A Study on the Implementation and Enforcement of Republic Act 8485 (as amended by RA

10631): Animal Welfare Act in Digos City, Davao del Sur

I. INTRODUCTION

Animals are human’s best friend or companion. They helped a lot that not most of the people

can do, they may be different from humans in most aspects but they placed a huge role in one’s life

as these creatures can help improving mental health and are therapeutic, provide companionship,

and be a hero to someone especially during calamities. Moreover, the bond between humans and

animals is actually beneficial to both parties as they both helped to develop or influence behavior

and wellbeing of each other: mentally, physically and socially. However, some people are seeing them

as a threat that’s where the protection of animal wellbeing forms; to prohibit acts of cruelty or

unnecessary violence towards them.1

The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) believes that the first step towards building a

more peaceful society is for people to extend their compassion to include animals. As a result, they

1
Republic Act 8485 – Animal Welfare Act of 1998

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 envision a country that values animals, adopts responsible pet ownership, and conserves wildlife.

They hoped to find these animals a new home and owner so they could have another chance at a

happy life.2

This organization also is vehemently opposed to animal abuse in any form of cruelty, having

spent years protecting and defending animals while reminding people of their rights and arranging

events like symposiums to encourage protection and the avoidance of needless situations.

PAWS has been actively advocating for improved legislation pertaining to animal welfare,

particularly since its reorganization in 1986. Despite the fact that the government wasn't yet ready at

that point, the organization persisted in its efforts and never quits until Philippine President Fidel V

Ramos finally signed into law the Animal Welfare Act of 1998 on February 11, 1998.3

2
Philippine Animal Welfare Society. (2024, February 4). Wikipedia.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_Animal_Welfare_Society
3
"Republic Act No. 10631". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. October 3, 2013.
Retrieved May 19, 2016

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 In addition, not only animals need training and proper lectures but so do humans. People

especially those who wishes to own an animal should have proper seminar in relation to pet

ownership and must be educated about the safety around their pets and other animals, animal

welfare and rights, being a responsible pet owner, and proper management of animal control

facilities among other things. Although these aren’t only applicable to a pet owner or those who

wishes to have a pet but for everyone to avoid circumstances and protect animal rights regardless of

where it came from.

I. ANIMAL WELFARE ACT OF 1998 IN THE PHILIPPINES

Animal welfare act of 1998 of in the Philippines is a significant law in the Philippines that seeks

to protect animals' welfare. Acts of animal cruelty, including abuse, torture, murder, and neglect, are

forbidden.4 Moreover, the goal of the implementation and enforcement of this Republic Act is to

create or promote animal rights and welfare, lessen the suffering of

4
Attorney, P. (2023, June 12). Animal Welfare and Protection: Understanding Philippine Laws for the Welfare
of Animals.
https://attorney.org.ph/legal-news/389-animal-welfare-and-protection-understanding-philippin
e-laws-for-the-welfare-of-animals#:~:text=8485%20%2D%20Animal%20Welfare%20Act%20o
f,torture%2C%20killing%2C%20and%20neglect.

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animals under human control, and guarantee a minimal level of care and living circumstances for

animals.5

Furthermore, animal welfare is an animal's capacity to adapt to its physiochemical and social

surroundings on a physiological, behavioral, cognitive, and emotional level. An accurate way to

evaluate health and wellbeing measurements and gain a deeper understanding of the animals'

experiences would be provided by a scientific approach to evaluating the body language of farm

animals, which is becoming increasingly important in the assessment of animal welfare. Additionally,

veterinary care is dedicated to preserving animal welfare, which includes all facets of an animal's

physical and mental health.6

1. Measures or Guidelines of Animal Welfare

5
The Humane League. (2020, December 10). What is animal welfare and why it is important?
Thehumaneleague.org.
https://thehumaneleague.org/article/animal-welfare#:~:text=As%20a%20guiding%20philosop
hy%20for,of%20living%20conditions%20and%20treatment
6
Animal welfare. (n.d.). American Veterinary Medical Association.
https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/animal-welfare#:~:text=Pro
tecting%20animal%20welfare%20is%20a,—when%20necessary—humane%20euthanasia.

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 Animal welfare is dependent on the animal's perception of its living conditions, which includes

both the social and physical elements of the surroundings. A combination of welfare measures or

guidelines related to precautionary system, and animal behavior and health is suggested to assess the

welfare level of its owner or people around it. Moreover, in the following measures presented and a

general motivation on how they may act, are included are:

1.a Behavioral

Behavioral responses are the most useful measure of an animal's health. The decisions

animals make in a variety of situations and the level of stress they display during those

decisions could ultimately reveal whether or not they truly have access to what they need.

