Tourists visiting Kalibo Airport's departure halls, both domestic and international, hopefully noticed the posters and donation boxes that we were aloowed to put there. The donations will go towards the stray animals that frequent the airport area and present a hazard by straying onto the platforms in search of food or a mate.
Fortunately, we were able to convince the local CAAP (Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines) management that a humane approach would be in the best interest of both human AND animal. However, there is never any budget of course, so to fund the activities we're going to ask the tourists passing through the airport.
The objectives of the project are:
- Trap/Neuter/Return of the stray dogs and cats to keep their numbers down while they are still allowed to perform their community function, e.g. the cats ensure that the nearby restaurants aren't overrun by rodents
- Provide medicated feeding for the dogs. A little ivermectin, an anti-parasitic, on a regular basis will keep them healthy and they will look much better too as it is very effective against mange
- If the finances allow it, improve the airport's fencing so that stray dogs do not roam onto the ramps, causing delays and safety risks.
The following video illustrates the idea ...
With thanks to the Municipality of Kalibo, the Provincial Veterinarian's Office (OPVET), the Aklan Provincial Government and of course CAAP management.
