BY ADRIAN P. NEMES III
An Animal Welfare Task Force was proposed by several officials of the Bacolod City government and animal welfare advocates in a meeting yesterday.
The task force will formulate and implement plans and programs for animal welfare in the city, and ensure an effective coordination between the local government and animal rights groups.
Once the task force is formed, its members will meet every last Tuesday of the month for updates.
Also discussed during the meeting yesterday were plans on how to improve the condition of the dogs at the Bacolod City Pound.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia recently ordered that the scheduled “mercy killing” today of more than 40 stray dogs be put on hold after animal activists expressed their opposition.
City Ordinance 184 says that if a dog owner fails to redeem the impounded dog in 10 days, the animal will either be killed or put up for adoption.
Animal activists groups urged the city government to nurture or spay the animals instead of killing them as it will be cheaper. At the meeting were executive assistant Ernesto Pineda – cluster head for Sectoral Concerns, City Veterinary Office head Dr. Maria Agueda Trinidad Dela Torre, OIC-City Pound Julius Galve, BACH Project Ph spokesperson Daniel Sam Salvatierra, and PAWSsion founder Malou Perez, among others.*
