Manila: A prominent animal rights activist has called on local government leaders in central Philippines to stop the practice of killing impounded stray dogs using carbon monoxide

“Iloilo City should remain animal friendly,” said Anna Marie Rivera-Wharton, businesswoman and head of Animal Welfare Association.

Rivera-Wharton, who founded the non-governmental organisation in 2013, said animal lovers will monitor compliance of government officials to the order of the city mayor that the practice should be examined thoroughly.

She also complained that Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog took months to order city veterinarian Dr Tomas Forteza to stop the alleged practice.

“I wrote about this in a letter to the mayor dated February 23 this year — after I heard Dr Fortaleza confirm the alleged practice in a radio interview,” Rivera-Wharton said.

She quoted Mabilog as saying at the time (in response to her letter) that the city veterinarian “should research and check on methods (to execute stray dogs) that may not be considered afoul with the law”.

The country’s 1998 Animal Welfare Art calls for humane and scientific killing of animals, Rivera-Wharton said.

The Committee of Animal Welfare is the proper government authority that should determine the scientific methods allowed by law to exterminate impounded stray dogs, including reasons why it should be resorted to, law experts say, adding the issue of reported killing of stray dogs by carbon monoxide in Iloilo City should ignite discussions on acceptable methods for dogs’ welfare.

Several states in the United States have outlawed the practice of killing stray dogs by carbon monoxide.

Last year, Rivera-Wharton complained that officials have been killing stray dogs “every Friday”,

The local government has not built an animal pound or temporary shelter where impounded stray dogs are taken care of before they are given away to dog lovers, said

Rivera-Wharton, adding that impounded stray dogs have been kept at parking areas and warehouses used by the local government.

The impounding and “inhumane” killing of stray dogs are part of the local government’s beautification campaign, said Rivera-Wharton.

In late 2014, a donor gave AWA a place that could serve as a permanent shelter for the group’s rescued stray dogs in Iloilo’s Manduriao district.