Almira on 4th Impact’s dog hoarding issue: ‘We are never irresponsible pet owners’ 

MANILA, Philippines – Almira Cercado of P-pop girl group 4th Impact broke her silence on her and her sisters’ controversial dog fundraising issue, appealing to the public to “stop the hate.” 

In late February, the quartet started a fundraising campaign on GoFundMe’s official website on their plan to put up a “farm lot for our 200 Shih Tzu dogs.” In the post, the sisters detailed their journey as fur parents, saying that they were first gifted by their fans with five Shih Tzus. They noted that as their “family of dogs multiplied, so did the need for space and resources.” 

4th Impact also disclosed in their post that they’ve received noise complaints from their neighbors, prompting them to temporarily remove their male dogs from their home. Because of this, the sisters decided to build a “dog haven”, saying it’s their dream to provide a “safe and expensive farm where [their dogs] can live out their days in happiness and form.” 

This campaign caught the ire of netizens, with some calling out the group for being “negligent” and “irresponsible” pet owners for letting their dogs reproduce at that rate. On social media, veterinarians and animal support groups raised sanitary issue concerns about the dogs’ shelter, as well as the harms of backyard breeding and inbreeding. The Philippine Animal Welfare Society also took a swipe at the group, reminding the public to “never, ever let your own pets reproduce” as there are many pets up for adoption. 

On Monday, April 15, Almira took to Instagram to address the controversy, saying while they were advised to keep silent during the height of the issue, she was now explaining their side “for the sake of moving on” and to protect her sisters “from the harm of cyberbullying.” 

“I guess I didn’t think carefully before I did it [because] I will do anything in a legal way just to provide for our dogs,” she said, adding that she and her sisters believed that their fans would support their campaign to put up a farm. 

The singer said that she deleted the campaign “after the false accusations and horrible news” surfaced. She added that the funds they received in the campaign were refunded to the donors quickly after they took the fundraiser post down. 

“This post is basically letting everyone know that we are closing this chapter and that we are never irresponsible pet owners,” she continued. “Our dogs are the only stress reliever for us and meant the world to us so we will do anything to provide for them. And we will work harder to buy them a farm one day.” 

She also clarified that their attendance in Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, Beyonce’s Renaissance Tour, Bruno Mars’ concert, and Katy Perry’s Las Vegas show were all bankrolled by their fans, who gifted them with tickets for these shows. This came after some netizens pointed out that tickets for these concerts were expensive and the money could have been used for the group to take care of their pets. 

Almira then reflected on the controversy, saying that the backlash won’t stop them from performing. “As long as we are not stepping on someone, we will be proud that singing is our bread and butter. We will never quit and we will continue to pursue our dreams.” She concluded her post by asking the public to refrain from spreading hateful comments. 

As of writing, other members – Mylene, Irene, and Celina – have yet to address the issue. 4th Impact rose to fame after joining X Factor UK. – Rappler.com