News From the Philippines’ Dog Meat Trade
Thanks to the SunStar Baguio for this news.
Dog meat trade in Baguio, Benguet earns P55M annually: crusader
By Jane CadaligTHE Cordillerans’ predilection for dog meat is making dog traders from the southern region richer by at least P55 million a year, an animal welfare advocate said.
Melchor Alipio, a representative of the Network for Animals (NA)–an association of groups advocating for animal welfare, said the consumption of dog meat in Baguio and Benguet contributes huge amount to dog traders from the lowland provinces.
The P55-million monetary contribution speaks for Baguio and Benguet alone, which consumes about 350 to 400 dogs daily, he added.Dog meat consumption in other regions like Ilocos and Cagayan is estimated at 300 and 200 per day, respectively, and the monetary value is not far from that of Baguio and Benguet, said Alipio.
Dr. Jose Diaz of the Manila Veterinary Inspection Board (MVIB) said the southern provinces deliver about 1,000 dogs to Northern Luzon on a daily basis as per the record of dog shipment seizures.
Most of the dogs delivered to the Cordillera and other provinces in the north come from Laguna, Batangas, Lucena, Quezon Province and Bicol.
Restaurant owners in Baguio and Benguet buy dog meat at P75 per kilo while slaughterhouses buy these at P55, said Brando Gegway, Animal Kingdom Foundation (AKF) senior researcher for Northern Luzon.
The continued consumption of dog meat in the region once earned the ire of various animal welfare advocates from around the world who then called on the government to stop the trade.
Concerned agencies have pushed for stricter implementation of Republic Act (RA) 8485 or the Animal Welfare Law, which penalizes the slaughtering of dogs except those that are used in indigenous rituals.
But even with series of apprehensions done on dog traders, business remains unstopped, which Alipio credits to the public’s continued consumption of dog meat.
He said restaurants offering dog meat exist because there are consumers.
Animal welfare groups and medical practitioners have joined the government in warning the public against eating dog meat, saying this poses hazards to health.
Diaz said there are about 100 diseases found in dogs that could be transferred to humans upon consumption.
In La Trinidad, the Benguet State University (BSU) also joined the effort in promoting the welfare of animals.
A dog pound, funded by NA, is set to be constructed at the BSU College of Veterinary Medicine, which would serve as a shelter for stray dogs as well as those that are rescued from traders.
School officials said this is the university’s humble way of showing support to efforts done by various sectors in promoting animal rights.
The proposed dog pound at BSU would be the first of its kind in the region.
newest news from The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS):
————-
Dear animal advocate,
On January 12 (in Benguet) and on January 15 (in Manila), there will be public hearings on the draft of Administrative Order on the Use of Animals for Rituals.
For a copy of the said AO, please click on the link below:
http://babybranny.multiply.com/journal/item/6
Administrative Orders are specific guidelines in the implementation of a law – in this case, the Animal Welfare Act. AOs are drafted by the Committee on Animal Welfare (CAW) – of which PAWS is a member.
While PAWS and other animal welfare groups would prefer that no animals are used in rituals, the guidelines have to be set up so that valid tribes of some indigenous people will have humane standards within which they can practice their religious rituals (where animals are used).
The good thing about this is that dog-meat traders can no longer cite rituals and ‘freedom to practice religion’ when they are killing dogs for business because they will have to adhere to standards set forth in the said AO (i.e. tribal leaders and bgy captains are required to submit a report of the ritual to the Regional Animal Welfare Officer)
Still, we would like everyone -especially our volunteer-lawyers – to review the said AO.
Perhaps there are areas for improvement on it in terms of making it work better for animal welfare. Suggestions may be emailed to philpaws@….
All are enjoined to study the AO and attend the public hearing.
For the January 15, 2007 public hearing in Manila, the details are as follows:
Time: 1:00pm
Venue: 2nd floor Animal Feeds Bldg, Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), Visayas Avenue, QC
Thank you.
-The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS)
Save Man’s Best Friend from the Dog Meat Trade – Say YES to House Bill 2991
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/879609320
Please visit and sign to help stop the dog meat trade in the Philippines. Those who sign will be supporting a House Bill currently pending in Congress to impose stiffer penalties against the dog meat traders. It is urgent that we obtain, at a minimum, 50,000 signatures by April 30, 2007. Elections will be held in the Philippines in May 2007, and we want to place an international spotlight and global pressure on the country and its government.
The dog meat trade, once regarded as an infrequent religious practice, has become a commercialized industry that kills over 500,000 dogs a year! Although dog meat is not eaten by the majority of the Filipino citizens, it is considered a delicacy to certain areas of the country. The handling, treatment and act of violence to secure and sell dog meat is unimaginable and not for the faint of heart.
Once we obtain the necessary signatures, we will be coordinating with others in the Philippines to bring media attention to the petition and the dog meat trade before the elections on May 14, 2007.
It is our hope that this community can rally together and sign the petition. We ask everyone to sign the petition, post in groups, e-mail friends and create the international public awareness needed to stop this practice. Thank you.
Sincerely,
http://www.DOGMEATTRADE.com