The Municipal Trial Court in Cities, Branch 5 , of Baguio City convicted three persons for Violation of RA No. 8485 (Animal Welfare Act), as amended by RA 10631 after they admitted killing a dog named Cairo.
Reynaldo Aquino Baysic, the owner of Cairo, together with Fernando Lapugen Milo and Rhumcy Bagawi Balisong were sentenced to pay a fine of P10, 000.00 each.
On August 11, 2022, volunteers of Furvent Animal Rescue and Advocacy, a group of Baguio-based animal welfare advocates, received a report about an injured dog that was placed in a sack by 2 men, one of thrm was carrying a blow torch. The information was immediately reported to the BCPO Kennon Police Station 8 which immediately dispatched personnel to Poliwes, Baguio City. The three accused who were caught in the act of butchering Cairo were immediately arrested. Chopped meat, a blow torch, an LPG tank and knives were confiscated.
A volunteer of Furvent expressed his frustration that the accused were given only a slap on the wrist for what he describes as a barbaric act. “I have nothing against the court or the judge. The fine is within the imposable penalty under the Animal Welfare Act. However, the fine is not commensurate to the depravity of the crime and the perpetrators. Cairo was a hit and run victim. If you look at the photos of the injured Cairo, it is as if he was expecting, if not begging, his owner to take him to the clinic but the opposite happened. The owner himself decided to have the poor dog butchered instead.”
The Furvent volunteer recalls the case of Kitty, a dog shot to death on November 30, 2021 at Tublay, Benguet. During arraignment, Renz Bitaga Bantiw pleaded guilty to the crime charged. The Regional Trial Court of Benguet, Branch 8 sentenced Bantiw to suffer a maximum of 2 years imprisonment and ordered him to pay Kitty’s owner P50 000.00 as indemnity.
Furvent is also alarmed at the increasing cases of dogs being slaughtered. On July 17, 2022 at Purok 2, Irisan, Baguio City, the timely intervention of an animal welfare advocate saved the life of a dog named Santee. It was found out that the owner of Santee sold the dog to several men who tied a wire around his snout and placed him in a sack. Nobody was arrested as the men scampered away before officers from BCPO Station 9 arrived.
On July 29, 2002, another dog Shine was rescued from construction workers who was about to butcher him. On the same day, the chopped up remains of Notty, a Siberian Huskie that was reported missing was found by his owners in Irisan. A certain Dandi Menecio admitted that he and his companions butchered Notty but claimed that it was already dead when they found the dog.
The cases of Santee and Notty prompted Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong to stress that the city government condemns in the strongest possible terms any act of cruelty against animals.
Another case of animal cruelty was filed with the Baguio City Prosecutor’s Office against Rhodney Ogas Losnong. On August 21, 2022, Furvent received another report about a dog being butchered at Irisan, Baguio City. Responding policemen from Station 9 confiscated several pieces of dog meat and arrested Losnong. It was learned that the case was dismissed.
It was also sometime in July this year that elements of the PNP’s Crime Investigation and Detection Group, personnel of Animal Kingdom Foundation and representatives from the Baguio City Veterinary and Agriculture Office caught a restaurant serving dog meat along Marcos Highway.
Dog meat is considered a hot meat which means it is not among the food allowed under safety food standards.
Animal Kingdom Foundation, a non-profit and non-government animal welfare organization, has appealed to the city government to help stop dog meat trade.
Magalong has also called out irresponsible dog owners who allow their pets to excrete outside their residences. The mayor reminded them that such is a violation of City Ordinance No. 19 Series of 2021 or the Responsible Dog Ownership Ordinance of Baguio City.
The ordinance enumerates the responsibilities of dog owners which include (1) acquire and maintain dogs if they are capable and have the means to provide care, (2) submit the dogs for mandatory registration and regular vaccination, (3) provide their dogs with proper grooming, adequate food and clean shelter, (4) maintain control over their dogs with the use of a leash when in public places, (5) collect and dispose of their dogs’ feces at all times, (6) take all measures to prevent their dogs from becoming stray or nuisance, (7) immediately report any dog-biting incident, and (8) assist dog bite victims and shoulder all expenses incurred relative to the victim’s injuries.** APP
