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Philippines. Animal Welfare Act. Animal Abuse. How to Report Animal Cruelty Cases. Call 117.

Going over the search parameters of visitors to my blog, I noticed that quite a few are googling how to report animal abuse in the Philippines. I asked Anna Cabrera of the Philippine Animal Welfare Society what to do in such cases. For cases of cruelty that have previously been been committed, you can file a case against the perpetrator by following a few steps. First, you have to gather evidence like photos, vet certificate, and eyewitness accounts. Then, you need to execute a sworn affidavit and file it at the Fiscal's Office. Here is an example of an affidavit ( real names have been changed ):

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES)
QUEZON CITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . .) S.S.

SUPPORTING AFFIDAVIT

Ako si JUAN DE LA CRUZ, nasa hustong gulang na, at naninirahan sa ***** EP Village, Camp Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City, matapos manumpa ayon sa batas, ay nagpapahayag ng mga sumusunod:

1. Nuong ika-10 ng Disyembre, 2006, mga bandang alas 10:00 pasado ng umaga, ako ay nasa bahay ng lolo at lola ko sa Bataan St., UP Village, Quezon City.

2. Kami ng aking pinsan na si Roberto “Atoy” Mendez ay nagpipinta ng mga rehas at gate sa may bandang labas ng bahay ng aming lolo at lola.

3. Nang dumating ang isa pa naming pinsan na si Joseph at binuksan ang gate, and aso naming si “Blacky” ay biglang nakapuslit at tumakbo patungo sa park.

4. Dahil alam ko na bawal ang pagala-galang aso sa UP Village ay agad kong tinawag si “Blacky”.

5. Huminto naman at sumunod si “Blacky” at ito ay bumalik kaagad na papauwi sa aming bahay.

6. Nang malapit na si “Blacky” sa aming gate, nagulat na lang ako sa tunog ng putok ng isang “air gun”.

7. Napalingon ako sa pinanggalingan ng putok sa may Bataan St., UP Village, Quezon City, at aking nakita ang nakatirang tao duon na si ATTY. SANTOS na may hawak na “air rifle”.

8. Walang kaduda-duda na si ATTY. SANTOS ang namaril dahil siya ay may hawak na “air rifle”.

9. Ineksamin namin ng mabuti si "Blacky” at nakita naming tumutulo ang dugo sa likuran ng aso bandang sa may puwet.

10. Hindi ko alam and dahilan kung bakit binaril ni Atty. SANTOS si “Blacky” samantalang wala naman ang aso sa kaniyang bakuran, at hindi naman siya nito inaangilan para kagatin.

- 2 -

11. Nagsumbong kami agad kay lola na sumugod naman sa barangay upang magsumbong sa barangay.

12. Patuloy lamang ang aming pag-obserba sa aso hanggang kinabukasan, ngunit napansin namin na wala siyang ganang kumain, matamlay, hirap maglakad at namumula ang mga mata.

13. Dinala namin si “Blacky” sa beterenaryo na kung saan nakuha sa kaniyang sugat sa puwetan ang bala ng “air gun”.

14. Kami ay mga responsableng mga may-ari ng mga aso at hindi naming pinababayaang gumala ang mga ito sa kalsada.

15. Ako ay gumawa ng sinumpaang salaysay na ito upang sabihin ang tutuo at upang patotohanan ang reklamo ng aking pinsan na si Roberto "Atoy" Mendez laban kay Atty. SANTOS na lumabag sa REPUBLIC ACT 8485 - ANIMAL WELFARE ACT.


Juan De La Cruz
Affiant

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this ___th day of February, 2008, at Quezon City, Metro Manila. I FURTHER CERTIFY that I personally examined the affiant and I am satisfied that he read and understood his statements and that he freely and voluntarily executed the same.


Now, for ongoing cases of cruelty, like a dog slaughter taking place, you can call 117. This number 117 is the official Patrol number to report crimes. It wasn't too long ago that the police, when called at 117, reponded only to crimes against humans. But you can call 117 to report cases of animal cruelty as well, just as PAWS has done many times over. Animal cruelty is undoubtedly a crime, an offense of Section 6 of Republic Act 8485. PAWS has had many good responses to their calls. You have to be forceful and clearly inform the officer that animal cruelty is a crime, and they have to send someone to the scene of the crime. Ask for the officer's name and tell them you will call back for an update. Remember, an animal's life or well-being will depend on the urgency of your call. Insist that they take action on the basis of the Philippine Animal Welfare Act.

If the case involves a wild animal, find out if the owner has CWR or WFP to keep the animal by calling up DENR-NCR . Tel 4352509 (lina). DENR requests that they be given the names and numbers of the barangay within the area as well so that they can act swiftly on the matter. Photos taken will be extremely helpful as well.

I hope this helps. Also, please remember that nothing is better than taking immediate personal action against animal cruelty. Time is very important and critical, and in many cases you can intervene and save the animal. Declare that animal cruelty is unlawful and the) Philippine Animal Welfare Act protects animals from cruelty.

