Taal, Philippines

Background

The small island of Taal volcano was home to about 5,000 people and as many as 1,300 working horses. Due to the remote location of the island and resources, these horses had never received veterinary care and the horse owners had not received appropriate education on how to care for their horses.

In partnership with PETA-Asia, IVO coordinated a pilot project in February 2017 to improve the lives of a portion of the horses on Taal Island.  This included dental care, vaccinations, parasite control, hoof care, and emergency procedures.

IVO focused to develop and implement sustainable veterinary services and training programs on the island of Taal. By partnering with local Filipino veterinarians and developing a farrier-training program for island residents, we were able to develop a more consistent presence aiding in the welfare of the Taal horses. In addition, veterinary students from the University of the Philippines at Los Banos were provided an invaluable training opportunity by participating in project services and education seminars under the guidance of both US veterinarians and Filipino veterinarians.   

Taal Volcano began erupting on January 12, 2020, and it forced evacuation of the entire island as well as the surrounding shoreline. The logistics of evacuating all the people and their families on short notice were challenging and initially left little to no opportunity for the animals to escape the hazards on the island.  However, pressure from animal welfare organizations and local citizens through social media spurred efforts to rescue abandoned animals. At the forefront of this volunteer rescue effort were IVO’s partners and veterinary volunteers. Through their endeavors, numerous dogs, cats, and as many as 200 horses were rescued from the island. 

Just as the Taal Volcano began to simmer down, the COVID-19 pandemic flared in the Philippines. For the many Taal residents still living in crowded rescue shelters, this was particularly alarming. The crowded cities of the Philippines were placed on lockdown by the government, which made continued rescue efforts challenging and dangerous for volunteers.  While an IVO physical presence cannot be provided at this time, we remain in contact with our partners and provide as much support, from a distance, as possible.

The devastation caused by the volcanic activity to Taal and now the enduring COVID-19 pandemic will be assessed and addressed for many months, and potentially years to come.  At this stage, IVO will continue to support our team members actively working to maintain the welfare and well-being of all of our past and future equine patients as well as their families and companion animal counterparts. 

Check out our Youtube video covering our time at Taal.