Animal care advocates seeking donations for pets, livestock trapped in Batangas

MANILA, Philippines – Two animal welfare groups have asked people for donations that might be used to help pets and livestock trapped within areas affected by Taal Volcano’s eruption.

According to separate statements Monday from the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (Paws) and the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals – Asia (Peta Asia), they are in need of feeds for animals like cows, chickens, dogs, cats, aside from bottles of water, face masks, leashes, and bowls.

“The animals around Taal volcano need your help. After today’s assessment by the PAWS Disaster Team together with IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare), they have confirmed that pet dogs, cows and other livestock have been left at the site when people were evacuated,” PAWS said in a Facebook post.

“The animals are tired, thirsty and very hungry.  The PAWS Team will go back tomorrow to continue doing relief operations for these animals […] Drop off your donations personally or send via Grab or Lala Move to the PAWS Animal Shelter by Tuesday 9am so that the team can bring it to Tagaytay,” they added.

Peta meanwhile said that they are currently on the ground to assist trapped animals, although they also urged animal owners to try rescuing their pets as they have been flooded with requests on social media.

“If you’ve left your animal companion at home and you’re still in the area, please do whatever you can to get them,” Peta said on their Facebook page.

“We’re being bombarded with reports from guardians to rescue their animals and while we’re doing everything we can, we simply can’t reach everyone. We have come across too many abandoned animals at lakeside communities today,” they noted.

https://www.facebook.com/pawsphilippines/posts/2695783943800567

https://www.facebook.com/PETAAsiaPacific/posts/10162836630885537

After the Taal Volcano erupted on Sunday afternoon, several residents of Batangas and Cavite — the provinces surrounding the Taal Lake — moved out of their houses.

READ: Taal Volcano erupts

However, people on social media noted that some of the animals, especially the horses used to transport tourists along the lakeside area of Taal up to the mountaintops, were left behind.  Facebook user Dave Encarnacion posted a video showing people rescuing the horses, who bore the brunt of Taal Volcano’s ashfall.

https://www.facebook.com/100000529837646/posts/3033728856654746?d=n&sfns=mo

The eruption of the Taal Volcano has forced the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) to raise Alert Level 4 in the said area, which means forced evacuation for people within the 17-kilometer radius.

The said volcano’s ashfall has also affected other neighboring provinces including the National Capital Region, forcing local government units to suspend classes at all levels.

LIST: Jan. 14 class suspensions due to Taal eruption 

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