PAWS cries foul over Oplan 'Dog-Hang' campaign in QC barangay

The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) on Thursday condemned a barangay initiative in Novaliches, Quezon City that encourages the neighborhood to surrender dogs to a pound.

In a poster shared on Facebook, Barangay Capri called their operation "Oplan 'Dog'-Hang."

Their message read: "Wag nang manlaban, isuko na ang alagang hayop! Upang hindi na makapinsala at makadumi sa kapaligiran."

According to PAWS, the use of the term "dog"-hang — "whether as an allusion to 'tokhang' or as a way to encourage violent acts towards animals" — is wrong.

"Using 'tokhang' to refer to the killing or rounding up of animals who have not committed any crime is unfair and ignorant," their statement read.

"Its message is also dangerous and irresponsible as the poster gives the impression that inhumane acts towards strays are unacceptable," it added.

PAWS' statement condemning the "Oplan Dong-Hang" was shared over 3,000 times and got more than 5,000 likes within a few hours after it was posted on Thursday.

Barangay Capri captain Christian Cando, who came up with the name, said the term "Dog-Hang" was only used recently to call negligent pet owners to attention, but the barangay has had the initiative for a long time.

"Ang kinokondena po namin dito ay 'yung irresponsible owner at hindi 'yung animals nila," he told GMA News Online.

Cando said they have decided to have the "Dong-Hang" posters taken down, but he clarified the initiative will continue.

'Not acceptable'

Cando gave the assurance that all the dogs surrendered to them through the initiative are safely turned over to the Quezon City animal pound.

"Walang sinasaktan, walang cruelty," he said.

However, PAWS argued that barangay officials urging the public to surrender their animals to the pound only encourages pet abandonment instead of educating them to become responsible pet owners.

"Sadly, majority of the strays collected by pounds are put to death/euthanized because hardly anyone goes to the pound to adopt a pet," they added.

Citing the Animal Welfare Act or Republic Act No. 8485 as amended by RA 10631, PAWS emphasized that the law already specifies what pet owners are mandated to do, including keeping their pet dogs from roaming the streets freely and keeping it on a leash.

"If there are violations in this regard, it is the human owner who should be penalized and not the animals," PAWS said.

"PAWS believes in due process for all humans and animals. Tokhang is not acceptable," it added. —JST, GMA News