ILOILO City – An amendment is being proposed to the Animal Welfare Law – the deputization of individuals as animal welfare enforcement officers (AWEOs).
According to Dr. Joy Santos, president of the Philippine Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA), proposed guidelines are currently being crafted.
“Sa ibang countries, pagnakita nila na meron kang aso tapos pinabayaan mo, sa-citation ka. Pwede kang papatawag or kukunin ang aso mo,” Santos told reporters during a recent visit here.
The proposal encourages people to volunteer as AWEOs. Before their deputization, however, they must undergo a 21-day training under the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA) tasked to promote animal welfare.
Under the proposal, it is also BAI that would issue deputization authority to qualified AWEO volunteers.
PVMA will launch the module for AWEOs during its 86th Scientific Conference and Annual Convention at the Iloilo Convention Center on Feb. 20 to Feb. 22.
Dr. Rey Napoles, country director of Humane Society International (HIS) that is supportive of PVMA’s proposal for AWEOs, expressed confidence that the country may already have its first batch of animal welfare enforcement officers by the second quarter of this year.
“Then pwede na nilang sitahin ‘yung nagba-violate (Animal Welfare Act of 1998)…’yung mga maiksi ‘yung tali ng aso; walang tubig ‘yung aso; hindi nila napapakain on time,” said Napoles.
AWEOs may also apprehend those engaged in illegal animal fights such as horse-fighting and dog-fighting./PN
