Animal welfare desks in Cebu City police stations await ordinance OK

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — Residents of Cebu City may soon be able to report cases of animal cruelty and other animal-related offenses to their nearest police station once a proposed ordinance establishing animal welfare desks is approved.

The measure aims to create dedicated animal welfare desks in police stations across the city, providing the public with a more accessible channel for reporting violations.

Dr. Jessica Maribojoc, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries (DVMF) head, said the city is only waiting for the ordinance to be enacted before the desks begin operating.

“Once nga naa na ang ordinance, diha na ta magstart,” Maribojoc told CDN Digital.

(We will start taking calls once the ordinance is approved.)

READ: Pet haven, memorial park, animal welfare desks proposed in Cebu City

The proposal, authored by Councilor Phillip Zafra, designates the animal welfare desks as the primary receiving units for complaints involving animal cruelty, neglect, illegal slaughter, and wildlife trafficking.

Under the proposed ordinance, the desks would record complaints, maintain case records, facilitate rescue operations, and coordinate immediate interventions with the DVMF and other concerned agencies.

The measure also calls for the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) to designate animal welfare officers, with preference given to personnel who have completed training on animal welfare laws.

READ: Animal safety is a global concern, says QC court

Training police personnel

Maribojoc said preparations for the program were already underway through the training of police officers who would eventually manage the animal welfare desks.

She said each of Cebu City’s 13 police stations had around three to five officers being trained as animal welfare enforcement officers.

The initial training sessions were conducted from 2022 to 2023 before resuming in March this year to reinforce the city’s animal welfare initiatives.

Maribojoc said additional batches of officers would undergo training to ensure sufficient personnel are available for the program.

She explained that continuing the training was necessary because police officers were frequently reassigned, with some eventually transferred outside Cebu City.

READ: Pet cemetery in Cebu City: Animals deserve dignity, says Mayor Archival

The officers are trained to properly receive complaints and respond to cases involving abused, neglected, or endangered animals.

“Dili na sila modirectly report sa atoa [DVMF], but instead didto na sa mga police station na duol sa ilaha,” Maribojoc said.

(Complainants will report to the police stations nearest to them instead of the DVMF.)

Other animal welfare proposals

Maribojoc said the DVMF had also supported other pending measures intended to improve animal welfare in Cebu City.

One proposal sought to prohibit pet owners from leaving animals unattended inside vehicles, as mandated in City Ordinance No. 1877, while encouraging commercial establishments to help disseminate information about the policy.

She said leaving pets inside vehicles constitutes a violation of animal welfare and exposes them to unnecessary risks.

READ: Cebu City cracks down on pets left inside parked vehicles

The DVMF has likewise backed a proposal to establish the Cebu City Pet Memorial Park, which would provide a burial site for deceased pets and a recreational space for owners and their animals.

The measure, also authored by Zafra, cited the growing demand among pet owners for a dignified place to honor their departed animal companions.

The memorial park would provide a safe and sanitary area for pet burials, while also serving as a public park where owners and their pets can spend leisure time together.

“We are hoping that there will be more direction to help our animals. I am very positive that these will be approved,” Maribojoc said.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.