Newsletter of the Third Quarter 2023.

1. Companion animals

Sterilizations : 

We have to slow down the pace of operations. There are more and more requests and yet very few donations received.

At the same time in 2022 we had reached 829 female dogs and cats, this year we reach 1,275 females, an increase of 88%. We therefore schedule sterilizations according to financial availability.

This quarter we operated outreach at San Vicente on August 13 and September 10 in Mainingisda in cooperation with the city’s veterinarians who took charge of the males and the anti-rabies vaccines.

In Puerto Princesa the city veterinarians continue to castrate the males every Friday. We provide tranquilizers, local anesthetics and analgesics. In the third trimester they operated on 83 dogs (a total of 874 kg) and 380 cats (a total of 910 kg).

Cattery :

Two female cats came in. Four female cats including two sterilized escaped. We are preparing a young female cat for export at the request of Spanish tourists based in London.

Pound :

Fourteen dogs were caught on 22 September. All were vaccinated against rabies, sterilised and adopted.

2. Farm animals.

Slaughterhouse :

There is no date yet set for the opening of the new slaughterhouse. While waiting, more and more pigs are being crammed into the corrals and the stunner is still a thick blade planted behind the horns of cattle. On the other hand, in the course of our nighttime visits during «operations» we have the satisfaction of no longer having to note gratuitous cruelties due to the negligence or incompetence of the butchers.

Carabaos :

We had an apparently very successful conversation at the Department of Agriculture with a person who told us that he intended to return PAWFI to the animal welfare committee. This committee is used to compose the guidelines for the application of the various subjects of the original law drafted in 1998 under the name of «animal welfare law».

Our proposal to raise the age of slaughter of carabaos to 20 years was rejected by the Philippine Carabao Center and the Bureau of Animal Industry. However, we have rewritten to President Marcos to convince him of the opportunity to develop agriculture without excessive spending on machinery for the well-being of all, including the many indigent.

We participated in the boarding at Liminangcong of 107 carabaos on July 1, 140 carabaos on August 18, 98 carabaos on September 8 and 63 carabaos on September 22. As always, we found the absence of food, accompanying staff, veterinarian, and access to animals made impossible by the overcrowding of the allocated area. In addition, on September 22, 77 pigs including 21 classified «Mother Pig» were crammed into 2 pens for an incredible total area of 27.84 m2. There were obviously mortalities but we do not know the number. Despite our protests the animals are cruelly tied high by the nose. This quarter a total of 1,289 carabaos of which 317 were shipped without the presence of veterinarians as required by law, through the port of Narra and 972 by Liminangcong to Manila for corned beef plants. Four carabaos ended their lives at the slaughterhouse in Puerto Princesa.

Our carabaos :

	On September 25, our 23-year-old Gitane was found drowned by an unpredictable flood. We dewormed most of our carabaos and had fecal analysis done. We hope the new dewormer will be more effective
Drowned Gitane

	We had the pleasure to acquire Tanganyika survivor of the slaughterhouse, Aroya and her daughter Ekla, surplus of a farmer and Ulysses, a beautiful male whose owner needed money to buy fertilizer. It keeps the usufruct of the carabao which becomes the protected property of PAWFI.
Aroya and Ekla		Ulysse

Poultry :

Our goats :

We had an adoption request for our two goats. The adopter wanted them to clear his land. They are in heaven on a very large plot of land.

WILD ANIMALS :

As announced in the last newsletter, ABConservation / PAWFI Wildlife Branch has seen its team shrink and grow again. Pryscilia, volunteer to take care of social networks and events, returned to France in July after 1 year in Palawan. Liezl, intern working at PWRCC returned to the UK in August, after 1 year of volunteering also. Romain, Branch Manager, also finished his adventure with us at the end of August but remained active to help us – especially at PWRCC, throughout September and early October. The rest of the team moved their offices to a new home. Its last weeks, the new members have arrived. Sarah, a master’s student, joined the team for 6 months. She will work on the education part. Dimitri, animal carer, takes over the PWRCC for 1 year to continue the renovation of the enclosures and the improvement of animal welfare. More volunteers will arrive in November. At the PWRCC level, our partnership continues very well. Romain managed to sign a MOA before the end of his contract.

At the scientific level, the team employed a Field Assistant who therefore manages the work and forest guides during the field sessions when our Research Program Manager (Éléa) and/or his Research Assistant (Reziel) are not present. We have obtained agreement to continue our activities at PFFWR. Equipment has just arrived from France which will allow the installation of more photo traps to detect binturong. Also, the collar that we want to use to conduct a radio-tracking study has just returned from repair. The field team has identified new areas and trees of interest to binturongs, so we are optimistic for the future of the project.

In August, the scientific team participated in two conferences. One took place in Sorsogon city, it was the 31st Philippine Biodiversity Symposium. The congress took place from 22 to 25 August. Éléa had the opportunity to present the research and results of ABConservation, as well as to meet other biodiversity experts of the country. The other conference was held in Puerto Princesa on 24 and 25 August. Reziel took part. This was the 4th International Conference on West Philippine Sea. It was more about marine biodiversity but it was always an opportunity to present our work and meet people.

Many things to come in the coming weeks and months !

ACTIVITIES.

Forty-five minor treatments prescribed by veterinarian for pets and our carabaos have been carried out.

Cattery : At the request of two tourists we prepare Tokyo for export to England.

Tattoo : 186 dogs - TOTAL : 14.898

Abandonment : two female cats and two males

Rabies vaccines :104

Recovered from the pound :14

OUR RESULTS .

Ø Since the creation of the foundation in March 2000, we have sterilized 17.778  bitches and pussies combined and 3.350 males and tattooed and registered 14.898 dogs principally in Palawan
Ø We have obtained national and local welfare laws to regulate the transport and slaughter of carabaos
Ø We got a provincial resolution to improve documents for large farm animals especially carabaos
Ø Carabaos are no longer injured during road transport and are loaded and unloaded competently
Ø We bought  104 carabaos
Ø Without being an idyllic place, all our requests for the improvement of animal welfare during acceptance (additional water sources, various repairs, anti-slip ramps, repair of vehicle floors) are granted as soon as possible.

OUR PROJECTS.

Ø Obtaining a National Moratorium Prohibiting the Slaughter of Carabaos
Ø The application of the law on welfare for all animals throughout the country

Prepared by : Jackie Baut,
                           Founder