Be a responsible pet owner! Make sure to watch over your fur-babies and know their whereabouts. Don’t let them roam around your neighborhood unsupervised.

Under section 5 of RA 9482 or the Anti-Rabies Act, pet owners must keep their pets on a leash when they are in public. In order to keep them from harm, as well as to keep them from harming others, they must not be allowed to wander the streets. On the other hand, the City Pound must catch stray animals to protect the public from harm.

The City Pound is a government-funded facility where stray animals (such as dogs, cats) are impounded for a certain period until they are claimed by their owners, adopted—or if left unclaimed, euthanized.

How to claim dogs/pets from impound?

If you think your dog was impounded, immediately check with your barangay for any captured animals. Typically, barangays have their own holding area.

If your dog happens to be there, you will only need to pay the necessary fines, which would vary according to the Barangay, to claim your pet. However, if you weren’t able to catch them on time and your pet has already been transported to the City Pound, here are the things you need to do:

1. Pay the necessary fines at your Barangay and bring the receipt to the city impound. (In Cagayan de Oro, the City Pound is located in Barangay Balubal);
2. Upon arriving, present a valid ID and your payment receipt, along with a description of your pet.

The City Pound officer will check if your animal is present in the kennel. Once verified, you can now claim your pet and take them home.

Note: This may vary according to your locality. Kindly contact your local city impound for more information on how to claim captured animals. 

You should immediately claim your pet from the city pound before the holding period is up. The holding period depends on the local law, but it is usually within 24 hours to 1 week from capture.

What do they do to the unclaimed animals?

An unfortunate reality for these pets, the city pound can euthanize unclaimed animals after the holding period. Yes, it is completely legal as long as they employ humane methods to catch and perform euthanasia on animals.

While the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) has very little influence on what happens in city pounds, the non-profit organization strives to “work if there is evidence of inhumane methods or acts of animal cruelty taking place in an animal pound.”

If you have gathered strong evidence, you may report animal cruelty or neglect to PAWS. See here to learn more.

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