By Aaron Recuenco

BATANGAS CITY— Authorities have started to rescue animals trapped in the danger zones amid the threat of an imminent hazardous eruption of Taal Volcano.

Romelito Marasigan, head of the Batangas Provincial Veterinary Office, said that they initially focused on the evacuation of animals from the town of Balete, where hundreds of cows, carabaos, goats, horses, and other livestock animals were reported to have been left behind by their owners.

“We are getting help from various animal rights groups, non-government organizations, and private individuals in evacuating these animals,” Marasigan said.

He said they initiated the evacuation of animals in order to ensure that residents of the volcano eruption areas, particularly farmers, have something to start with when things return to normal.

“We understand that these animals are the major sources of income for some of the residents that is why we are helping them secure them so that when the time comes, these would help them stand on their feet.”

Several animals have already been rescued in the past days since Taal Volcano erupted on Sunday, some of them from the volcano island.

On Thursday, the Philippine National Police-Maritime Group reported that its personnel rescued 36 horses and seven cows in Barangay San Isidro and adjacent barangays in Talisay town.

Since it is impossible to evacuate the thousands of animals from the danger zones, authorities here have come up with proposals to dispose of the trapped animals.

Joselito Castro, head of the Batangas Provincial Risk Reduction and Management Office, said one proposal is for a large auction of animals in Padre Garcia, a town known for the trading of cows, adding that reasonable prices would be set.

“We are running out of time to save these animals because they might die because of lack of food, or they might die if a hazardous eruption occurs. Before it happens, we want the owners to earn,” Castro said.

He added that while they wanted to save as many animals as they could, the priority is still human lives. Authorities are currently evacuating as many people as possible out of the 14-kilometer danger zone around Taal Volcano.