A lawmaker from Mindanao has filed a bill seeking to permanently prohibit individuals convicted of animal cruelty from owning or caring for animals.
House Bill No. 9126 proposes amendments to Republic Act No. 8485, or the Animal Welfare Act of 1998, one of which is the imposition of a lifetime ban on animal ownership as an additional penalty for convicted offenders.
Under the proposed measure, Davao Oriental 2nd District Rep. Cheeno Miguel Almario said that individuals found guilty of animal abuse would face not only imprisonment and fines ranging from P30,000 to P100,000, but also a perpetual disqualification from possessing animals.
Almario said the current law lacks safeguards preventing convicted abusers from immediately acquiring new pets after serving their penalties.
“Convicted animal abusers can walk into any pet store or shelter the next day and start the cycle over again. That is the gap this bill aims to address,” he said.
The proposed legislation also calls for the creation of a National Animal Offender Registry, which would serve as a monitoring and verification system to help enforce the lifetime ownership ban.
According to the lawmaker, the registry would allow pet shops, breeders, shelters, and even private sellers to verify whether a person has a history of animal abuse convictions before allowing the purchase or transfer of animals.
The bill also envisions partnerships with animal welfare organizations such as the Philippine Canine Club Inc. and the Feline Council of the Philippines Inc. to assist in monitoring compliance and promoting responsible pet ownership.
Almario stressed that repeat offenders who commit crimes against animals should face stricter consequences similar to those imposed on offenders of crimes against people.
“We already impose measures against repeat offenders for crimes involving human victims. It is time we apply the same principle to those who abuse defenseless animals,” he said.
The lawmaker added that the measure aims to send a strong message that cruelty toward animals carries lasting consequences.
“By closing this door, we are telling every household, shelter, and breeder that animal abuse should never be tolerated,” Almario said.