Barangay San Antonio Chairman Thomas Raymond Lising happily shows a signed agreement with two animal welfare groups, Compassion and Responsibility for Animals (CARA) Welfare Philippines and Cats of Ortigas. This partnership aims to address the issue of stray cats in the area by providing them with neutering and vaccination services. (Contributed photo)
NAVOTAS CITY, (PIA) — Barangay San Antonio (BSA) in Pasig City has partnered with non-profit organizations to create a safe haven for stray cats and manage their population, officials announced Monday.
BSA Chairman Thomas Raymond Lising signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Compassion and Responsibility for Animals (CARA) Welfare Philippines and Cats of Ortigas to address community cat concerns through neutering and vaccination.
“The partnership enables us to care for our community cats because we cannot do it alone; we need the help of experts,” Lising said. “It also helps control the cat population, which in turn reduces the risk of rabies among cats.“
CARA Welfare Philippines President Nancy Cu Unjieng emphasized the importance of controlling the cat population. “Because cats will just multiply and multiply unless they are neutered,” she said. “If we neuter them, we control not only the cat population, but we [also] control the rabies.”
Under the agreement, CARA and Cats of Ortigas will conduct “catch-neuter-vaccinate-and-return” (CNVR) programs upon request by the barangay. CARA will handle the catching, medical procedures, recovery, and returning of the community cats, while Cats of Ortigas will address community concerns.
Both organizations will also coordinate and provide humane education and community cat welfare orientation for barangay officials, property managers, security personnel, residents, and volunteers.
BSA will provide a free venue for seminars and CNVR and Animal Welfare Responsible Pet Ownership projects.
The MOA prohibits the City Pound or pest control companies from rounding up CNVR cats and allows the managed colony to live out their lives in peace. The cats will be permitted to roam only in designated areas to minimize incidents of scratching and human interaction.
Cats of Ortigas co-founder Rose Sharon Patricia de Guzman said they will also disseminate animal welfare guidelines to all community members, including commercial and residential establishments. They also assist with adoption activities. (JEG/PIA-NCR)
