November 26, 2008
HSI Continues to Provide Humane Animal Control Training in the Philippines
By Carly Ikuma
In August 2007, HSI launched an initiative aimed at stopping the dog meat trade in the Philippines. Encouraging enforcement of the current law against this brutal practice and the training of animal control workers, as well as veterinarians and activists, has led to gradual improvements and optimistic stories.
Last month, Humane Society International staff returned to the Philippines to continue shelter management and humane animal capture and handling training. Municipal animal control officers and veterinarians, and local animal welfare activists were present at this three-day workshop, co–sponsored by the Animal Welfare Coalition.
Sharing successful tactics
Rahul Sehgal, HSI India Program Manager, Dr. Sunil Chawla, veterinarian with Help in Suffering, and Karanveer Singh, an expert in animal handling with the Animal Help Foundation, led the discussions and training. Ground-breaking work in humane animal control and population management in India have led to ground-breaking changes in street animal welfare policies there, so the three speakers were pleased to share their knowledge and experience in the Philippines.
"Statistics and research from Jaipur, India, were used extensively in the workshop," said Sehgal. "This helped bring participants to the level of progress in other developing countries in tackling the street dog issue."
Discussion, and hands-on practice
Participants were also given the opportunity to practice dog-capturing techniques with custom nets, with much success. Visits to municipal shelters were also arranged, so that the speakers could cover the elements of proper management policies and how to improve conditions, as well as the correct planning protocols should another shelter be constructed.
"The groups were extremely innovative," said Sehgal of the participants. "Everyone applied what they had learned over the three days and were innovative in their ideas and strategies."
Promise for the future
As a result of the workshops, the attendees passed three resolutions, agreeing to implement them to the best of their abilities:
- To discontinue the use of gas chambers for euthanasia and encourage injectable euthanasia as the standard protocol
- To propose inclusion of HSI spay/neuter programs in local ordinances
- To create and maintain a database/network of local veterinarians and animal welfare organizations to encourage government involvement in humanely controlling the animal population by 2010
"The HSI team gave us new ideas," said one participant. "They have given us an alternative to the existing formula of animal control in the Philippines."
Added Dr. Raul Gregorio, veterinarian for Taguig City, "The HSI spay/neuter programs are really the best choice to manage animal control. The expected results after the implementation of these programs are very possible here."