Poe, groups give free kapon, other services to some 300 dogs, cats

The office of Senator Grace Poe has partnered with the FPJ Panday Bayanihan Foundation and the Biyaya Animal Care to provide some 300 dogs and cats free neuter and spay services on Sunday.

The project dubbed "Isang Kapon Ka Lang" saw hundreds of Quezon City residents getting the free service and other freebies for their furry pets at the FPJ Studios in Del Monte, QC.

Aside from the spay and neuter, free vaccines were also administered to the registered pets. Microchipping for dogs for their permanent identification was also offered without cost for those who wanted to avail.

"Spaying and neutering prevent potentially thousands more from being born only to be neglected, abused or even euthanized for lack of loving homes," Poe said.

"Let's make these services accessible to our pet owners and affordable, if not free," she added.

A known animal welfare advocate, Poe has been pushing for the passage of her Senate Bill No. 2458 which seeks a revised Animal Welfare Act to strengthen animal welfare standards, policies, rules and regulations, implementation and enforcement as well as provide tougher penalties to violators.

The bill creates a Barangay Animal Welfare Task Force to capacitate local officers to address the animal welfare issues immediately.

It will also establish standards geared towards engendering responsible pet ownership, as well as ethical behavior and accountability from all those who have control over or provide care to animals.

Poe said she hopes spaying and neutering can be regular services of local government units all over the country as humane way to control the stray animal population.

"We laud the initiatives of many animal welfare groups and even individuals to rescue and shelter dogs or cats. These should be complemented by managing their population. When we don't spay or neuter, we will be dealing with another stray sooner, then it becomes a cycle. We need to address the root cause of the problem," she said.

Poe thanked the FPJ Panday Bayanihan Foundation, a civic organization named after her father, the late National Artist Fernando Poe Jr., for venturing into the spay and neuter services together with the group Biyaya.

"The strays we see on the streets show they are breeding faster than we can save them. Spaying or neutering just one can save hundreds of dogs and cats," Poe said.