Munti LGU denies scheduling dog euthanasia

The Muntinlupa City government on Tuesday denied reports that it was planning to euthanize 35 impounded dogs if these were not adopted by June 18.

“There is no such schedule. The local government also refutes rumors of incineration of stray dogs as claimed in messages posted in social media because we do not have a crematory machine,” the city government said in a statement posted on the Facebook page of the Office of the City Veterinarian Muntinlupa City.

The local government said the Office of the City Veterinarian impounded dogs to eliminate the spread of animal rabies that posed a threat to public health, and accepted abandoned and neglected dogs on the streets, and voluntary surrenders.

The dogs are sheltered at the Muntinlupa Animal Pound in Barangay Tunasan, where they undergo rehabilitation for adoption, the city government said, adding that most of the adopted dogs were puppies and that the adoption rate for older dogs was very low.

In accordance with ordinances and laws, impounded dogs held within the prescribed period at the city pound and those carrying contagious diseases that are not claimed during the holding period are humanely euthanized using sedatives, anesthesia, and magnesium sulfate.

Muntinlupa City veterinarian Pam Hernandez said the city government encouraged the adoption of dogs, but without offers for adoption after two weeks at the pound, these dogs would be put to sleep due to lack of resources to sustain them.

“We maximize the holding period to two weeks. If the dogs are not adopted, we put them to sleep. It’s how a pound runs. Usually, pounds are handled by the government. But the government doesn’t have the capability to sustain all the dogs that are caught. This is the difference between government-owned pounds and shelters owned and run by non-government organizations that have funding,” she said.

Hernandez belied reports about the 35 dogs that were supposed to be euthanized on June 18.

“We don’t know where that information is coming from. Currently, these dogs are open for adoption,” she said, adding that people had already visited the pound to adopt the dogs.