pet abandonment

WE ARE POSTING BELOW AN ACTUAL EMAIL SENT TO PAWS AND OUR REPLY.

SOME PEOPLE HAVE ERRONEOUS IDEAS ABOUT PET ADOPTION. ANIMALS ARE ADOPTED "OUT" BY SHELTERS AND ARE NEVER ADOPTED "IN".

THE TERM WHICH MOST IRRESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS REFUSE TO USE IS "ABANDONMENT" - WHICH DESCRIBES EXACTLY WHAT THEY DO WHEN THEY GIVE UP THEIR PET FOR OFTEN THE PETTIEST OF REASONS.

PLEASE HELP US IN OUR EDUCATION CAMPAIGN BY FORWARDING THIS EMAIL TO A FRIEND OR A COLLEAGUE WHO MAY BE TALKING ABOUT PLANNING TO ASK PAWS TO "ADOPT" HIS / HER PET.

PAWS DOES NOT ADOPT ANIMALS. THE ORGANIZATION PUTS RESCUED AND REHABILITATED ANIMALS UP FOR ADOPTION.

THANK YOU.

-The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS)

From: B
Subject: dr.dog program and/or adoption
To: philpaws@...
Date: Tuesday, 27 January, 2009, 11:23 PM

hi, i have a 5 yr.old black female labrador available for rehoming either thru your Dr. Dog program or for adoption. in as much as i don't want to do this, i am pressured by my neighbor (who keeps complaining ) to do this.. I have several labradors in the house( 8 dogs to be exact, 5 of which are adults). I do love them all. and so, rather than resorting to forceful rehoming to just anybody, maybe you can help me find 1 good home for my sheena. she is very intelligent, behaves well , with good temperament, and so i am pretty sure that she will be a good companion canine friend. looking forward for your response. thank you. p.s.what can we do with cruel people against canine/pet friends? b

PAWS' Reply:

Dear B***,

Thank you for your e-mail. However, we would like to correct some notions about our Adoption and Dr Dog programs.

First, PAWS does not "adopt" animals. The organization rescues animals in distress, rehabilitates them and puts them up for adoption.

An 'animal in distress' is one that is in imminent danger of being killed or is suffering because of cruelty or neglect. For these cases, corresponding legal charges are filed against the perpetrator (i.e. dog-killing for 'pulutan') or against the owner (i.e. neglect/failing to provide adequate food, shelter, water or for letting loose a dog on the street/abandonment) for violation of either the Animal Welfare Act (RA 8485) or the Anti-Rabies Act (RA 9482).

These laws punish people who are cruel to animals or neglect their animals, or even those who decide to abandon their animals by letting them loose on the streets.

Second, dogs under our Doctor Dog program have owners, among other things. Among the other stringent requirements of the program is that the dogs - whether purebred or not - have passed our temperament-tests and are neutered/spayed ("kapon") before they officially become therapy animals.

PAWS' role is to prevent animal cruelty by education - not only through our campaigns ("A pet is a lifetime commitment" ), actual school visits and barangay lectures but by making sure we are able to inform people that, at the PAWS animal shelter - where space, manpower and resources are limited, animals in distress are priority over the ones that are just being abandoned by their pet owners (who are more than capable of adopting out their pets to good homes).

Instead, we provide free advice on how these owners can conduct screening procedures similar to PAWS' adoption procedures in case they have no choice but to rehome their own pets. We also advise these owners to neuter/spay their pets first before rehoming so that their pets do not, advertently or inadvertently, add to the growing number of unwanted pets.

Relative to your problem with your neighbor, please remember that he can complain all he wants about your dogs but if you are a responsible pet owner (keeping your area clean, providing your pets with enough exercise and training so that they do not bark all the time, etc), a neighbor cannot compel you to give up your dogs.

You have every right to keep your dogs inasmuch as he has every right to complain if you step out of the bounds of responsible pet ownership.

We hope this email helps you keep your dogs and that it helps you understand the policies behind PAWS Programs in order to prevent pet abandonments.

You may call the undersigned at the number stated below, between 1 to 3pm today or leave a message and your landline number, in case you have further questions on this email.

Thank you.

Very truly yours,

Anna, PAWS

Tel 475-1688

Anna Hashim-Cabrera Program Director The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) Last year, 66 cats were adopted from the PAWS shelter. "1-2-3" is one of those cats still waiting for a new home. If you are ready to have a pet, make "1-2-3" and other cats like him happy. Make adoption your first option. Call PAWS at 475-1688.