Back in February, Shangri-La at the Fort located in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) was criticized for hiring a pest control company to “relocate” over 20 community cats living in an adjacent park, which residents of the neighborhood dubbed as “cats of BGC.”
Recently, another in another area of BGC, community cats are under threat once again.
Here is a post that describes what is the current situation for the cats of BGC.
Here is a copy of the full post from Facebook:
When people play gods and lack compassion #SerendraCatRoundUp#AlveoLand
Ladies and Gentlemen. This is #twoserendra of @alveolandcorp As you can see, Alveo kept to its promise to provide open green spaces to its homeowners. What the corporation forgot to consider, however, is that with open green spaces and only bushes and grill bars separating the property from the “outside world”, stray cats (and most possibly RODENTS!) will naturally also reside in this space. Coupled with this is the fact that other communities with irresponsible pet owners tend to dump kittens into the BGC area including Two and One Serendra. Community cats have taken refuge here, all spayed and neutered by tenants and homeowners in their bid to curb the population of strays. However there is a good side to having community cats. We have no rodents. Cockroaches in the basements are also close to zero. And since cats are territorial, only the brave strays can attempt to take up space in the gardens and basements.
(Edited 091918_3:46PM) A memo was issued to the homeowners saying “The Council shall have the right to surrender the animal to the Barangay Fort Bonifacio Taguig for impounding.” The Taguig pound is neither trained nor prepared to handle CATS. The last time they impounded the Serendra cats, we were told they were going to be euthanized in 3 months’ time. Imagine the stress it created for us. These were all SPAYED AND NEUTERED cats.
Fellow animal welfare advocates signed a letter addressed to “THE COUNCIL” requesting for a dialogue. We outlined our proposal, which includes our commitment to monitor, feed (only during agreed times and only in pre-approved spaces), to help in educating homeowners (put up simple signs requesting residents not to feed nor pet), and even to continue sponsoring the TNVR efforts from our own personal funds. We also committed to even help take legal action on those caught abandoning cats within the complex (mostly non-residents of Serendra). To top it all, we also commit to even penalize our own members if we do not abide by these rules… to this date, no response.
Exterminating the cats like pests is not only inhumane, it is also STUPID. Because the complex is open and lush, new colonies will grow in less than 6 months without the resident cats. Rodents and cockroaches will also be present, as there will be less or no natural pest control for the community.
If these self righteous, narrow-minded homeowners would only read up on co-existing with community cats, we won’t have this problem. This will persist. We will waste time and resources rounding up cats and killing them only to find new ones in less than a year’s time. Surely there is a more viable solution to this.
Oh by the way. This circular also says anyone caught feeding the cats will be fined 10,000 or close to USD200.00. Yet they will not impose fines on those caught smoking or throwing trash indiscriminately. Wow. IF THIS IS NOT EXTORTION, I DON’T KNOW WHAT IS.
To “The Council” – please remember that you REPRESENT the homeowners’ interests. You are not our bosses. We have as much rights as you do, and we have every right to be heard. We pay the same association fees, square meter by square meter. You are ultimately spending funds and resources that are also paid for by us – animal lovers and non-animal lovers alike. All is fair in a community. Face us, so we can find a solution to this mess.
To APMC: spin this and take the opportunity to be the real leader and example in the real estate market. Be the pioneer as you claim to be, and introduce a more progressive stance and vision. Otherwise, just stop selling “green” spaces. You don’t deserve the community cats. Build a fort, a building, build a high wall to keep the cats and strays away.
Sometimes we people need to think more and complain less. God bless you animal haters, and may your cars and homes be infested by rodents.
JEM LIM, Unit Owner
TWO SERENDRAPHOTOS from the Alveo Land website.
Post from @rain_the_kitty
Here is a copy of the said citation.
Facebook page Cats of Manila also posted about this:
Here is a copy of the full post from Facebook:
So if residents of #Serendra are no longer allowed to feed the cats, then who is?
There used to be a MOU between Serendra and the residents/volunteers who feed the cats regularly. Sadly, the guards are now taking down names of residents who are caught feeding cats to be penalized Php10,000.00.
These “new” pet house rules were approved only last August 30, 2018.
Please visit the page of Cats of BGC to see the cats who need fostering. Hurry, before they start disappearing again.
How can you help?
You can help by fostering the remaining cats of BGC and sponsoring future TNVR projects. You may reach out to the Cats of BGC through these accounts.
CATS OF BGC
www.facebook.com/bgccatsph
www.instagram.com/catsofbgc
You may also reach out to your own communities to set up Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) for your own stray cat populations. Contact an animal welfare organization to help you set it up–but you must be willing to initiate and organize as volunteers are few and can only do so much.
We reached out to Two Serendra and Alveo Land but we didn’t get a response from them as of this writing.
Anything to add to this story? Share your thoughts with us.
