Philippines
Metro Manila
Furparent, PAWS, file case after alleged dog poisoning in Cavite
Furparent, PAWS, file case after alleged dog poisoning in Cavite
At A Glance
- A Cavite furparent, backed by PAWS, is pursuing legal action after her dog's suspected poisoning, highlighting broader challenges in enforcing animal welfare laws in the country.
CAVITE – A furparent and the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) have filed a case before the Office of the Prosecutor in General Trias City against a woman accused of poisoning two dogs, resulting in the death of one.
The dogs' owner sought help from PAWS to file charges of malicious mischief and violation of the Animal Welfare Act against her neighbor on Tuesday, May 20.
In an interview with the Manila Bulletin on Wednesday, May 21, PAWS Education and Campaigns Officer Sharon Bengzon-Yap said the case stemmed from an incident that happened in April.
The neighbor and respondent in the case reportedly told the furparent that she was afraid of being bitten after one of the dogs barked at her.
The furparent assured the neighbor that her dogs, Boboy and Prince, were friendly and posed no threat.
The following day, however, both dogs reportedly collapsed, convulsed, and began foaming at the mouth. While Prince survived the ordeal, Boboy tragically did not.
“They saw 'yung plastic with something bluish tapos may tirang rice, fish, na mukhang kinain ni Boboy… It was Boboy siguro who ate most of the food kaya siya 'yung nag-pass away (They saw the plastic with something bluish, along with leftover rice and fish, which looked like it had been eaten by Boboy… It was likely Boboy who ate most of the food, which is why he was the one who passed away),” Bengzon-Yap said.
When the furparent reported the incident to the barangay, officials reviewed the CCTV footage, which showed a clear view of her house.
“That’s when they saw that their neighbor actually went sa bahay nila, sa may gate (in their house, near the gate), a few hours prior to the incident."
The barangay attempted to mediate between both parties, but the issue remained unresolved, as the fur parent was determined to get justice for her dog.
Prior to the alleged poisoning, the two dogs were not only watchdogs but also constant companions to the furparent’s blind mother. The furparent had to resign from work after the incident because they no longer felt secure.
Most reported animal abuse complaints fail to progress to legal action
The alleged dog poisoning incident in General Trias is just one of the many reported cases of animal abuse in the country.
PAWS recorded around 6,000 reports in 2024, including some cases that went viral on social media. Out of all these incidents, however, only eight cases were filed.
“It’s either walang gustong mag-witness, walang gustong mag-step up para sabihin kung ano ‘yung nakita nila. Minsan, kulang sa evidence. Sadly, 'yung iba, nagpapa-areglo na sila (It’s either no one wants to be a witness, no one wants to step up and say what they saw. At times, there is a lack of evidence. Sadly, others just choose to settle the matter quietly),” Bengzon-Yap said.
“A lot of people will be willing to share, will be willing to upload the videos, pero kapag filing na ng case, ayaw na nila kasi natatakot (but when it comes to filing the case, they do not want to because they are scared).”
So far this year, the animal rights advocacy group has filed four animal abuse cases and is working on several others that it hopes will proceed.
PAWS is working to raise public awareness that filing an animal abuse case does not have to be costly, especially with their support.
“We have volunteer lawyers who will review their affidavit for free. Our executive director is also a lawyer, so she can assist also… Libre po lahat 'yung legal assistance namin (All our legal assistance is provided for free),” Bengzon-Yap stated.
Complainants would only need to shoulder transportation costs to and from hearings and investigative proceedings.
Beyond legal access, however, PAWS underscored the importance of public involvement in enforcing animal protection laws.
“Ang batas natin is fair, it’s existing. Hindi naman nagkulang ang batas. Ang problem is tayo mismo, as people, ang nagkukulang to speak up and stand up for these animals para ipatupad ang batas (Our law is fair, it’s existing. The law is not lacking. The problem lies in us, the people, who fail to speak up and stand up for these animals to ensure the law is enforced).”