Comments

Tiarra De Soto said…
Where do you join the animal rescue group? I want to join!
Ted Teodoro said…
It's great that you want to come onboard. If you haven't yet, you should touch bases with the Philippine Animal Welfare Society by calling 475-1688 or emailing them at philpaws@yahoo.com. They run training courses for volunteers who do rescues and shelter work. You could go directly to the shelter, and see if you can speak to someone there about helping animals. Here's a good site about the shelter:

http://www.mefindhome.org/2008/01/find-your-way-to-animal-shelter.html

Also, I encourage you to join the animal advocacy group at

http://animaladvocates.multiply.com/ and be part of the solution.
please help me. people are overreacting about our dog macky. they believe that he is becoming aggressive. he reportedly attacked some people, including my dad, but hes not rabied, i think he was just moody at that time. he is not afraid of water and hes not violent towards me. he is very behaved actually (though its natural for him to be violent towards strangers as he is very territorial). my problem is my dad wants to send him away soon, by giving him to people who will most likely butcher him. i dont know when they'll do it but im scared that they might do it when im not in the house. please help me. i dont know where else to go. the police here in our area are unreliable, they could not even respond to calls involving people in danger, how could they care about an animal?

im trying to talk my dad out of giving macky away, but im not sure if the people who will get macky wont kill him.

at present, macky is stil with us, hes okay and he's behaved so far. if ever, i hope he just goes to a shelter and be given shots. hes not sick i assure you, he was even playing with our maid few hours ago. he doesnt deserve to die.

i already wrote to PETA and PAWS. i dont know what else to do.
please please help me.

Thanks!
Ted Teodoro said…
I hear you pain. I will forward your email to Anna Cabrera, Director of PAWS, who will advise you on what to do. They also intercede in behalf of abuse animals. Selling or giving a dog away to be butchered is against the provisions of the Philippine Animal Welfare Act. It is worth reminding your dad about this. You can print the act from the web, and show it to your dad. I hope that he is responsible enough to respect the law and also to respect his child. Make sure you included your personal info on your email to PAWS like cell phone number, address, location of the possible slaughtering of your dog.
thank you so much. i already printed it (RA 8485) out to show to him tomorrow. i hope it works out fine for everybody. i did include everything in my letter to PAWS and PETA, our address included plus his cellphone number. i wish people would stop hurting animals. its not fair.
thank you very much. i can sleep now.
Ted Teodoro said…
Tell your dad that dogs, like us, are entitled to their moods or quirks. Dogs, especially the ones that are tied, tend be more protective of their area and also more unlikely to accept a stranger at face value. Sending the dog to be butchered is the worse example a parent can give his child. I find that your roles are reversed. It is the child who is teaching the parent about kindness to animals. Remember, even as your parent's child, you can tell your dad that butchering a dog is against the law. PAWS has several cases of animal cruelty that they are legally pursuing now. Don't let your dad be one of them.
IceMan said…
uhm, is dialing 117 free? don't worry, i don't make prank calls, i just don't want to use the landline if it's not free since it's postpaid. Also, thank you so much for posting this in your blog, i really needed it. Animal cruelty is still ongoing in batangas. I have tried so many times, but apparently they're still going on about how judgmental it is for me to say that butchering dogs is a crime while poultry is considered food, and that I am turning my back on my Filipino heritage by following westerner's love of their dogs. I have stood my ground by saying that times have changed, and even stated several examples like how outdated laws were modified to better suit society at present, but they still won't listen. I have sent several emails to different societies out there asking for help so I can somehow stop animal cruelty, but the replies that I got were asking me to join for their club for a fee. That really sucks considering I'm asking for help ASAP.
Ted Teodoro said…
Iceman, thanks for commenting.

You're not turning your back on your Filipino heritage by assuming a love of dogs. Compassion is also a Filipino trait, and the west does not have a monopoly on it. You can say the same thing about cruelty. I commend you for your efforts, and I urge you not lose hope. Our individuals efforts do matter. Animal welfare advocates are growing in number in the Philippines. Call 117 and you should get a response. At least in the Metro Manila area, the police have been responding according to PAWS. As for farm animals, I am
against butchering them as well. I don't eat meat because the suffering of farm animals is, in fact, greater than any other group of abused animals. To be consistent, we must condemn all forms of animal cruelty including killing them for food. God bless you.
Anonymous said…
hi where can i report this:everyday we are hearing a scream of a dog in our neighbor.the dog is being smashed by a thick metal rod and the owner always saying that why is that he won't die.i don't have any idea to save that dog because i don;t know that neighbor of ours we are living in an apartment and so,we doesn't know the person there please help me in what can i do to save that dog i'm afraid that he will die because of what they are doing to him i'm from silang cavite please help
Ted Teodoro said…
Anon, did you read the post above??? If the cruelty is ongoing, call 117 for the police. PAWS has said that they have been getting good responses from the police on calls regarding animal cruelty.

