Animal Cruelty & Pet Neglect

Animal cruelty and pet neglect are criminal offenses. You must intervene. If the reporting citizen is committed to executing an affidavit and appearing in court, PAWS will provide FREE legal assistance.

Do not turn a blind eye. PAWS needs YOUR help to stop offenders from hurting other animals.

See sample affidavit in TAGALOG / ENGLISH

How to Stop Animal Cruelty

When witnessing animal cruelty, which includes ‘dog katay’ or someone directly inflicting harm to an animal, stop the offender IMMEDIATELY and then call 911 or the barangay. Posting on social media is not the same as reporting to the authorities. By the time your post reaches the authorities, it will be too late.

How to Stop Pet Neglect

First, try the friendly approach and educate the pet owner on responsible pet ownership. If the behavior continues, you must gather evidence such as photos and videos showing a pattern of neglect and execute a witness affidavit. This is the only time that PAWS or the authorities can confiscate the neglected pet.

PAWS is not a government agency and does not have the authority to do this. Because animal cruelty and pet neglect are criminal offenses, they must be reported to the authorities by calling 911 or your barangay. Sadly, most people only report to PAWS but they are not willing to take any legal action. They call for justice, but they are unwilling to do their part as the witness.
NO. If you see dog slaughter in progress, you must stop it IMMEDIATELY and report it to the barangay. In many cases, it is enough to save the animal’s life.  

These cases are handled by the barangay or police. You may press charges, but also remember that allowing your pet to roam freely outside your home (even in the presence of the owner) is a violation of RA9482 or The Anti Rabies Act. Learn more here.

Please talk to your neighbor first and attempt to educate them in a friendly manner. PAWS cannot intervene or confiscate an owned pet without legal grounds. If you wish to file a case, please follow due process so that PAWS can assist.

Yes. As the animal’s temporary caregiver, you also need to be present during the rescue operation and foster agreement signing. By doing this, you are providing the rescued animal a temporary home until they are vaccinated, neutered, and ready to be admitted to the shelter. Learn more about fostering.

ANIMAL CRUELTY ON SOCIAL MEDIA

“I reported an incident on social media. Why are you not taking action?”

We can’t take action based on social media posts alone. Animal cruelty is a crime and it needs to be reported to the proper authorities, NOT on social media. If you witnessed any form of animal cruelty, it is your responsibility to report it to the police or the barangay. If you are willing to press charges, then PAWS will be able to assist.

“I saw animal cruelty reported on social media. What can I do?”

You may reach out to the person who witnessed the crime and point them in the right direction. They need to report the crime to the police or barangay and execute an affidavit. Otherwise, no legal action can be made.

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