Dogs and cages

[JDDavao II]

5 hours ago, Marvin Boggs said:

 In the case of cats, they are not even fed

They are here at Rancho Pusa. 

[WHIPPING BOY]

I'm only an occasional visitor to this rather tight forum and certainly don't want to upset anyone on this animal care subject.

It seems to me the fact that locals tend to look up to western foreigners we have a perfect opportunity to make an effort to educate, advise and assist on all matters of animal welfare. In fact we are morally obliged to help.

Some methods I use is never to confront the animals owners in a rude way, rather to take the approach of showing just how much more they can get from their animals by treating them better...better guarding, better companionship, safer with their own kids or family, less health costs,...even for some a status symbol by walking their dog on a leash looking just like a rich foreigner,... Keeping them parasite free, health benefits for animals and humans alike.

If they simply must chain or cage the dog at least use a running chain and large cool cage with daily time off, with the owner to show off and enjoy the dog. The picture of the poor neglected dog with mange should be treated as urgent. Mange can be treated with simple oral meds in many instances, getting him off that short rope is likewise urgent.

If no amount of effort helps then please contact your local animal welfare organisation, there are several in most areas.

Lastly it is illegal to slaughter dogs to food, if that's suspected please report the people.

All the negative stuff can be done anonymously.

It's apparent many caring chaps are members here, if you find the need to ask advice please simply message me.

Thank you for caring,

Terry

[scott h]

26 minutes ago, WHIPPING BOY said:

In fact we are morally obliged to help.

This reminds me of that king who tired to order the tide not to rise. 

With the exception of small lap dogs that are normally kept inside, large dogs are "normally" just kept chained up outside as a living door bell and intruder alert. In our area I see dogs with collars and broken chains running loose and digging into trash on a daily basis. Rarely, very, very rarely does one ever see a "lost dog" poster.

cats are viewed as a nuisance. newborn kittens are routinely thrown out with the trash or just into the street. (I have a soft spot for kitten and have 6 rescues, below is one)

39 minutes ago, WHIPPING BOY said:

local animal welfare organisation,

almost non existent here. But local barangay personnel will respond if someone is bite by a dog. The dog is then caged (usually in the sun without much water) for observation.

42 minutes ago, WHIPPING BOY said:

All the negative stuff can be done anonymously

First you need to find out who to report to. And it wont remain anonymous for long. The bamboo telegraph will out you in time

43 minutes ago, WHIPPING BOY said:

It's apparent many caring chaps are members here,

Mate, your sentiments are noble, but really not applicable here in the Philippines. At least not in the area I live,,,,,,,,,,,,unfortunately

 

[graham59]

Yes...definitely barking up the wrong tree here,  on the animal welfare front. Oh for a perfect world, eh ? 

I'm not unsympathetic too... just a realist. 

Next target...cock fighting ?  Now there's something to get your teeth into.  

What about all those poor little mice and rats...mercilessly slaughtered ? 

They don't feel pain ?  They don't like being stroked and pampered ...having a full tummy ?  

 

 

.

 

 

Edited January 30, 2020 by graham59

[Tommy T.]

58 minutes ago, graham59 said:

and rats

I had pet rats when in university. It was cool to take one to class under my - then - long hair. He would just sleep and come out if I called him or picked him up. Rats can be cool pets! Scared the hell out of my labmate in one of my classes.

 

6 hours ago, WHIPPING BOY said:

I'm only an occasional visitor to this rather tight forum and certainly don't want to upset anyone on this animal care subject.

 

I agree with your sentiments regarding animals - they all deserve care and respect, in my opinion. And your comments should not upset anyone as they are thoughtful and measured. 

However, Terry, the facts here - unfortunately - are that there is little to no care available for stray or abused animals. What my partner, L, and I see here makes us both sick - the dogs locked in tiny cages outside home walls with barely room to stand up or move. The lucky ones have a bit of shade provided. So many tied on short chains or ropes.

So many people buy or are gifted an animal yet have no clue how to care for it, don't have the money for care, or simply do not care. In my neighbourhood alone, most households have 3-5 dogs each, sometimes more. And many of them just let their dogs bark non-stop, as if they don't even hear them... Training consists of a whack on the ass or a thrown rock...

As Scott mentioned, there are many strays wandering around - none of them spayed or fixed and new puppies or kittens continuing to multiply, get sick and starve or succumb to disease. By the way, rabies exists here so, if bit, like L was last year, treatment is essential. There are lots of fat rats running around in many areas also...

