BY: JOSE ROBERT INVENTOR
Authorities raided an eatery in Bugallon, Pangasinan, after discovering that it was serving dog meat dishes.
During the operation conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Pangasinan, the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) Region 1, and the Animal Welfare Investigations Project (AWIP) Ilocos Region, investigators found that the eatery was selling kilawin (raw meat salad) and adobo made from dog meat for 60 pesos per serving.
Greg Quimpo, regional director of AWIP, stated that the suspect was well-known in the area for openly selling dog meat dishes.
“This person is popular on Castro Street in Bugallon because customers go there specifically to buy dog meat. Some people don’t like what he’s doing,” Quimpo said in a phone interview.
The suspect, who was caught in the act of cooking and serving dog meat, claimed that he did not slaughter the dogs himself but was supplied with the meat by an unknown source.
Under Republic Act 8485, or the Animal Welfare Act of 1998, killing dogs for consumption is illegal, except in cases of religious or tribal rituals. Dog meat, often referred to as “hot meat,” is prohibited from being sold or consumed.
Dr. Vladi Natasha Q. Cruz, a medical officer at Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, warned about the dangers of eating dog meat.
“We do not advocate eating dogs. It is prohibited,” she said.
The suspect may face charges for violating Republic Act 8485 and Republic Act 9482, or the Anti-Rabies Act. If found guilty, he could be sentenced to six months to two years in prison and fined between 1,000 pesos and 5,000 pesos.
