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From rescuing strays to pushing for stronger animal protection laws, lawyer Janna Abella proves that justice should be served for every living being
Before she understood the word “advocacy,” Janna Abella was already living it.
As a child, her family would rescue stray animals, bringing them into her home without a second thought. Growing up surrounded by dogs and cats, she learned early on that compassion isn’t just about kindness — it’s about taking action.
“I came from a family of animal lovers, from my father down to my younger sister. My mother, for instance, has always been an animal welfare advocate,” Janna told Rappler.
That same passion for protecting animals never faded. Today, as a lawyer, she’s turned it into a lifelong mission, using her legal expertise to fight for the voiceless.
“[My mother] would take in stray animals from off the streets and bring them into our home, so I grew up having pet dogs and cats. When I passed the bar, I realized I could advocate for animal welfare through lawyering,” she said.
Janna works as a lawyer at a telecommunications company while dedicating her free time to volunteering at animal welfare organizations, where she engages in legal and non-legal work. Her passion for animal rights runs deep, so she wrote her law school thesis on the Animal Welfare Act 1998. After years of rigorous study and advocacy, she was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2023.
Janna signing on the roll of attorneys. All images courtesy of Janna Abella Janna learned early on that pets aren’t just companions but family. But not everyone recognizes the value of an animal’s life, she said. Some see them as mere property; others as background fixtures in a world built for humans.
“Animals, especially stray animals, have nobody to advocate for them, so somebody must step up to take that role,” Janna said.
“I currently volunteer with different animal welfare organizations to pursue legal action and provide legal assistance in cases of animal abuse.”
Through her work, Janna wants animals to be treated with love, dignity, and respect, and also show that justice extends to every living being.
Fighting for the furry ones
Janna now shares her home with her rescue, a cat named Teddie Bear.
“Animal welfare cases are the cases I am most passionate about. From the time I was a student until now, I would spend my weekends volunteering at animal welfare organizations to groom animals or clean the shelter,” Janna said.
No one fights for stray animals, she added, noting the system that often overlooks their suffering.
WITH her precious Teddie Bear. Now, as a volunteer legal advocate for multiple animal welfare organizations, she does more than just rescue; she helps build legal arguments that hold animal abusers accountable.
“[As a lawyer] I would talk to the complainants, ask them what happened, and explain the process of filing a case. Part of my task is drafting the legal documents needed [to file] complaints for violations of the Animal Welfare Act of 1998,” she said.
The job is not for the faint of heart. Some days, it means staring at harrowing images of abused animals, listening to stories of cruelty, and knowing that justice is never as swift as it should be.
“The hardest part is having to look at photographs of the abused animals and still have to carry on without being too emotionally affected,” Janna said.
“But whenever that happens, I remind myself —prosecuting cases of animal abuse today prevents more animals from becoming victims tomorrow.”
From the courtroom to the animal shelter, Janna proves that lawyering can be bold, compassionate, and full of heart. And for her, success isn’t just personal — it’s about making both people and animals’ lives better. – Rappler.com
