controversy would lend renewed urgency to these measures and prompt Congress to move beyond committee referrals.

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“The issue should not have to wait for another jarring incident to command legislative attention,” he said. /dm