DasMarinas Village Great Cat Massacre, Air Guns Used to Kill Innocent Animals

Some very chilling news comes out of DasMa Village where three kittens were shot to death and eleven cats euthanized by licensed vets due to the gravity of their wounds. Another group of six cats were taken to the clinic for further examination while eight seemed alright although they showed signs of being shot at. This is a very gruesome and cruel act of violence towards animals most possibly committed by more than one person using air guns. Dasmarinas Village security have not come up with any leads. However, a further investigation will be conducted. On Friday, the 21st, a representative of the National Bureau of Investigation will come to DasMarinas to investigate this horrific crime. The intrepid staff of Vets in Practice, based in Mandaluyong, provided immediate medical attention to the victims. Compassionate and outstanding people.

I picked up the story at the website of the Animal Welfare Coalition (AWC), a group of dedicated and kind-hearted organizations fighting animal cruelty in the Philippines in their respective ways. There are photos of the cats on their forum, but they are not for the faint-hearted. Click HERE.

Please, anyone with information about the shooting should contact the AWC with their complete information.

UPDATE: According to an email circulating among animal welfare people, the suspects are children of expats living in the neighborhood, taking wrongful advantage of their diplomatic immunity. They have, previously, been caught vandalizing neighborhood properties plus shooting frogs with airguns. No names were mentioned at this time.

UPDATE: Jan. 3, 2008 Here is more news about the massacre and the investigation: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/metro/view/20080103-110030/Cat_carnage_in_posh_Makati_village_draws_flak

UPDATE: Jan. 4, 2008 There is some progress in the investigation and more media coverage of the massacre. Two broadcast companies reported on the investigation last night, and here is one of them: http://www.gmanews.tv/largevideo/latest/16354/2-suspects-in-Dasma-cat-massacre This video report is in Tagalog, and so allow me to sum it up in English. The Village management questioned two individuals who are caretakers in the neighborhood. They rest and sleep in a building right next to the cages that held the cats (29, according to the report). When questioned, they didn't give a credible response. So, for now, they are considered persons of interest by the Makati police ( Makati is the city in which the subdivision is located). They are not yet naming names until the investigation is further developed. The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is looking into the pellets that were recovered from the dead cats, and they will try to find out what kind of guns the pellets came from. The NBI is also investigating who came in and out of the village the day the cats were murdered. Nancy Cu Unjieng, President of Compassion and Responsibility for Animals (CARA) was interviewed, and she argued that the killing is a serious violation of the Animal Welfare Act and that a resolution is required.

This is a previous news report ( before the one featured above) on the massacre: http://www.gmanews.tv/largevideo/latest/16354/2-suspects-in-Dasma-cat-massacre It shows Nancy Cu Unjieng at the crime scene, imploring authorities to investigate the killing.

UPDATE: Jan. 6 2008 : Makati Mayor J. Binay gets involved in the investigation. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20080106-110640/Hunt_ordered_for_cat_killers

UPDATE: Feb. 20, 2008 : Please read my latest post on this matter: http://onlovinganimals.blogspot.com/2008/02/dasmarinas-village-great-cat-massacre.html