Mayor iterates intensified implementation of Animal Welfare Act as reports of animal cruelty increase
Mayor Benjamin Magalong has doubled down on his order for the intensified implementation of Republic Act 8485, or the Animal Welfare Act of 1998, and warned violators that they will be charged with the full extent of the law.
He stressed that the city government absolutely does not condone but rather condemns in the strongest possible terms any acts of cruelty done to animals.
The Mayor recently received a text from a resident of Irisan barangay where two alleged incidents of dog butchering occurred where the first canine involved was spared due to the timely intervention of a concerned individual.
Unfortunately, the second dog, a husky that was reported missing, was not so lucky as it was allegedly ‘butchered and consumed’ by several construction workers of a nearby resort in the area according to witnesses and the owners themselves, the text revealed.
The dog’s owners reported the incident at Police Station 9 and filed a police blotter in case they decide to press charges against the perpetrators.
The Mayor earlier received reports that several local eateries are allegedly serving dog meat dishes to their customers.
He asked City Veterinary and Agriculture Office (CVAO) head Dr. Silardo Bested about the matter and disclosed that the Animal Kingdom Foundation (AKF), a non-profit animal welfare non-government organization, is appealing to the city government to help stop the illegal trade.
Bested informed the Mayor that there is “definitely no slaughtering of dogs happening in the city” and claimed that the source of dog meat is from the lowlands.
He stressed that there is no open selling of dog meat in the public market or even in restaurants.
“However, there are a few restaurants that secretly offer dog meat to selected customers who like eating dog meat. We are constantly monitoring this,” Bested said.
He added that ‘buy-bust’ operations should be conducted on suspected establishments selling dog meat.
He disclosed that a restaurant along Marcos Highway was caught recently by personnel of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and AKF for allegedly selling dog meat dishes to its customers.
“We will strengthen our monitoring and if proven that RA 8485 has been violated, we will file the appropriate cases and recommend closure of the erring establishments,” Bested assured the Mayor.
RA 8485, as amended by RA 10631, promotes and safeguards the welfare and wellbeing of animals and provides penalties for the violation of its provisions. – Gaby B. Keith
