House going to the dogs? Stray canine, cats populate RP Congress

The House of Representatives is going to the dogs? Indeed, it might have had. This was the discovery of neophyte congressman Marcelino Teodoro of Marikina City who was met by an unwelcome "'welcome party" of stray cats and dogs, on his first visit to the Batasang Pambansa complex where the House holds office. Dutifully, Teodoro took photos of the cats and dogs for souvenir, using his cell phone camera, and showed the same to reporters. Stray animals run the show at the House, Teodoro learned, as a black dog and scruffy cats crossed his path on his way to the office. Teodoro hails from Marikina city where the local government enforces strict rules against stray animals, in its effort to stamp out rabies and animal-borne diseases. The city's animal control teams dutifully snare the stray animals and impose fines on their owners. Unclaimed or sick animals are in time subjected to euthanasia. For some time now, the stray cats and dogs populating the House of Representatives have become a sticky concern. Their droppings line the pathway to the buildings, an offense to both sight and smell, and sometimes, serve as pooh traps to unsuspecting passersby. Stains of pooh on the main hallway's red carpet are clear evidence that the House has become a virtual pooh sandbox for stray cats and dogs. To make matters worse, the unwanted visitors on occasion overturn and scatter the contents of garbage bins, in their frantic search for leftover food. - GMANews.TV