Actor and pet parent John Arcilla has called for an investigation into pet crematoriums following the discovery of the remains of nearly 30 dogs and cats dumped in a vacant lot in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan.
In a social media post on Sunday, Arcilla expressed concern over the incident, particularly for pet owners who entrust the remains of their beloved animals to crematoriums, expecting them to be handled with dignity and respect.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, the actor shared his experience of having his 11 dogs cremated after they died, mostly due to old age.
“Lahat ng dogs ko were cremated after they crossed the rainbow bridge. Eleven na sila, and by God’s grace, they all passed away due to old age,” Arcilla wrote.
He questioned how pet owners could be certain that the ashes returned to them were actually those of their pets.
“So, how can I confirm if all those urns contain the remains of my rightful furbabies?” he added.
Arcilla urged authorities to investigate all pet crematoriums in the country and inspect their facilities to determine whether they are properly equipped and qualified to provide cremation services.
He also called for the closure of establishments found to have questionable operations or inadequate facilities.
“[Kailangan] ma-investigate lahat ng pet crematoriums at ma-double-check ang kanilang facilities kung able and capable ba silang mag-operate as crematoriums. Kung hindi at kahina-hinala ang kanilang operations, [Dapat ipa-close ito],” he said.
Arcilla further said, “[Hindi ito overreaction]. We pay a good sum for these services. For the love of our pets, whom we consider members of our families.”
“May mga crematorium na may sariling FARM LOTS, pwede sila maglibing doon at bigyan kami ng generic na abo, who would know. Sorry, hindi kami maghihinala kung walang nangyaring ganito,” he added.
He said such suspicions would not have arisen had the reported incident not occurred.
Meanwhile, the Bacoor City government ordered the closure of a pet crematorium in connection with the incident.
Police have also launched an investigation into the establishment's alleged failure to properly provide the cremation services entrusted to it.
The discovery of the 29 animal remains has raised concerns over the handling of pet aftercare services and prompted calls for greater accountability and oversight of the industry.
