This photo was emailed to me about a month ago, and it speaks volumes about animal cruelty in the Philippines. These dogs died en route to the slaughterhouse, crammed into tiny bamboo cages like sardines, in the stifling heat of Asia, and covered up to avoid suspicion and detection during the trip. Of the seventy dogs seized, only twelve survived. Horrible? Yes. Uncommon? No. This is just one shipment that was intercepted at a checkpoint in Tarlac, but the traders were from the province of Laguna. Homeless dogs are caught in one place and then transported many miles to another city where they are bludgeoned to death and then butchered. A cat and mouse game exists between the police and the traveling dog meat traders. Credit for this operation goes to Police Chief Rodrigo De Guzman and his boys. According to him, his men routinely inspected a van and discovered its illegal cargo. They arrested two men and sent the dogs to the Animal Kingdom Foundation Rescue Center located in Barangay Sto. Domingo, Capas. At the present time, there are 290 dogs staying at the rescue center which is managed by Suzanne Llanera. According to Llanera, eight of the remaining survivors underwent massive treatment. They have a slim chance of surviving according to in-house veterinarians. The Animal Kingdom Foundation (AKF) treats the dog meat trade in the Philippines as their nemesis and primary concern. Most Filipinos do not eat dog meat, but there are enough who do that this trade is able to survive. If you would like to read more about the AKF, you can do so at:
You can help them fight this most cruel practice by donating. They'll do the dirty work for you.
Comments
Please do not despair. Change will have to start from somewhere. If you have witnessed cruelty to animals, like slaughtering dogs for pulutan, you must inform your local barangay government that such acts are a violation of the animal welfare act. RA 8485 is a national law and it applies in Bohol. You could print a copy of RA 8485 and present it to the barangay officials, letting them know that such a law exists and there are violations at the present time. This way, they can't feign ignorance. The same thing with the police. It's all about educating the public and the government officials about animal welfare. With such a law in place, it is not whether officials want to listen or not. They have to act in accordance with the law. From there, we can expect some improvement.