ANGELES CITY – Police dogs may soon find an easier time finding their forever homes after retirement, through the measure filed by Pampanga 1st District Rep. Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. that seeks the establishment of regional K9 adoption shelters for retired police dogs, providing for adoption, veterinary care, and post-adoption monitoring.
Filed by Lazatin on June 25, 2026, House Bill 9948 mandates the establishment of at least one Regional K9 Adoption Shelter in each administrative region. The shelter shall be established and operated by the host provincial government or LGU, as may be identified in the implementing rules and regulations (IRR), in coordination with the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and in accordance with animal welfare standards.
The PNP and PDEA shall coordinate with the host shelter for the turnover of retired K9s, including the submission of the K9s’ medical and vaccination records and other relevant information necessary for proper care and placement.
The shelter shall keep records of retired K9s, including their adoptive owners for monitoring to ensure that they are not being abused or being used for illegal practices.
“These police dogs are reliable partners of law enforcement agencies, however, upon retirement, some of them are put up for adoption without a uniform and dedicated framework that ensures standardized veterinary care, adopter screening, and post-adoption monitoring,” Lazatin said.
“This proposed measure seeks to honor retired police dogs by institutionalizing a mechanism that makes their adoption post-retirement more structured and more humane, and prevent abuse, neglect, and exploitation of these animals that have dedicated much of their short lives in service to the country,” he added.
Lazatin has always championed the welfare of animals.
Last March 19, 2026, Lazatin filed House Bill No. 8710, which seeks to strengthen the implementation of the Animal Welfare Act through the establishment of ‘No-Kill’ Animal Shelters and Public Veterinary Offices in all cities and municipalities in the country.
Rescued animals that remain unclaimed by their owners at the shelter shall be made available for adoption or rehoming, subject to screening standards to be determined by the local veterinary office and IRR.
Likewise, HB No. 8710 also mandates the establishment of public veterinary clinics in every city and municipality, which shall be duly-registered with the Bureau of Animal Industry and issued a certificate of registration prior to operation, in accordance with RA 8485 (Animal Welfare Act of 1998), as amended by RA 10631.
The Public Veterinary Office shall provide essential free or low-cost services, which may include consultation, treatment of minor illnesses or injuries, vaccination support, and spay/neuter (kapon) services, subject to guidelines to be issued by the BAI.
During Lazatin’s time as mayor, the Angeles City LGU established the first-ever BAI-accredited “no-kill” animal shelter in the Province of Pampanga.
The 103-capacity Angeles City Animal Shelter received its BAI accreditation in May 2023 and was formally opened on July 18, 2023.
Through the City Veterinary Office, the Angeles City LGU carried out a free spaying/neutering and anti-rabies vaccination program, with some 5,973 pets spayed/neutered and 130,520 pets vaccinated. Team Lazatin Media