NAIS ni Senador Grace Poe na mas mapalawak at mapalakas pa nang husto ang kasalukuyang Animal Welfare Act na siyang magbibigay ng mas kaukulang proteksyon sa mga hayop.
Dahil dito, isinusulong ni Poe ang paglikha ng Animal Welfare Bureau (AWB) na siyang sentro ng kanyang Senate Bill No. 2458 na nagrerekomenda para rebisahin ang Republic Act (RA) 8485 o ang Animal Welfare Act of 1998.
“Animals do have rights, too. Ang bantay ng ating bahay, kailangan din ng tagapagtanggol. Some humans consider their pet animals like a member of their own family. However, not all animals are given the same care and attention, they are sometimes left abandoned, or worse, experience cruelty,” pahayag ni Poe.
Ang Bureau of Animal Industry ang siyang pangunahing ahensiya na tumututok sa pagpapatupad ng nasabing batas.
Ngunit, ayon kay Poe, kulang ang trabahong ginagampanan ng ahensiya.
“However, BAI is a staff bureau that primarily performs policy, program development, and advisory functions, and is without control over regional and local veterinary services, animal production, and animal welfare, which significantly impairs its implementation and enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act,” anya.
Sa kanyang panukala, nais ni Poe na bumuo ng bagong AWB na magkakaroon ng mga sumusunod na th tungkulin:
- Provide minimum standards on the appropriate food, water, and shelter for each species of pet and animals depending on the age, breed, size, and special needs of the animals
- In consultation with concerned transport regulating agencies, experts, and animal welfare groups, set a species-specific standard for transportation of animals to ensure they remain in safe condition
- Establish an emergency animal response and rescue system to appropriately respond in cases of calamities such as but not limited to floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters
- Promulgate guidelines for humane slaughter of animals in consultation with the National Meat Inspection Service, local government units and other concerned government agencies
- Implement a system for inspection of animal facilities to ensure compliance with animal welfare standards and regulations
- Monitor compliance of the local government units with animal welfare programs, standards, rules and regulations
- Ensure proper coordination with non-government organizations, people’s organizations and academe for the strict implementation of the rules and regulations issued
- Issue, suspend, cancel permits or certifications pursuant to the purposes of the measure
- Levy and collect fee for registration, certification, inspection and monitoring system and of other fees as the AWB may deem necessary for the effective implementation of the law
Ilalagay sa ilalim ng Department of Agriculture ang nasabing bureau at magkakaroon ng mga tanggapan sa regional, provincial, city at municipal level.
Inihihirit din ni Poe ang mas mabigat na parusa sa mga taong nagmamalupit sa mga hayop. Anya dapat patawan ng isa hanggang tatlong taon na pagkakakulong at multang P30,000 hanggang P100,000 ang sinoman na mapatunayan na nagmalupit sa hayop.