The development of non-invasive technology and correlated methodology for behavior

and welfare evaluation is necessary due to increasing regulations pertaining to animal

welfare. In this regard, a number of writers have examined animal behavior as a source for

data on welfare and evaluation.7,8,9

7
Bizeray, D., I. Estevez, C. Leterriera and J.M. Faurea, 2002. Effects of increasing environmental complexity
on the physical activity of broiler chickens. Applied Anim. Behav. Sci., 79: 27-41.
8
Pettit-Riley, R,. I. Estevez and E. Russek-Cohen, 2002. Effects of crowding and access to perches on
aggressive behaviour in broiler. Applied Anim. Behav. Sci., 79: 11-25
9
Estevez, I., L.J. Keeling and R.C. Newberry, 2003. Decreasing aggression with increasing group size
in young domestic fowl. Applied Anim. Behav. Sci., 84: 213-218.

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 Behavior measurements Included in the welfare system that is currently in existence, and

the actions taken by the animals in their housing systems are contrasted with established

descriptions of typical behavioral tendencies. Behavior tests and measurements can thus

indicate if the animals exhibit signs of strain or whether they are acclimated to the

production method. More accurate evaluations of welfare must take into account the

unique behavioral responses of genetic lines, since many lines respond differently to

environmental stressors.

1.b Physical

Physical conditions of the animals may vary the way they act as it may affect their

responses and health. Some of these conditions includes injury, body damage, abscess,

formation of swelling of joints, and hair/wool falling. Furthermore, the physical injury that

animal maltreatment inflicts upon them is among its most serious effects. Animals who

have been abused may experience illnesses, wounds, infections, and starvation. Their

torture may even cause them to pass away. Abused animals may also experience behavioral

issues including anger, fear, and anxiety, which can make it challenging for them to fit in or

integrate with society.10

10
Ujwala, (2023, March 7). The consequence of animal abuse. Stray Animal Foundation India.
https:/strayanimalfoundationindia.org/the-consequences-of-animal-abuse/#:~:text=Physical%
20%E2%80%93%20One%20of%20the%20most,a%20result%20of%20their%20mistreatment.

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 1.c Psychological

Not only humans but animals may be affected psychologically depends on the society

they are in. A lot of people who love pets say that their animal friend feels "depressed,"

particularly during the winter or following a big life change (such moving or a family

member passing away). Pet depression symptoms are similar to human depression

symptoms, such as appetite loss and lack of interest in play or other activities. Among the

numerous characteristics of brain chemistry that humans and animals, particularly dogs,

have in common are the neurotransmitters melatonin and serotonin. Environmental

elements like sunshine and lack of sleep have an impact on these hormones, which are

involved in mood regulation.11 In addition, there are variety of psychological struggles that

may affect animals such as depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, and separation

anxiety.

2. Approaches or Methods in Assessing Animal Welfare

There are different approaches by the way the animal responses to their environment and other

11
(Staff, S. A. H. (2019, February 20). The Many Faces of Mental Illness in Pets | Schertz Animal
Hospital. Schertz Animal Hospital.
https://schertzanimalhospital.com/blog/the-many-faces-of-mental-illness-in-pets/#:~:text=M
any%20pet%20owners%20report%20their,in%20play%20or%20other%20activities.)

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living organisms around them including humans, and their own kind. In assessing animal welfare,

one should know how to control or handle the specie as to some of them aren’t well trained or wild.

Some animals lived or adapt wildlife that made it hard for humans or veterinarian to approach and

assess them which has further needed patience and proper attention. In line with that, evaluation

techniques based on markers of pain, anxiety, discomfort, frustration, and related sensations have

been developed as a result of an emphasis on affective states. Research into animals' natural

behavior and the degree of animal motivation to carry out various behavioral tasks has been

prompted by an emphasis on natural living.12 The following are some of the general approaches in

assessing animal welfare:

2.a Naturalistic

Allowing an animal to behave naturally and lead as close to a natural life as possible is

essential to its welfare. This method's basic tenet is that animals should be reared in their

natural environments and permitted to behave as such. Furthermore, this has the benefit of

appealing to common sense and popular opinion, but it also has the drawback of idealizing

the natural world and ignoring the fact that animals may adapt to man-made environments.

12
Fraser, D. (2009). Assessing animal welfare: different philosophies, different scientific approaches. Zoo Biology,
28(6), 507-518.
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2.b Functional

The idea behind this strategy is to focus on an animal's biological functioning, as

animal welfare is linked to the regular operation of physiological and behavioral processes.

Furthermore, alterations in biological functioning are simpler to prove experimentally; yet,

there isn't always a clear connection between biological functioning and welfare. If there is

disagreement among many measurements of biological functioning, it becomes challenging

to make inferences regarding welfare.

2.c Subjective

Subjective experiences cause an animal to sense pain and pleasure, which in turn

affects the animal's welfare. This method also considers the psychological health of animals

by means of their experiences. The pros and cons of this approach also include the fact

that it is a difficult task for ethology scientists to comprehend the subjective experiences of

animals, that animals' feelings and emotions cannot be directly observed, similar to the

movement of subatomic particles, and that animals must adapt to their environment in

order for this approach to be successful.