Many people stash their rubbish in plastic bags on the streets either to dispose there and left to rot or to await actual rubbish pick up services. In both cases, stray animals open these up and feed themselves on whatever scraps they find and scatter the remainder all over. The people who dump this seem to just dump and forget. It is very sad.

I asked L about animal shelters or animal rescue and stray control and she says some exist but are not used or available.

Lastly, what Scott says is also, unfortunately, true. Human life here is cheap too. If a person upsets another or tries to influence their behaviour, there can be consequences - no matter how respectful or helpful your intent. Sometimes I think of this country as being similar to the wild wild west of early USA times...

I, for one, do appreciate your comments and appreciate your efforts. However I do not think they can fly here.

Hmmm after a moment, I realized that L and I do try to make a difference. In the few times I attempted, my suggestions were ignored. But I am still alive! So best to keep a low profile here as a foreigner after all...

Edited January 30, 2020 by Tommy T.

[gabgab]

On 1/28/2020 at 8:50 AM, Heeb said:

This is the next door neighbors dog at my wife's house in San Pedro, it's covered in mange and the leash is too short for it to properly lay down, it barks all night constantly. I thought about buying it from them but they would probably just get another puppy and tie it up there. My wife said something to them but they just don't care nor does anyone in the neighborhood apparently.

What I would do in this case is just buy a longer leash and give it to the dog owner. That's instead of telling him to do so himself etc.

This way you're not the foreigner who tells people what to do, you already came with a solution. "Here's a longer leash, the dog can lay down properly so it won't bark at night, we'll all sleep better and the dog will be happier".

This worked quite well for me in the past, give it a try and save that poor dog's sanity.

[OnMyWay]

Another reason I live in the Subic Bay Freeport U.S. Navy housing.  It's not perfect, but I would say 80-90 % of dogs are well loved and well taken care of here.  We are isolated by a fairly good distance from regular Olongapo neighborhoods, so if a neighbor's dog or cat gets loose, it usually gets recovered.  We have a neighborhood FB group and if someone finds a dog or cat that is obviously a pet, they post it up and find the owner.  A few times, no owner was found and someone adopted the dog.

We used to have a few expats that let their dogs run loose, but I think they have succumbed to pressure and stopped that.  We do have strays, mostly Astrals, that have come in from Olongapo, and we have a constant battle ongoing with the SBMA management about this problem.  It's not at the top of their priority list.  We are supposed to call the Fire Department to catch them, but I have never seen them catch one.

We also have vets in our neighborhoods who do low cost spaying and neutering, once in a while free.  We have many stray cats with the problem compounded by helpers feeding them.  Some of our main neighborhood leaders are big animal lovers and they don't wanted any strays killed.  Their plan is that you should catch the stray, take it to get "fixed", then release it again!  I'm an animal lover, but this is not a plan I would go with.  Unfortunately, I think animal control has to include euthanasia.  You can find homes for all strays.

My kids really want a dog but I won't get one until I can have a really good fenced area for it to run in.  My wife doesn't like dogs in the house much so I don't know if we can ever have one indoors.  This evening, our neighbor stopped by while walking their puppies.  Her 6 year old daughter, my daughter's schoolmate, wanted to show our daughters her new Shiatsu pup, about 8 weeks old.  Mom is married to an Aussie and they have had a few German Shepard litters over the past few years.  Most of the pups still live in the area.  The one in the video is the last pup from the last litter, about 8-10 weeks old, I think.  My 3 year old got a big kick playing with her and walking her!  They are keeping it.

[Tommy T.]

I hope you don't mind my suggestion...

Please consider training any dog you may get for a pet. It will pay off greatly. You can teach them to not bark continuously. You can teach them to not be aggressive. Maybe you will laugh, but I watched "The Dog Whisperer" series on cable last year and applied a number of Cesar's techniques to a Shitsu puppy that L just had to have. And they worked! I asserted myself as the Alpha Male to this dog and he obeys me quite well. I instructed L, her daughter and the live-in working student how to give commands when necessary. I believe it made a difference in the dogs behaviour. I also believe this is good and positive for the dog.

[OnMyWay]

11 hours ago, Tommy T. said:

I asserted myself as the Alpha Male to this dog and he obeys me quite well.

Just wondering.  Was it hard to assert yourself as the Alpha Male, to a shih tzu?

[Tommy T.]

7 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

Just wondering.  Was it hard to assert yourself as the Alpha Male, to a shih tzu?

Seriously still, OMW... It did take a bit of work to convince him that I was the boss...not him. He has quite a strong will for such a tiny mutt... Small Dog Syndrome, perhaps?