The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) has rolled out its newest campaign still in line with its mission to help curtail animal cruelty and offer sustainable solutions to control the population of stray cats and dogs in communities.
‘Kapon for All Pets’ is a three-way partnership among PAWS, volunteer veterinary clinics, and participating local government units (LGUs). The program encourages city governments and municipalities to offer incentives to veterinary clinics that are providing free or affordable spay/neuter procedures for pets and strays.
Participating LGUs will be included on the ‘List of Progressive Kapon-friendly Cities and Municipalities’ that PAWS will release in time for the observance in the country of World Spay Day on February 22, 2022. Moreover, PAWS will award ₱50,000 worth of surgery materials and a plaque of appreciation (Pioneer Kapon for All Pets LGU Partner) to each of the first 10 LGUs to award incentives to veterinary clinics since its launch this month.
Encouraging LGUs
PAWS hopes the program could somehow push LGUs to make spay-neuter activities part of the regular programs they roll out to manage the growing population of homeless and stray cats and dogs across the metro (and nationwide).
“I believe that with budget prioritization for spay-neuter programs, LGUs can be able to do this all on their own and on a regular basis,” said PAWS Executive Director Anna Cabrera. “When the day comes, there will be no need for pounds nor shelters. Spay-neuter is the long-term, sustainable solution.”
PAWS Executive Director Anna Cabrera
In the past several months, PAWS has been aggressively reminding some LGUs that putting bigger pounds, turning pounds into animal shelters, or converting buildings into animal rehabilitation centers should be complemented by regular spay-neuter programs to control pets’ population and eventually prevent other problems like animal cruelty and abandonment.
Programs for animal welfare
“Kapon for All Pets is proof that private and public partnerships can work to promote animal welfare, which is directly connected to public health issues and the eradication of infections like rabies,” Cabrera added.
Kapon for All Pets is the newest program by PAWS in promoting accessible spay-neuter procedures in communities. Since 2009, PAWS has been offering low-cost/free spay-neuter procedures to pets of indigent owners in its clinic within the organization’s Quezon City headquarters. The group has also been implementing other projects like the ‘KabaliCAT’ project that facilitates trap-neuter-vaccinate-and release (TNR) activities for stray cats in target neighborhoods. Moreover, PAWS has been providing temporary shelter to spayed/neutered cats and dogs that are up for adoption.
Interested LGUs can participate in the Kapon for All Pets program by sending an email to PAWS through this email: kapon@paws.org.ph.
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