Of Dogs and Gas Chambers

It was reported in the Sunstar newspaper website Cagayan de Oro [09 September edition] the termination of stray dogs by gassing them in chambers in the city pound. For a man's best friend to suffer such a painful death is an abomination. It should not be permitted. It is an inhumane way to terminate a dog's life. Is this how we repay all those countless moments when man's best friend makes him happy?

The city veterinarian claims that financial constraints- an injection putting a stray dog to sleep costs a lot of money. But this lack of budget could not justify by any means the way the stray dogs were killed in the city. The veterinarian even admitted it takes 40 long minutes for the dogs to die by carbon monoxide poisoning!

Dogs are renown for their loyalty. One goes home and find his dog at his doorstep, wagging its tail, and welcoming his patron with no other demands except perhaps a pat on its head. They guard our houses, act as guide dogs for the blind, and do other things that impact on the human life.Is this how we reward their loyalty to the human race?

My sister and I had several dogs when we were growing up. It was one way our parents enabled us to learn about actual responsibility.

In the United Kingdom, owning a dog entails a lot more responsibility. A person walking his dog or dogs is a common sight along its roads and vast parks during any time of the year. Some dog owners even hire professional dog walkers to walk their dogs. The dog walkers even bring with them plastic bags to pick up their dog poo to dispose the excrement properly. Once I saw a well-dressed lady picking up after his dog pooed. A scene like that you will never see in the Philippines. In my years residing in this country, I have never seen a stray dog.

The United Kingdom Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals [RSPCA] has been very active in its mandate to protect all animals with the participation of the people. It has a dedicated workforce that is worthy of admiration. I should know because of an incident. My wife and I were just settling in the house we bought. The house has a sizable backyard abutting an open space with mature trees and a number of squirrels in population. One bright summer afternoon, I heard a commotion in the backyard while making tea in the kitchen. I looked outside through the window and saw a grey squirrel lying on an elevated portion of the ground adjacent to the fence. I went out and approached the squirrel and found it was badly injured. I called the RSPCA and in fifteen minutes or so, an RSPCA officer knocked on our main door to take control of the situation. He softly and cautiously held the squirrel in his hands and placed it inside a box and took the box away. I am pretty sure that the squirrel would die eventually due to its serious injuries [maybe caused from a fight with another squirrel or from an attack by tomcats regularly prowling the area] but the point is the way the RSPCA speedily addressed my concern.

Filipinos have a lot of catching up to do in regard to treating our animals in life or in death. The creation of a more active workforce to implement animal welfare laws in our country and the education of our people about responsible animal ownership would be huge steps in the right direction.