Two therapy dogs, a bichon named "Cotton" and a long-hair chihuahua named "Twister," are helping the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) beneficiaries recover from abuse, neglect and psychosocial disabilities, the agency announced Sunday.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the dogs are part of the department’s "Angel Pets" Program, an initiative launched in 2024 in partnership with the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) that integrates animal-assisted therapy into healing processes at selected DSWD centers.

PAWS executive director Atty. Anna Cabrera presented the dogs and the program's evaluation report to Gatchalian last week. The report showed a 99.04 percent positive outcome in promoting emotional healing among the beneficiaries.

Gatchalian commended the therapy dogs and praised PAWS for its sustained and effective partnership. Undersecretary Edu Punay of the DSWD Innovations and Program Development Group, which oversees the program, was also present during the visit.

During the meeting, PAWS sought the DSWD Secretary's help regarding a recent case of animal cruelty. Cabrera reported the severe mutilation of an Asong Pinoy (AsPin) named Kobe. The dog's tongue was reportedly cut by an unidentified individual along Aratiles Street, Barangay Balangkas, Valenzuela City, in the early morning of 9 December.

Kobe's owner found the dog lying on the pavement, bleeding and severely weakened due to massive blood loss. PAWS immediately transported Kobe to a veterinary clinic for urgent medical care.

Gatchalian strongly condemned the act, emphasizing the illegality of animal cruelty.

“The hurting of our pets, our dogs and cats, is illegal. I cannot stomach that people are hurting our pets," Gatchalian said in a statement translated from Filipino. "This is not how our values are. We in the department, we value every single life.”