The recent killing of a beloved golden retriever has sparked outrage across the nation. A neighbor was caught on CCTV chasing the dog before he killed it. The video spread virally on social media even reaching the eyeballs of the inutile politicians who govern the Philippines. Their solution? More laws!!
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| https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2024/03/21/2342174/killing-dog-killua-slammed |
Animal welfare education should be mandated for elementary and high school students after the killing of Golden Retriever “Killua,” according to Sen. Grace Poe.
On March 17, Camarines Sur resident Anthony Solares killed the dog, claiming that Killua was aggressive.
The act was caught in a closed-circuit television footage posted on social media by Killua’s owner Vina Rachelle Arazas. Solares was seen hitting the dog as it ran around trying to escape.
The dog’s remains were later found in a sack.
“I am heartbroken and enraged to hear of the mauling of Killua, a golden retriever. Mr. Anthony Solares admitted to slaughtering Killua, claiming that the dog chased his child. However, his actions, which were captured in a CCTV video, were fraught with excessive violence and showed that it was Killua who was being chased,” Poe said in her privilege speech on Tuesday.
In Senate Bill 2458 that Poe filed, the “Revised Animal Welfare Act” shall include mandatory animal welfare education in the curriculum for primary and secondary education students.
“We hope to pass this bill soon and put an end to despicable incidents such as what happened to Killua,” she added.
Members of the House of Representatives condemned the killing of Killua, with lawmakers calling for amendments to the Animal Welfare Act of 1998.
“I think it would be the best time for us to revisit this law. The maximum penalty of imprisonment for the violation, for instance, on the killing of an animal is six months to one year of imprisonment, with the penalty or a fine of not exceeding P100,000,” said Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Raul Bongalon.
He also urged the Philippine Animal Welfare Society to raise awareness of laws against animal cruelty.
“What should be done? Perhaps we can empower our (local government units) in enforcing this law. It is because they are the ones at the grassroots level,” House Deputy Speaker David Suarez told legislative reporters at a briefing.
“I would understand maybe if he scared the dog. But to kill the animal already speaks of the motive, that there is really an intent to end the life of that animal. To me, it is tantamount to straight-up murder,” said Davao Oriental 2nd District Rep. Cheeno Almario.
It should not need to be said but, "Laws DO NOT prevent crime."
The fact is animal abuse happens all the time in the Philippines and no one cares. The only reason anyone care about Killua is because of the CCTV footage and the pictures of him celebrating his birthday in a tuxedo bib. For every Killua there are other unnamed animals who's death goes unchampioned.
Take for instance the abuse of a cats.
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/regions/901314/cat-found-shot-in-head-with-an-arrow-in-davao-city/story/ |
A cat was shot in the head with a bow and arrow in Davao City, according to the report of GMA News Regional TV One Mindanao on "State of the Nation" Thursday.
The cat was rescued and rushed to the veterinary clinic by a concerned citizen for an emergency operation.
The surgical procedure was complicated as the arrow hit the cat’s brain. The operation on the cat was eventually declared successful.
The person who shot the cat remains unidentified.
Meanwhile, a house cat was found allegedly bludgeoned to death at an alley in Naga City.
Based on statements from residents, there had already been multiple incidents of house cats being killed within the area.
Barangay officials are working on identifying the suspect behind the string of cases of animal cruelty.
In Davao someone shot an arrow into a cat's head. In Naga City a cat was found bludgeoned to death being one of a number of killed cats in the area.
In Cavite cats at the local pound had to resort to cannibalism.
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/regions/901107/cavite-pound-probed-over-cat-cannibalism/story/ |
A barangay-run animal pound in Dasmariñas, Cavite is under investigation for animal neglect after a video surfaced of cats eating the bodies of their fellow felines.
In a report by Darlene Cay in Unang Balita on Wednesday, a concerned resident made the grisly discovery after she went to the pound to help her friend find a pet cat.
(I became confused because it was the first time I saw something like that. I was very angry and upset. I ended up crying.)
Yvette suspected that the cats in the pound were not adequately fed, so they could do nothing but eat each other. Based on the video, some cats appeared weak, their water bowls were dirty and there was no food inside their cages either.
Yvette said they talked to the barangay chairman, who agreed to transfer the cats to a shelter, but he said she was shocked when the 20 cats were released the next day.
Still, the barangay captain maintains they did not abandon the cats and fed them twice daily.
(The truth is that I have two caretakers of the cats but we still can't watch them for 24 hours, so when they noticed the cats being fed they would end up fighting.)
The people at the cat pound suspected that three cats died because of fighting. They said the more aggressive ones ate the dead cats.
According to the veterinarian Dr. Ferds Recio, extreme hunger may be the reason for the cannibalistic behavior. He said that cats are natural hunters.
(It can be due to starvation since they don't have any food. It is also true that they will kill their fellow cats for them to eat. It doesn't mean that one hundred percent they have nothing to eat, so they will kill their partner. It is possible, but it is not one hundred percent sure.)
If it is proven that cats were neglected or abused, the barangay officials can be held responsible for violating the Animal Welfare Act.
There are also reports from time to time of tricycle drivers being apprehended for collecting dogs set to be slaughtered and eaten. The point here is that no law is going to stop animal abuse in the Philippines. Abuse happens because some people simply do not care about the well being of animals.
This issue is not much different from the weekly slaughter of current and former political officials. Once in a while the violence is recognized at the national level and passionate speeches condemning the violence and calling for an investigation are made in Congress but for the most part it is an endemic problem about which no one cares. Stopping animal abuse in the Philippines will take a huge cultural shift and that is nowhere in the cards at this point.
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