Heart Evangelista PHOTO BY ARNOLD ALMACEN/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Actress Heart Evangelista is opposed to the Quezon City ordinance limiting pet ownership for the city residents.
Evangelista, a spokesperson for the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), said in her Instagram account that the city ordinance might lead to pet abandonment.
“I’d like to think that they had good intentions in passing the ordinance and while I agree with some of its provisions…Animal welfare is not about this. Abandonment of dogs/cats is punishable by law and this totally goes against it,” the actress posted in her Instagram.
“It promotes dog/cat lovers to abandon their dogs no matter what age and how long they have had the dog/cat in their home. Pet abandonment is a crime under amended AWA. If people are imposed penalties or fees for having more than four pets…this may increase the incidence of pet abandonments,” Evangelista added.
She said she hopes that the signing of the ordinance by Mayor Herbert Bautista would be postponed “until at least all stakeholders have been consulted.”
According to her, PAWS was not informed of the ordinance.
“There are many animal lovers that will be affected negatively by this ordinance because they are currently keeping more than 4 pets and a lot of them aren’t breeders or businessmen but people with kind hearts who took in a homeless stray,” she said.
The Quezon City Council has approved Ordinance No. 2386, which limits to four the number of cats and dogs residents can keep in their households.
The ordinance said it would provide for a “comprehensive animal regulation and control in Quezon City.” NC/AC