The discovery of 29 dead dogs and cats dumped in plastic bags along a roadside in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan, on October 30, 2026, has exposed a hole in Philippine law: the Animal Welfare Act does not cover what happens to animals after they die.
The remains were traced to Ahjay Paws Aftercare Pet Crematorium of Bacoor, Cavite, which had been paid to cremate the animals. More than 100 additional dead pets were later found dumped at various sites across the city, according to CDN Digital.
Families mourn pets betrayed by a paid service
The National Call for Animal Respect and Dignity, led by lawyer Annee del Rosario-Buen, condemned what it called the disgraceful actions of the crematorium's owners and conspirators.
“They were not statistics. They had names, they were gentle souls. They were beloved best friends, and cherished family members,” the group said in a statement reported by CDN Digital.
Buen added that no family should ever have to bear the nightmare of learning that their baby's final rest was stolen by deceit and greed. For pet owners in our barangays and subdivisions, this strikes home. Many of us treat our dogs and cats as family, and we pay for aftercare services trusting that the promise of a dignified cremation will be kept.
What charges the operators face
Cases have been filed against the operators, but only under the city's Code of Sanitation, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, and the Sanitation Code of the Philippines. In other words, the dead pets are being treated in law as waste, not as animals.
The reason is simple. Republic Act No. 8485, the Animal Welfare Act passed on February 11, 1998, protects living animals only. It makes it unlawful to torture, neglect, or maltreat any animal, and it bans cruel activities such as dogfights and horsefights. It says nothing about the handling of animal remains.
The law was amended by Republic Act No. 10631, which expanded the definition of animal welfare to include both physical and psychological well-being, and defined maltreatment to include abandonment. Still, the amendments stopped at the moment of death.
Why the law cannot reach the crematorium
Legal observers agree on the gap. According to Philstar.com, the animal welfare law cannot be applied to the Bulacan case unless it is proven that the pets died because of cruelty, maltreatment, neglect, or abandonment. An analysis published by INQUIRER.net likewise noted that RA 8485, as amended, provides the legal foundation for animal protection but leaves afterlife pet care services entirely unregulated.
This is a gap that Congress can close with a simple amendment. Afterlife pet care services, including crematoriums and pet cemeteries, should be licensed, inspected, and held to clear standards. Families who pay for cremation deserve proof that it happened. A certificate, a witnessed process, a paper trail. Nothing complicated, just basic accountability.
Other jurisdictions show what accountability can look like. In countries with mature animal welfare regimes, inspectors have powers to issue improvement notices when welfare needs are not met, as one review of animal welfare legislation notes. In the United States, the Animal Welfare Act requires commercial breeders to obtain federal licenses and submit to inspection, according to GreaterGood, though gaps remain there too, particularly with online sellers.
UPLB stray dog memo shows the same blind spot
The Bulacan case is not the only recent reminder of how unevenly we treat animals. Days after the dumping was discovered, the University of the Philippines Los Baños issued Memorandum No. 43, Series of 2026, on November 4, barring security guards from feeding or sheltering stray animals and ordering that stray dogs be kept out of university buildings over safety concerns.
Vice Chancellor Eric Paul Peralta signed the directive. Members of the UPLB community pushed back hard, questioning the university's approach and calling for more compassionate solutions. The memo was later revoked.
Buen also leads WAGI, or Welfare for Animals in Government Institutions, which promotes rescuing, nursing, and sheltering stray and community animals in and around government spaces.
“We aim to transform public perception so that society becomes more tolerant and compassionate toward strays, ending systemic cruelty and neglect while granting animals the respect, dignity, and protection they deserve,” Buen said.
A call for Congress to act
The San Jose del Monte case has done something useful despite the grief it caused. It has shown, in plastic bags on a roadside, exactly where our law ends. Cases under sanitation and waste statutes may result in fines, but they will never capture the betrayal these families suffered, because the law does not recognize that a dead pet is anything more than refuse.
Congress should amend RA 8485 to cover the handling of animal remains and to regulate afterlife pet care services. The Bureau of Animal Industry, which already oversees animal welfare enforcement, could be tasked with licensing crematoriums and investigating complaints.
Until then, families who lose a beloved aso or puspin will have to rely on trust alone. That is not enough. Our animals give us their whole lives. The least the law can do is protect their rest.
FAQ
Does the Animal Welfare Act cover dead animals?
No. Republic Act No. 8485, passed on February 11, 1998, and amended by RA 10631, covers only the treatment of living animals, so animal welfare charges do not apply to the improper dumping of animal remains.
What charges were filed in the Bulacan pet dumping case?
Operators of Ahjay Paws Aftercare Pet Crematorium face cases under the San Jose del Monte City Code of Sanitation, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, and the Sanitation Code of the Philippines.
How many dead pets were found in San Jose del Monte?
Twenty-nine animals, 26 dogs and 3 cats, were found in plastic bags on October 30, 2026, and more than 100 additional dead pets were later found at various locations across the city.