(PH) Cebu City passes 1st LGU ordinance vs cruelty to animals

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PIA Press Release

www.PIA.gov.ph

2007/11/07

 

Cebu City passes 1st LGU ordinance vs cruelty to animals

 

Cebu City (7 November) -- This city is the first local government unit (LGU) in

the country that has passed an ordinance against cruelty to animals using forced

oral drenching method before slaughter even before RA 8485 otherwise known as

the Animal Welfare Act of 1998 has been enacted.

 

Cebu City Veterinarian Dr. Alice Utlang bared that oral forced drenching before

slaughter or " tingal " in the Cebuano dialect is prohibited as this is often

applied to increase body weight so that wholesale and retail prices of meat are

likewise unfairly increased.

 

Apart from inflicting pain to the animal, such method also dupes and deprives

the consumers from the true kilo weight of meat they are buying, Utlang said.

 

Cebu City Ordinance No. 2080 approved on July 5, 2006 amends ordinance No. 879,

promulgating rules and regulations governing the activities of butchers and

their helpers and other persons in the slaughtering of domestic food animals and

domestic poultry in the Cebu City abattoir, their supervision and control and

providing fees thereof.

 

Under the ordinance, forced oral drenching is a form of cruelty causing animals

to bloat and suffocate while this method also causes meat to suffer in quality

and shortchanges consumers with artificial weight of meat cuts.

 

The ordinance likewise stipulates that any cattle either cow or carabao found to

be bloated or forced drenched will be taken into custody and subjected to

summary condemnation.

 

Utlang said those that violate the ordinance will be subjected to a fine of not

less than P1,000 nor more than P5,000 or an imprisonment of not less than six

months nor more than one year or both.

 

In fact, Cebu City is the first LGU in the country to adopt a local legislation

that gives due protection to the general welfare of animals while the National

Government only passed the Animal Welfare Act two years after or in 1998, Utlang

stressed.

 

Early this year, a butcher was apprehended for applying the forced oral

drenching method and was jailed for two nights before posting bail and paying a

fine of P5,000 while last year, a person was arrested for slaughtering a dog for

food meat and was fined P2,000 and spent overnight in jail, Utlang revealed.

 

Department of Agriculture (DA-7) Animal Welfare Coordinator Dr. Verna Agriam on

the other hand, admitted no person has been charged in court for violating the

Animal Welfare Act.

 

Though the law was approved in 1998, " we are still on the information

dissemination stage, " as people still need to be aware on the provisions of the

law, Agriam said. Budgetary constraints have hampered the massive advocacy drive

about the law as focus of their agency is on poverty alleviation programs,

Agriam added.

 

Agriam is urging local government units to help the National Government in its

campaign promoting and protecting the basic rights of animals that include

freedom from malnutrition, injury, illnesses and harm.

 

Both Utlang and Agriam were invited panelists during the weekly Kapihan sa PIA

held this morning that tackled the highlights of RA 8485. (PIA-Cebu/FCR)

 

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12 & fi=p071107.htm & no=56

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PIA Press Release

www.PIA.gov.ph

2007/11/07

 

Cebu City welcomes moves to deputize LGUs against animal cruelty

 

Cebu City (7 November) -- City Veterinarian Dr. Alice Utlang welcomed the move

of the Department of Agriculture (DA-7) to deputize local government units

(LGUs) to apprehend any individual violating the provisions of the Animal

Welfare Act which included the improper handling of animals during transport.

 

Utlang revealed that she has long been asking the DA-7 that LGUs should be

deputize amid complaints received by their office on inhumane treatment and

handling of animals during transport from other areas to Cebu City.

 

The Animal Welfare Act of 1998 aims to protect and promote the welfare of all

animals giving focus on five basic freedom rights such as freedom from hunger

and thirst, injury, disease, harm and conformity to essential behavioral

pattern.

 

A common violation of the law is the improper handling of animals for trade upon

transport from the farmland to the market which includes overcrowding and

inadequate ventilation without due consideration to the welfare of the animals,

it is said.

 

Utlang said reports reached their office regarding the problem but that they

cannot apprehend those violating the law in the absence of an authority from the

Da-7.

 

The law is very specific that only the Bureau of the Animal Industry (BAI) under

the DA is tasked to fully implement the law which includes the apprehension of

violators, Utlang bared.

 

DA-7 Animal Welfare Coordinator Dr. Verna Agriam on the other hand, said they

are currently asking for the new list of mayors so that they could already be

informed about the plan of the DA-7 to deputize LGUs to apprehend those that

violate the Animal Welfare Act or RA 8485.

 

Utlang said Cebu City can only apprehend those that transport animals for trade

from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and those that pollute the environment with animal foul

odor as an ordinance has already been passed regarding this matter.

 

As this developed, National Meat Inspection Services Regional Technical Director

Dr. Romeo Capa urged the public to report to their office those that are selling

dog meat as dog meat is not considered as food animal.

 

Dog meat is subject for confiscation and those that are caught selling dog meat

will be penalized, Capa warned.

 

Capa made the appeal upon learning that some are selling dog meat which others

buy and combine it with regular meat to cook 'caldereta.'

 

Animals considered as food are carabao, cow, pig, horse, goat, ostrich, poultry

animals and even crocodiles, Capa said.

 

Agrian meanwhile said under RA 8485, horse fighting and dog fighting are

considered illegal while cock fighting is culturally accepted. (PIA-Cebu/FCR)

 

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12 & fi=p071107.htm & no=60