Grace Poe pushes anew bill on creating animal welfare bureau

Sen. Grace Poe (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Grace Poe again pushed for her bill seeking to create a separate bureau of animal welfare under the Department of Agriculture (DA).

She previously asked the DA at its Wednesday budget hearing that additional funding for animal welfare under the Bureau of Animal Industries be specific to neutering, spaying, anti-rabies, and pound maintenance support programs while the proposed law was pending in the Senate.

“It’s time for animal welfare to be reflected in the budget. We must put our money where our advocacy is,” Poe said in a statement on Tuesday.

“We will continue to push for our bill and for adequate animal welfare funds, but responsible ownership is also crucial because, as they said, behind every dog or cat on the street is a human to blame,” she added.

Senate Bill No. 2458, which Poe authored, also aims to amend the 26-year-old Animal Welfare Law with tighter standards, tougher penalties, and the creation of a Barangay Animal Welfare Task Force.

READ: Put animal welfare under DA’s meat office? Pets are not meat, says Poe

Last May, Poe questioned the idea of placing animal welfare under the DA’s National Meat Inspection Service.