“Bakit hindi tinanggap?”
“Bakit walang confinement?”
“Bakit walang equipment?”
“Bakit kailangan pa sundin ang regulation?”
Pati City Veterinary Offices, hindi na nakakaligtas sa criticism mula sa ilang animal groups, rescuers, at pet owners. Minsan, ang expectation ay dapat kapantay sila ng isang fully equipped private small animal hospital.
Pero a City Veterinary Office is not automatically a full-service animal hospital.
Malawak ang responsibilities nila: rabies prevention, disease control, livestock concerns, meat inspection, animal welfare, vaccination programs, regulatory work, at iba pang public veterinary services.
Samantala, ang private small animal practitioner ay maaaring buong araw humahawak ng kidney disease, surgeries, ultrasound, bloodwork, at critically ill dogs and cats.
Both are veterinarians. Pero hindi pareho ang kanilang daily work, training focus, facilities, at available resources.
Hindi fair na private hospital services agad ang expectation.
CITY VETERINARY OFFICES HAVE DIFFERENT MANDATES
Dapat competent, compassionate, at accountable ang City Vet. Dapat maayos at humane ang paghawak sa animals.
Pero iba iyon sa pag-demand ng ICU, confinement, complete laboratory, X-ray, ultrasound, oxygen cages, at 24-hour emergency services na maaaring wala naman sa budget at kapasidad ng opisina.
Lahat ng iyon may gastos. Kailangan ng equipment, maintenance, gamot, trained staff, sapat na veterinarians, at tuloy-tuloy na operating budget.
Hindi puwedeng lahat ng expectation ibagsak sa veterinarian mismo.
Tao rin ang City Vet.
Hindi siya makakapaglabas ng ultrasound machine dahil galit ang Facebook comments. Hindi rin mabubuo ang ICU dahil maraming nag-tag sa LGU page.
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Kung kulang ang serbisyo, tanungin din natin: Sapat ba ang funding, manpower, at facilities na ibinigay ng LGU?
REGULATION IS NOT AUTOMATICALLY ANTI-ANIMAL
May isa pang problema: kapag nagpapatupad ng regulation, napagbibintangang walang malasakit.
Humingi ng documentation? Mag-inspect ng shelter? Magpatupad ng applicable registration, transport, o biosecurity requirements?
Biglang “anti-rescue” na. Biglang “animal rights violation” na.
Pero alamin muna natin kung ano ang requirement, bakit ito ipinapatupad, at kung tama ang application nito.
Following legitimate regulation is not automatically anti-animal. Proper facilities, documentation, disease control, at accountable operations are also part of protecting animals.
Hindi puwedeng sabihin nating “Dapat may standards,” tapos magalit kapag sinusuri na kung nasusunod ang standards.
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Hindi rin puwedeng accountability para sa veterinarians lang. Kasama rito ang pet owners, rescuers, shelters, at government officials na may hawak ng budget at policy.
CITY VETERINARY OFFICES CAN STILL IMPROVE
Of course, City Veterinary Offices can still improve.
May offices na kailangan ng better systems, clearer protocols, more training, at mas maayos na communication. May LGUs na kailangang magdagdag ng veterinary positions at mag-upgrade ng facilities.
Kung may negligence, cruelty, o pagkukulang sa tungkulin, dapat imbestigahan.
Pero hindi lahat ng pagtanggi ay negligence. Hindi lahat ng limitasyon ay kawalan ng malasakit. At hindi lahat ng serbisyong hinihingi ay kayang ibigay ng bawat opisina.
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LOOK AT THE SYSTEM, NOT JUST THE VETERINARIAN
Kung overwhelmed ang pound, tingnan din ang abandonment, uncontrolled breeding, responsible ownership, at kakulangan sa infrastructure.
Kung iisang veterinarian ang humahawak ng maraming barangay, tingnan ang staffing.
Kung walang diagnostic equipment, tingnan ang budget.
Minsan, ang veterinarian na nasa harap ng galit na publiko ang pinakamadaling sisihin, kahit hindi siya ang may kontrol sa lahat ng desisyon.
DIFFERENT VETERINARIANS HAVE DIFFERENT PATHS
Different veterinarians have different paths.
Some chose companion animal practice. Others chose livestock, public health, research, academe, regulatory work, or government service.
Hindi kailangang maging private small animal clinician ang bawat City Vet para maging mabuting beterinaryo. At kung may kasong lampas sa kapasidad ng kanilang opisina, proper referral can be a responsible decision.
Bago natin sila atakihin, itanong muna:
Ano ang mandato nila? Ano ang resources na ibinigay? At sino ang may kapangyarihang ayusin ang kakulangan?
Demand accountability. Pero ilagay ito sa tamang responsibilidad.
City Vets are public servants working within a system.
At tao rin sila.
Sharing this helps others understand what it really means to be a vet. Like and follow if you’re with us.
Dr. Geoff Carullo is a Fellow and the current President of the Philippine College of Canine Practitioners.
