September 23, 2008

Dog Meat Trade in the Philippines

The majority of Filipinos do not agree with the consumption of dog meat. A growing fondness for man's best friend and an expanding pet-keeping culture have added to the disdain for this practice. But while the dog meat trade has been illegal since the passage of the Animal Welfare Act in 1998, a lack of strong penalties and enforcement has allowed the industry to flourish.

HSI has joined forces with Network for Animals, Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), Animal Welfare Coalition and local authorities to crack down on the dog meat trade through funding for training to enforce the law, immediate care for confiscated animals, and a public awareness campaign about the cruel trade.

HSI also coordinated the sending of letters, signed by members of Congress, to the U.S. Secretary of State [PDF] and the Philippines president [PDF] requesting that the U.S. discuss with Philippine officials how the U.S. can assist in the enforcement of the Anti-Rabies Act, e.g. through police training, or otherwise support efforts to ensure the law's effectiveness.