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 Objectives of the Study

This study aimed to determine the Implementation and Enforcement of Republic Act 8485 (as

amended by RA 10631): Animal Welfare Act in Digos City, Davao del Sur. Specifically, it sought to

answer:

1. What are the measures or guidelines of animal welfare in Digos City, Davao del Sur in terms of:

1.1 Behavioral,

1.2 Physical, and

1.3 Psychological.

2. To determine the approaches of implementing and enforcing the said provision (Republic Act

8485) in terms of:

2.1 Naturalistic,

2.2 Functional, and

2.3 Subjective.

3. To determine the number of animal abuse cases in Digos City, Davao del Sur.

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 Significance Of the Study

The result of this study was highly beneficial to the following:

Pet owners. For the pet owners to be aware of what they have to do especially in facing

circumstances in relation to their pets, and if how they should take measures of how to handle

them. Also, for them to know which action to take especially when their pet were the victims.

Authorities: For the authorities to know what approaches they have to take under certain

circumstances in relation to animal rights. An additional section for them to notice if what are

the animals around the area were facing with/without them being aware of.

Audience: For the audience such as students, professors, school, and other individuals who will be

able to reach this study to be aware of what to do when they will encounter or witness animal

abuse. This is to educate them what measure and approaches they should have to take action

against animal cruelty.

Definition Of Terms

Animal abuse is an act of cruelty towards animals. It is a negligence to animal rights due to

certain circumstances that they don’t deserve to encounter.

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 Animal welfare act of 1998 is the protection of animal welfare and rights. Its purpose is to

protect and promote the welfare of all terrestrial, aquatic and marine animals in the Philippines by

supervising and regulating the establishment and operations of all facilities utilized for breeding,

maintaining, keeping, treating or training of all animals either as objects of trade or as household

pets. For purposes of this Act, pet animal shall include birds. (Sec. 1, RA No. 848513)

Hypothesis

The null hypothesis tested in this study at 0.05 level of significance states the Implementation

and Enforcement of Republic Act 8485, as amended by RA 10631, Animal Welfare Act of 1998.

There were actions taken against the animal abuse, and implementation of animal rights.

13
Section 1 of Republic Act No. 10631: An Act Amending Certain Sections of Republic Act No.
8485, Otherwise Known As “The Animal Welfare Act Of 1998” from officialgazette.gov.ph

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 II. METHODOLOGY

This chapter present the description of the General Procedure, Research Instrument, Data

Gathering Procedure, Data Analysis, Research Design, Respondents of the Study, Locale of the

study, and Sampling and Procedure.

Research Instrument

A survey questionnaire will be used to gather information from the respondents. There were

three sections of the questionnaire, one for each different sectors including general publics (such as

pet owners or random individuals), veterinary clinics, and local authorities. The first part of each

questionnaire focuses on the socio-demographic profile of the respondents in terms their name,

address and company name. The second part focuses on the questions regarding the implementation

and enforcement of the animal welfare act, it focuses on animal rights.

Data gathering procedure

The researchers conducted the following study as a requisite to their legal research. Upon the

approval of the respondents, the researchers administered the survey questionnaires through

personally handling a hard copy or interviewing the respondents as they conducted and visited

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different houses, and clinics/companies. After conducting a survey to the respondents; the

researchers must collect, combine and analyze the data using thematic tools. The results, conclusions

and recommendations were formed after analyzing the data.

Data Analysis

The researchers manually used a root-cause, thematic, sentiment, as well as content analysis of

the study.

General Procedure

The researcher employed the following procedures; development of a self-made questionnaire,

identification of the respondents, and approval of self-made questionnaires were given personally to

the selected respondents. Questions and directions in the self-made questionnaire were explained

clearly to the respondents for better understanding. The researcher collected the needed data

through the use of hard copy questionnaire. The data gathered were combined, analyzed, and

interpreted.

Research Design

The study used phenomenological research, and case studies to determine the Implementation

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and Enforcement of Republic Act 8485 (as amended by RA 10631): Animal Welfare Act in Digos

City, Davao del Sur. A survey method was used to gather the data.

Respondents of the study

The respondents for this study are general public individuals especially per owners, veterinary

clinics, and local authorities in Digos City, Davao del Sur.

Locale of the study

The study will be conducted around Digos City, Davao del Sur.

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 Sampling and procedure

The respondents of the study will be general public individuals especially pet owners, veterinary

clinics, and local authorities around Digos City. The researchers needs ≥ 2 respondents each sector.

Moreover, the researcher subject gives a survey questionnaire in conducting a study and the sampling

technique utilized will be Cluster and Purposive Sampling Technique.

DISCUSSION

CONCLUSION

RECOMMENDATIONS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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