My neighbor is complaining about my pets. He/she will report me to the barangay. What do I do?

Assess why your neighbor has complained about your pets.

There is no reason for your neighbor to complain if you have been a considerate neighbor and a responsible pet owner.

Do you -

1. Always keep your pets inside your home or property? (Both cats and dogs.)
2. Always use a leash on your dogs when they are brought outside of your home (even out in the sidewalk or outside your gate)?
3. Always pick-up or clean up after your pets when they poop outside in public or in front of your neighbor's house?
4. Keep your pets quiet and don't let them make unnecessary noise or allow them to bark unnecessarily or incessantly?
5. Keep your pets healthy, clean and odor-free?
6. Keep your property clean and odor-free?
7. Keep a reasonable number of pets/rescues?
   
   *** If you are renting, do you have permission from the landlord to keep pets on the property? Pet owners should always ask permission if pets are allowed before bringing a pet into a property which does not belong to them.
   
   (OTHER INFO ON: RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP)

If you have been an errant pet owner, the following are solutions for your neighbor's complaints -

1. Keep your pets inside your home or property at all times. Not only is this the responsible thing to do, this is acting in accordance with RA9482 The Anti Rabies Act.
   
   For cats (pets and stray cats you are feeding) who you cannot keep inside your home, consider constructing a cat fence to keep them within your property so they cannot go into your neighbor's house and be a nuisance to your neighbors. (Example: Cat Fence Images from Google / Do-It-Yourself Cat Fence / Cat Enclosures from Google - with a little ingenuity, one can construct this at home)
   
   
2. Keep your pets healthy, clean and odor-free. Make sure you have a regular vet.
3. Always clean up after your pets - whether inside your home, property or outside. SCOOP THE POOP.
4. Give your pets time for play, socialization and training. Know your pets and know what triggers them to be noisy so you can adjust and teach them to be quiet. A TIRED DOG IS A GOOD DOG. (See: Dog Behavior and Training)
5. SPAY/NEUTER YOUR PETS AND RESCUES.
   

REMEMBER that protecting our pets also means being mindful of the people around us who don't like pets. We need to make sure we also do not to infringe on their rights so that we can continue to enjoy our own rights to keep animals.

Please email [email protected] for further concerns.