You can also email PAWS at philpaws@yahoo.com and tell them about the situation. They will dispatch a local representative to investigate. Supply them your complete information: name, address, cell phone number. Don't waste anymore time.
Anonymous said…
I have been looking for this opportunity to at least be able to air out what has been happening in a small town in Bohol where police officers shoot random dogs loose on the streets. I understand this is the law to minimize the population and the spread of rabies. However, I don't think it is right to simply shoot and kill the animal without inquiring for its owner. Many cases of shooting involved animals who unintentionally got loose from their owners. Aren't they suppose to impound the animal first and wait a few days if an owner would claim it? Also, the police would shoot the animals in public, where many people can see. This is absolutely inhumane behavior especially from a department whose job is to preserve and save lives. Nobody even complains because as they say, "it's the law". And no one would dare come forward out of fear. SAD!
Anonymous said…
pwede rin po ba ang pagpatay ng mga ibon sa village... may mga barbarian po kasi kaning neighbors... nakakaawa ang mga ibon... may evidence na po ako na pictures at video...san ko po pwede i-file?
venus anne kokoni said…
Hiii.. been having problems with my neighbors and its really making me angry.. I was told few days ago that I dog bit a woman so the owner got upset from paying anti rabish injections and had her dog killed and ate it.. I took care of that dog ever since she was a puppy cos he was so thin, dirty and negleglected in every way.. but then they started to take care of that dog I guess they were ashame that I'm the one taking care of it.. soni thought everything was ok.. then I hear this terrible story that they killed that dog.. that dog wasn't rabbid either.. but now I'm having another problem with my next door neighbor.. I've been baby sitting this dog for a friend for over a week and whenever I go to work I'd tie him up outside cos he's not trained he pee and shew on stuff on stuff so I can't have him inside the house without watching him.. Id let him lose when I get home so he could go run outside then I see thay woman carrying a big wood wtf?? This dog is totally harmless! I told her that if nshe hurts any of my dogs that I would call the cops on her a sew her... but the thing is would the police even care?? Can I really sew her????
Ted Teodoro said…
Venus,

I forwarded your inquiry to the Philippine Animal Welfare Society at philpaws@yahoo.com. I suggest you contact them directly for guidance and help. We have a new Animal Welfare Act, revised just this year that encompasses a lot more forms of punishable animal abuse. As I have stated on this post, the grieving party must be ready to file an affidavit or else there can't be a case against the abuser. It is the legal way and the most effective. Animal abuse cases heard in court is increasing and that is a good thing. Please, do not be discouraged. PAWS can guide you through the process. Send me your personal email at anteodoro3@yahoo.com and I will also forward that to PAWS.
Anonymous said…
My dog needs medical care asap...where else can i ask help...asap...please help me..
Hello po ako po ay isang estudyante na taga cavite na nais pong i report ang baranggay ng western baranggay sa tabi po ng tenement elementary school. NATUTUWA PO KO NUNG UNA KONG NALAMAN NA KINUKUHA NILA ANG MGA ASONG GALA NA ITO AT INAAKALA KONG PINAPAKAIN NILA NG MAAYOS AT UPANG MAGKAROON NG MATUTULUGAN NGUNIT NALAMAN KO PO NA KINAKATAY PO NILA ANG MGA ASONG ITO AT MARAMI NA PO SILANG NAKATAY. Nasabi po saken ng kaibigan ko na taga taguig na naririnig nila ang mga aso na umiiyak sa bakanteng lote sa tabi likod ng tenement elementary school at malapit sa simabahan ng Our Lady of the Poor Parish kapag kinakatay ito . ang bakanteng lote po na iyon ay tapat ng baranggay na sinasabe ko po Gusto ko po sana mabigyan ng aksyon iyon dahil nakakaawa po ang mga asong iyon at minsan lang po mapakain at maliit po ang kanilang kulungan at napakaraming aso po sa kulungan . Sana po ay mabigyan po ng aksyon iyon . Sana po mabasa ninyo ito . May napagtanungan po ako kung may nag bakasakali na bang ireport ang baranggay na iyon ang sabe po ng kaibigan ko sa tingin nya ay natatakot daw mag report hindi ko po alam ko bakit . Sana po mabigyan ng aksyon ito SALAMAT PO! SANA PO AY MABASA NYO ITO SALAMAT PO!
Ted Teodoro said…
Yhenie, salamat sa report mo. Pinadala ko ang comment mo sa PAWS at himingi na rin ako ng tulong tungkol sa situasyon na ito. Sinobukan mo na ba na tumawag sa 117 at i-report ang kasong ito? Kung maari mo i-print ang isang kopya ng Animal Welfare Act at pakita mo sa pulis or sa barangay tanod, baka matulungan ka nila.
Ted Teodoro said…
For that commenter whose dog needed immediate help, what else are you waiting for? Take your dog to the vet. Do not jusy rely on answers from the web. Always take your sick animal to the vet as soon as possible!
Anonymous said…
Hi I live in brentwood parkhomes, antipolo city. Gusto ko sana humingi ng tulong dahil yung aso ng kapitbahay namin is mukhang ginugutom nila dahil dati mataba yun at for the past few months eh napapansin ko nangayayat ung aso nung lumipat ung original na may ari. And sobrang heartbreaking kapag nadadaanan ko siya kasi honestly it looks like the poor doggy might die . help po.

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