DENR denied entry to subdivision with ostriches, mulls taking legal action

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Thursday threatened to take legal action if its team will continue to be barred from entering a Quezon City subdivision where ostriches were earlier sighted running loose.

On Tuesday, videos showing ostriches running around a subdivision went viral online.

That same day, a technical team from the DENR–National Capital Region with the Biodiversity Management Bureau Veterinary Medicine went to the area but failed to enter the subdivision.

“Apparently, they were denied access to the village/subdivision by the guards,” Undersecretary Benny Antiporda said in a message to reporters.

He said the DENR returned to the subdivision on Thursday to coordinate with the  homeowners' associations and concerned local government unit officials to investigate and get details on the matter.

“Likewise, they will be conducting the regular inspection monitoring of wildlife permittees in the village,” Antiporda said. As of this posting, it was not yet known if the team had been finally allowed entry to the subdivision.

“In case we will be denied access, then we will be constrained to explore legal action and to deal with the matter accordingly,” he added.

According to the DENR, keeping an ostrich in subdivisions is legal, as long as it is compliant with Republic Act No. 9147 and supported by necessary documents.

The keepers of wildlife should have financial and technical capability, as well as facility to maintain them, the DENR noted.

Following the incident, the Philippine Animal Welfare Society urged the DENR to revoke the wildlife permits issued to “unfit” carers and enforce stricter screening measures. -MDM, GMA News