FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Third Regular Session 
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) 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 3329 
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/P-= 
(In Substitution of Senate Bill Nos. 1691, 1942,3154 and 3222, and Proposed Senate 
Resolution Nos. 578 and 747) 
Introduced by Senators Defensor Santiago, Honasan II, Villar, and Pangilinan 
AN ACT 
AMENDING CERTAIN SECTIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8485, 
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE ANIMAL WELFARE ACT OF 1998" 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House.of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Section 1 of Republic Act (R. A.) No. 8485 is hereby amended to read, as 
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follows: 
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"SECTION 1. It is the purpose of this Act to protect and promote the 
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welfare of all TERRESTRIAL, AQUATIC AND MARINE 
animals in the 
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Philippines by supervising and regulating the establishment and operations of 
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all facilities utilized for breeding, maintaining, keeping, treating or training of 
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all animals either as objects of trade or as household pets. For purposes of this 
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Act, pet animal shall include birds. 
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FOR PURPOSES OF THIS ACT, ANIMAL WELFARE PERTAINS TO 
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THE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING OF ANIMALS. IT 
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INCLUDES, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE AVOIDANCE OF ABUSE, 
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MALTREATMENT, CRUELTY AND EXPLOITATION OF ANIMALS BY 
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HUMANS 
BY 
MAINTAINING 
APPROPRIATE 
STANDARDS 
OF 
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ACCOMMODATION, FEEDING AND GENERAL CARE, THE PREVENTION 
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AND TREATMENT OF DISEASE AND THE ASSURANCE OF FREEDOM 
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FROM 
FEAR, 
DISTRESS, 
HARASSMENT, 
AND 
UNNECESSARY 
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DISCOMFORT AND PAIN, AND ALLOWING ANIMALS TO EXPRESS 
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NORMAL BEHAVIOR." 
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SECTION 2. Section 6 of R. A. No. 8485 is hereby amended to read, as follows: 
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"SEC. 6. It shall be unlawful for any person to torture any animal or to 
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neglect to provide adequate care, sustenance or shelter, or maltreat any animal 
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or to subject any dog or horse to dogfights or horse fights, kill or cause or 
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procure to be tortured or deprived of adequate care, sustenance or shelter, or 


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maltreat or use the same in research or experiments not expressly authorized 
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by the Committee on Animal Welfare. 
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The killing of any animal other than cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, poultry, 
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rabbits, carabaos [,] AND horses [, deer and crocodiles] is likewise hereby 
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declared unlawful except in the following instances: 
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SECTION 3. A new Section 7 is hereby inserted after Section 6 of the same Act to 
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read, as follows: 
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"SEC. 7. IT SHALL BE UNLAWFUL FOR ANY PERSON WHO HAS 
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CUSTODY OF AN ANIMAL TO ABANDON THE ANIMAL. 
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IF ANY PERSON BEING THE OWNER OR HAVING CHARGE OR 
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CONTROL OF ANY ANIMAL SHALL WITHOUT REASONABLE CAUSE OR 
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EXCUSE ABANDON IT, WHETHER PERMANENTLY OR NOT, WITHOUT 
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PROVIDING FOR THE CARE OF THAT ANIMAL, SUCH ACT SHALL 
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CONSTITUTE MALTREATMENT UNDER SECTION 9. 
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IF THE ANIMAL IS LEFT IN CIRCUMSTANCES LIKELY TO CAUSE 
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THE 
ANIMAL 
ANY 
UNNECESSARY 
SUFFERING, 
OR 
IF 
THIS 
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ABANDONMENT RESULTS IN THE DEATH OF THE ANIMAL, THE 
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PERSON LIABLE SHALL SUFFER THE MAXIMUM PENALTY. 
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ABANDONMENT MEANS THE RELINQUISHMENT OF ALL RIGHT, 
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TITLE, CLAIM, OR POSSESSION OF THE ANIMAL WITH THE 
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INTENTION OF NOT RECLAIMING IT OR RESUMING ITS OWNERSHIP 
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OR POSSESSION." 
