UPLB tightens stray animal policy, restricts staff feeding and shelter

LUCENA CITY — The University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) has enacted a new directive restricting its security guards from feeding, sheltering, or allowing stray animals, particularly dogs, to remain within university buildings and surrounding premises.

According to the policy, internal security guards are tasked primarily with ensuring the safety and security of campus facilities rather than providing care for animals. The directive aims to maintain a controlled environment across all university structures and grounds.

The measure has drawn mixed reactions from the university community, with some questioning the implications for animal welfare on campus. The policy reflects an institutional prioritization of facility management and staff safety protocols.

University officials have not yet announced alternative arrangements for addressing the stray animal population on the sprawling Laguna-based campus. The directive represents a shift from previous informal practices where some security personnel had regularly cared for campus animals.