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Advocates Philippines
PAWS Condemns Dove Incident In Malabon Church Easter Rite
Screengrab from DSPIC-Malabon
The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) has raised alarm and expressed deep concern over an incident involving a dove used during an Easter presentation at the Diocesan Shrine & Parish of the Immaculate Conception in Malabon City.
According to PAWS, the bird was immobilized and used as a prop during the ritual. It was reportedly tied to a string, with its wings forcibly spread using a stick while it was hoisted up to remove the cloth covering the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary—an act that caused visible distress to the animal.
The situation escalated further when the dove was later tied to balloons and released. PAWS said this resulted in the bird’s death and also contributed to environmental pollution, citing concerns over the harmful impact of balloon releases on wildlife and ecosystems.
In a strongly worded appeal, PAWS questioned the practice, stating:
饾棗饾椉饾棽饾榾 饾榿饾椀饾棽 饾棖饾椀饾槀饾椏饾棸饾椀 饾椀饾棶饾槂饾棽 饾榿饾椉 饾槀饾椈饾椈饾棶饾榿饾槀饾椏饾棶饾椆饾椆饾槅 饾棶饾椈饾棻 饾槀饾椈饾椈饾棽饾棸饾棽饾榾饾榾饾棶饾椏饾椂饾椆饾槅 饾椄饾椂饾椆饾椆 饾棶饾椈饾椂饾椇饾棶饾椆饾榾 饾椂饾椈 饾棶 饾棿饾椂饾椇饾椇饾椂饾棸饾椄饾槅 饾槂饾棽饾椏饾榾饾椂饾椉饾椈 饾椉饾棾 饾榿饾椀饾棽 饾椏饾椂饾榿饾槀饾棶饾椆?
While acknowledging the sincerity of religious devotion, PAWS emphasized that the use of live animals in ways that cause harm or distress goes against principles of compassion and responsible stewardship of all living creatures.
Animal welfare groups and environmental advocates have long cautioned against practices such as releasing balloons, noting that they can endanger animals, pollute waterways, and contribute to environmental degradation. In recent years, many institutions and local governments worldwide have discouraged or banned balloon releases for this reason.
Faith-based communities are increasingly encouraged to adopt alternative, cruelty-free ways of observing religious traditions—such as using symbolic props or visual storytelling—without putting animals at risk.
PAWS concluded its statement by stressing that compassion should extend to all living beings:
饾棖饾椏饾槀饾棽饾椆饾榿饾槅 饾椀饾棶饾榾 饾椈饾椉 饾椊饾椆饾棶饾棸饾棽 饾椂饾椈 饾椏饾棽饾椆饾椂饾棿饾椂饾椉饾槀饾榾 饾棸饾棽饾椆饾棽饾棷饾椏饾棶饾榿饾椂饾椉饾椈饾榾 饾椉饾椏 饾椂饾椈 饾棶饾椈饾槅 饾榿饾槅饾椊饾棽 饾椉饾棾 饾棿饾棶饾榿饾椀饾棽饾椏饾椂饾椈饾棿 饾椂饾椈 饾椉饾槀饾椏 饾榾饾椉饾棸饾椂饾棽饾榿饾槅. We hope that our shared values of care and devotion for the practice of faith will move us to show the same care and kindness to animals that are entrusted to us.
According to PAWS, the bird was immobilized and used as a prop during the ritual. It was reportedly tied to a string, with its wings forcibly spread using a stick while it was hoisted up to remove the cloth covering the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary—an act that caused visible distress to the animal.
The situation escalated further when the dove was later tied to balloons and released. PAWS said this resulted in the bird’s death and also contributed to environmental pollution, citing concerns over the harmful impact of balloon releases on wildlife and ecosystems.
In a strongly worded appeal, PAWS questioned the practice, stating:
饾棗饾椉饾棽饾榾 饾榿饾椀饾棽 饾棖饾椀饾槀饾椏饾棸饾椀 饾椀饾棶饾槂饾棽 饾榿饾椉 饾槀饾椈饾椈饾棶饾榿饾槀饾椏饾棶饾椆饾椆饾槅 饾棶饾椈饾棻 饾槀饾椈饾椈饾棽饾棸饾棽饾榾饾榾饾棶饾椏饾椂饾椆饾槅 饾椄饾椂饾椆饾椆 饾棶饾椈饾椂饾椇饾棶饾椆饾榾 饾椂饾椈 饾棶 饾棿饾椂饾椇饾椇饾椂饾棸饾椄饾槅 饾槂饾棽饾椏饾榾饾椂饾椉饾椈 饾椉饾棾 饾榿饾椀饾棽 饾椏饾椂饾榿饾槀饾棶饾椆?
While acknowledging the sincerity of religious devotion, PAWS emphasized that the use of live animals in ways that cause harm or distress goes against principles of compassion and responsible stewardship of all living creatures.
Animal welfare groups and environmental advocates have long cautioned against practices such as releasing balloons, noting that they can endanger animals, pollute waterways, and contribute to environmental degradation. In recent years, many institutions and local governments worldwide have discouraged or banned balloon releases for this reason.
Faith-based communities are increasingly encouraged to adopt alternative, cruelty-free ways of observing religious traditions—such as using symbolic props or visual storytelling—without putting animals at risk.
PAWS concluded its statement by stressing that compassion should extend to all living beings:
饾棖饾椏饾槀饾棽饾椆饾榿饾槅 饾椀饾棶饾榾 饾椈饾椉 饾椊饾椆饾棶饾棸饾棽 饾椂饾椈 饾椏饾棽饾椆饾椂饾棿饾椂饾椉饾槀饾榾 饾棸饾棽饾椆饾棽饾棷饾椏饾棶饾榿饾椂饾椉饾椈饾榾 饾椉饾椏 饾椂饾椈 饾棶饾椈饾槅 饾榿饾槅饾椊饾棽 饾椉饾棾 饾棿饾棶饾榿饾椀饾棽饾椏饾椂饾椈饾棿 饾椂饾椈 饾椉饾槀饾椏 饾榾饾椉饾棸饾椂饾棽饾榿饾槅. We hope that our shared values of care and devotion for the practice of faith will move us to show the same care and kindness to animals that are entrusted to us.
Apr 7, 2026
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