International Wildlife Coalition Trust | Philippine Dog Rescue

Where the wars against dog-meat trading are carried out, our AKF personnel in the Philippines risk their life and limb saving dogs bound for slaughter. Together with the Philippine National Police (PNP), raids on erring establishments are made and seizures of deliveries, predominantly bound for the northern parts of the country, are vigilantly done. Months of research and investigation is involved in a successful raid, in most cases, AKF personnel expose their lives in dangers by pretending to be interested dog-meat buyers. With confirmed target, coordination with the police and proper government agencies are made followed by a buy-bust operation. Once rescued, the dogs are brought to AKF’s Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Capas, Tarlac, a town that is more than an hour drive from Manila.

Snouts bleeding, some with tongues swollen, due to tin cans muzzling their mouths; front legs tied behind their backs; stacked on top of each other in an enclosed vehicle; gall bladders bursting due to heat and barely surviving: this is precisely the state of the hapless dogs during IWCT rescue operations back in the Philippines. The "lucky" ones who survive this ordeal for nearly ten hours of being out on the road are strangled or whacked on the heads as soon as they arrive in their destinations just before dawn. Their meats are then delivered in restaurants and are cooked for breakfast, lunch and dinner and as hors d'oeuvre during drinking sessions. It has become part of a minority of Filipino’s daily diet and is already a multi-million peso trade.

An average of 300 dogs are slaughtered for their meat per day or even more than that since IWCT came to the Philippines but due to our determined resolve, that number has considerably dwindled resulting to some illegal slaughterhouses and makeshift eateries getting decommissioned.

Presently, more than 80 individuals have been arrested and charged with violation of the Philippine Animal Welfare Act of 1998 (RA 8485); almost 30 illegal slaughterhouses and small-scale restaurants have stopped operating. This is a result of more than 35 operations in the northern and southern regions of the Philippines.

IWCT/AKF also conducts dog-vaccinations and anti-rabies programs in critically considered areas in the Philippines.

More than 800 live dogs have been delivered to various pounds in the country since IWCT started and now keeps more than 300 rescued dogs in our centre. This number is slowly growing after each successful operation.

Significant coordination and link-ups with proper agencies, private and government, have also played an important role in IWCT/AKF‘s advocacy.

• LIST OF OPERATIONS |

Operations :
Jan. - present 2007
• 6 Operations initiated
• 218 dogs rescued
• 11 people persecuted

February: 9-Feb-07
Location: Cabanatuan,
Nueva Ecija
Researcher: Brando Gegway
No of Dogs rescued: 2
No of people persecuted: 2
Media Used: GMA 7

February: 13-Feb-07
Location: San Fabian, Pangasinan
Researcher: Brando Gegway
No of Dogs rescued: 7
No of people persecuted: 2
Media Used: GMA 7

February: 22-Feb-07
Location: Mabalacat, Pampanga
Researcher: Greg Quimpo
No of Dogs rescued: 93
No of people persecuted: 2
Media Used: BBC

February: 22-Feb-07
Location: Cabanatuan,
Nueva Ecija
Researcher: Greg Quimpo
No of Dogs rescued: 1
No of people persecuted: 2
Media Used: BBC

March 22-Mar-07
Location: Tuba Benguet
Researcher: Brando Gegway
No of Dogs rescued: 57
No of people persecuted: 1
Media Used: ABS CBN

July 27-Jul-07
Location: Candon, La Union
Researcher: Brando Gegway
No of Dogs rescued: 58
No of people persecuted: 3
Media Used:

Operations:
Jan. - December 2006
• 15 operations initiated
• 258 dogs rescued
• 33 people prosecuted

January: Jan 20, 2006
Location: Baguio Public Market
Researcher: Brando Gegway
No of dog meat: 204 kilos
No of People Prosecuted: 3
Media Used: Sunstar,
Midland, Zigzag, ABS-CBN

January : January 27, 2006
Location: Pangasinan
Researcher: Greg Quimpo
No of dogs rescued: 4
Pound: La Union City Pound
No of People Prosecuted: 2

February : February 3, 2006
Location: Rosario, La Union
Researcher:Winston Samaniego
No of dogs rescued: 30
Pound: La Union City Pound

March : March 7, 2006
Location: Naguilian, La Union
Researcher: Winston Samaniego
No of dogs rescued: 5
Pound: La Union City Pound
No of People Prosecuted: 3

March : March 30, 2006
Location: Tabaco, Albay
Researcher: Greg Quimpo
No of dogs rescued: 5
Pound: Legaspi City Pound
No of People Prosecuted: 1

April : April 27, 2006
Location: Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija
Researcher: Brando Gegway
No of dogs rescued: 7
Pound: La Union City Pound
No of People Prosecuted: 3

July : July 6, 2006
Location: Villasis, Pangasinan
Researcher: Greg Quimpo
No of dogs rescued: 8
Pound: AKF Rescue Center
No of People Prosecuted: 2

July : July 16, 2006
Location: Tuguegarao City
Researcher: Brando Gegway
No of dogs rescued: 16
Pound: AKF Rescue Center
No of People Prosecuted: 2

August : August 2006
Location: Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija
Researcher: Brando Gegway
No of dogs rescued: 2
Pound: AKF Rescue Center
No of People Prosecuted: 2

August : August 18, 2006
Location of Apprehension: Rosario, la Union
Researcher: Winston Samaniego
No of dogs rescued: 36
Pound: AKF Rescue Center
No of People Prosecuted: 2

August : August 30, 2006
Location of Apprehension: Tubao, La Union
Researcher: Winston Samaniego
No of dogs rescued: 45
Pound: AKF Rescue Center
No of People Prosecuted: 2

October: October 2006
Location: Baguio Public Market
Researcher: Brando Gegway
No of dog meat: 85 kilos
No of People Prosecuted: 3
Media Used: Sunstar, Midland, Zigzag, ABS-CBN

October : October 18, 2006
Location of Apprehension: La Trinidad, Baguio
Researcher: Brando Gegway
No of dogs rescued: 1 dog/ 86 dead
Pound: Adopted
No of People Prosecuted: 2

November : Nov. 2, 2006
Location of Apprehension:
San Fernando, La Union
Researcher: Winston Samaniego
No of dogs rescued: 30
Pound: AKF Rescue Center
No of People Prosecuted: 2

December : Dec. 2, 2006
Location of Apprehension:
Rosario, La Union
Researcher: Winston Samaniego/Brando Gegway
No of dogs rescued: 73
Pound: AKF Rescue Center
No of People Prosecuted: 2