Where can I get more information about this seizure or about the dog meat trade in general?
Please refer to our web stories for more information.
Could you give an update from last year’s advocacy alert? What were the donations used for?
One hundred percent of the money raised from HSI’s 2007 appeal for this issue was put toward programs that will have an impact on the dog meat trade, including:
• Training veterinarians and animal control officers in Metro Manila and Cebu in improved spay/neuter techniques and humane handling methods
• Law enforcement training for Filipino officers involved in busting dog smugglers
• Shelter improvement training, including enhancing adoption coordination and introducing humane euthanasia techniques
HSI is working with the Animal Welfare Coalition and Network for Animals on these programs, aimed at improving all aspects of animal welfare in the Philippines and ending the brutal dog meat trade.
More than 120,000 of our supporters sent their concerns to Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, asking for speedy and strengthened prosecution of those involved in the dog meat trade. Harsher penalties under the Anti-Rabies Law have begun to dissuade smugglers from continuing to work in this illegal operation.
Isn't this a cultural practice? Isn't it ''normal'' in Asia to eat dogs?
HSI is chiefly opposed to the commercialization of the practice and the inhumane and brutal methods of slaughtering. What may have once been only a cultural practice of eating dog meat has grown into a commercial industry in the Philippines.
Commercial dog meat consumption in the Philippines has been banned since 1998. Weak penalties and a lack of enforcement permitted this illegal industry to flourish—currently up to 500,000 dogs a year fall victim to this trade.
The majority of Filipinos find the illegal dog meat trade disturbing—hence the passage of the Anti-Rabies Law of 2007, which drastically strengthens the penalties for this crime to up to a year in jail and fines of 5,000 pesos (about $100) per dog.
So why target the Philippines?
The government of the Philippines instituted the Anti-Rabies Law in 2007 in response to demands from Filipino citizens and animal welfare groups. HSI sees this as an important opportunity to support an already established objection against this trade.
Aside from adding harsh penalties, the law also takes aim at stopping the spread of rabies and other zoonotic diseases, educates the public on dog bite prevention and safety, opens the door for more involvement by qualified animal welfare workers, and provides communities with the opportunity to learn more about becoming responsible pet owners.
Additionally, the legislation brings the welfare of animals into the national spotlight, accentuating the responsibility we have as humans to ensure animals' wellbeing.
Where is the demand for dog meat coming from? Is it hidden in other meats?
The majority of Filipinos do not consume dog meat. However, a city in the north called Baguio, and surrounding areas in Benguet Province, still has a demand for the product. Most of the dog meat trade is on the black market, with dogs rounded up in locations south of Manila and shipped to the north.
The transporters and the slaughterhouses for the dogs are hard to locate, but the meat is openly sold in markets and in a number of restaurants in Baguio.
Sellers are aware that it is illegal, so they are secretive in their dealings. When investigators inquired about the type of meat that was being sold by a dog meat vendor at the market, he responded, "goat meat."
What happened to the dogs rescued from the trade?
The healthiest and most adoptable dogs from the 2007 seizure found refuge at two sanctuaries and several shelters in the Manila area. Dogs from the 2008 seizure were given shelter at the John Hughes Foundation/Naguilian Animal Sanctuary in La Union Province
Read the heartwarming story of Adonis’ journey from survivor of the dog meat trade to certified therapy dog.
Local organizations, such as Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) and the Animal Welfare Coalition (AWC), promote adoption and responsible pet care in many of their campaigns. As a result, there is a growing pet culture and greater awareness of animal welfare in the Philippines.
HSI believes that this increased awareness and more adoption programs in the Philippines are the primary means to improving the lives of the country's dogs in the long term. Therefore, we will continue to work with and support local organizations.
Have there been alternative economic proposals brought to the families, towns, and societies that depend on the dog meat trade?
The workers themselves know that this is against the law, so it shouldn't be a profession in the first place. However, it is the responsibility of the Philippines government to ensure that that trade workers are able to recover from any loss of profit and are able to find a different line of sustainable work that does not break the law.
What about other countries in Asia?
The Philippines is not the only country where the dog meat industry is found, but it has the most potential for making a significant impact at this time.
Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions for more on the dog and cat meat and fur trade.
Better animal welfare in Asia is on its way, but it will be a gradual improvement. The best way we see to improve the lives of animals in Asia and reduce the suffering of animals there is to support the work of local groups and networks confronting this issue on the ground. We have already seen many changes and will continue to pursue opportunities to assist where we can.
What steps are taken to educate the Filipinos about humane slaughter of food animals? Why are you concentrating on a small industry when there are millions of farm animals are slaughtered in the U.S. and world every year?
There are a few laws and governing bodies that oversee slaughter in the Philippines and regulate the way food animals are raised and killed. However, because the dog meat trade in the Philippines is illegal, there are no government regulations concerning the slaughter of these animals. They are slaughtered in very brutal ways, and many suffer from disease, sickness, exhaustion prior to their death.
HSI also works in countries around the world to help farm animals. Several of our current programs include working with governments in Southeast Asia to implement more humane slaughter practices, and campaigning for cage free eggs in India and Brazil. In addition, we have started discussions with the Philippines National Meat Inspection Services (NMIS) regarding improved humane slaughter techniques for farm animals.
For information about what you can do in the U.S. for farm animals, please read about the Factory Farming Campaign of The Humane Society of the United States.
Besides writing to the mayor of Baguio City, what more can I do to put a stop to this trade?
You can do more by spreading the word to friends and family. Forward our action alerts, volunteer to help animal welfare organizations in these countries, and stay updated with HSI on our website.