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SECTION 4. Section 8 of R. A. No. 8485 which shall now become Section 9, is hereby 
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amended to read, as follows: 
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"SEC. 9. ANY PERSON' WHO SUBJECTS ANY ANIMAL TO 
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CRUELTY, MALTREATMENT OR NEGLECT SHALL, UPON CONVICTION 
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BY FINAL JUDGMENT, BE PUNISHED BY IMPRISONMENT AND/OR 
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FINE, AS INDICATED IN THE FOLLOWING GRADUATED SCALE: 
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1) IMPRISONMENT OF ONE YEAR AND SIX MONTHS AND ONE 
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DAY TO TWO YEARS AND/OR A FINE NOT EXCEEDING 
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PlOO,OOO.OO IF THE ANIMAL SUBJECTED TO CRUELTY, 
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MALTREATMENT OR NEGLECT DIES; 
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2) IMPRISONMENT OF ONE YEAR AND ONE DAY TO ONE YEAR 
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AND SIX MONTHS AND/OR A FINE NOT EXCEEDING 
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P50,OOO.OO 
IF THE ANIMAL SUBJECTED TO CRUELTY, 
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MALTREATMENT OR NEGLECT SURVIVES BUT IS SEVERELY 
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INJURED WITH LOSS OF ITS NATURAL FACULTY TO 
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SURVIVE 
ON 
ITS 
OWN 
AND 
NEEDING 
HUMAN 
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INTERVENTION TO SUSTAIN ITS LIFE; AND 
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3) IMPRISONMENT OF SIX MONTHS TO ONE YEAR AND/OR A 
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FINE NOT EXCEEDING P30,OOO.OO FOR SUBJECTING ANY 
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ANIMAL TO CRUELTY, MALTREATMENT OR NEGLECT BUT 
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WITHOUT CAUSING ITS DEATH OR INCAPACITATING IT TO 
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SURVIVE ON ITS OWN. 
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IF THE VIOLATION IS COMMITTED BY A JURIDICAL PERSON, 
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THE 
OFFICER 
RESPONSIBLE 
THEREOF 
SHALL 
SERVE 
THE 
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IMPRISONMENT. IF THE VIOLATION IS COMMITTED BY AN ALIEN, HE 
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OR SHE SHALL BE IMMEDIATELY DEPORTED AFTER THE SERVICE OF 
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SENTENCE WITHOUT ANY FURTHER PROCEEDING. 
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THE FOREGOING PENALTIES SHALL ALSO APPLY FOR ANY 
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OTHER VIOLATION OF THIS ACT, DEPENDING UPON THE EFFECT OR 
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RESULT OF THE ACT OR OMISSION AS DEFINED IN THE IMMEDIATELY 
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PRECEDING SECTIONS. 
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HOWEVER, REGARDLESS OF THE RESULTING CONDITION TO 
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THE ANIMAVS, THE PENALTY OF TWO YEARS AND ONE DAY TO 
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THREE YEARS AND/OR A FINE NOT EXCEEDING P250,OOO.OO SHALL 
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BE IMPOSED IF THE OFFENSE IS COMMITTED BY ANY OF THE 
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FOLLOWING: (1) A SYNDICATE; (2) AN OFFENDER WHO MAKES 
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BUSINESS OUT OF CRUELTY TO AN ANIMAL; (3) A PUBLIC OFFICER OR 
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EMPLOYEE; 
OR (4) WHERE AT LEAST THREE ANIMALS ARE 
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INVOLVED. 
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IN ANY OF THE FOREGOING SITUATIONS, THE OFFENDER 
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SHALL SUFFER SUBSIDIARY IMPRISONMENT IN CASE OF INSOLVENCY 
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AND THE INABILITY TO PAY THE FINE. 
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SECTION 5. A new Section 10 is hereby inserted after Section above to read as 
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follows: 
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"SEC. 
10. 
THE 
SECRETARY 
OF 
THE 
DEPARTMENT 
OF 
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AGRICULTURE SHALL DEPUTIZE ANIMAL WELFARE ENFORCEMENT 
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OFFICERS FROM NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS, CITIZENS 
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GROUPS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS 
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WHO HAVE UNDERGONE THE NECESSARY TRAINING FOR THIS 
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PURPOSE. THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE, NATIONAL BUREAU 
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OF INVESTIGATION, AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES 
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SHALL DESIGNATE ANIMAL WELFARE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. AS 
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SUCH, ANIMAL WELFARE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SHALL HAVE THE 
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AUTHORITY TO SEIZE AND RESCUE ILLEGALLY TRADED AND 
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MALTREATED ANIMALS AND TO ARREST VIOLATORS OF THIS ACT 
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SUBJECT TO THE GUIDELINES OF EXISTING LAWS AND RULES AND 
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REGULATIONS ON ARREST AND DETENTION. 
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THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
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SHALL, UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMITTEE ON 
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ANIMAL WELFARE, (1) PROMULGATE THE GUIDELINES ON THE 
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CRITERIA AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEPUTIZATION 
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OF ANIMAL WELFARE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, AND (2) ESTABLISH 
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A 
MECHANISM 
FOR 
THE 
SUPERVISION, 
MONITORING 
AND 
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REPORTING OF THESE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS." 
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SECTION 6. If, for any reason, any provision of this Act is declared to be unconstitutional 
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or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof which are not affected shall continue to be in Ihll 
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force and effect. 
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SECTION 7. All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, and other issuances, or 
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parts thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby deemed 
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repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
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SECTION 8. This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from its publication in 
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the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation, whichever comes 
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earlier. 
Approved, 
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