Man believed to have been killed by his dog  

CEBU, Philippines —  A 63-year-old man who was believed to have been killed by his own dogs was found dead at his residence in sitio Molila, Barangay Lawaan 1, Talisay City yesterday morning.

Police identified the man as George Mayol, a bachelor and a resident in the area.

Winston Empleo, neighbor of the victim, revealed that Mayol was last seen on Monday.

They were surprised when he didn’t come out doing his daily feeding of his goat.

Empleo said they decided to get inside and found Mayol lifeless with many wounds believed to have been bitten by a dog.

Empleo said that in July last year, Mayol was bitten by his dog.

In fact, Dina Reponte, a close friend of the victim, said that Mayol had always been bitten by his dog.

The worst one was in July last year when he got injuries on his arm and mouth. Mayol actually had 56 stitches.

Reponte said that the black dog, which is a mix breed of German Shepherd and Dobberman, is a jealous one.

Mayol has five dogs: a black and brown dog, and four white dogs.

“Kung iyang hamag-hamagon mga puti nga iro magselos ang itom nga iro mao to siya nga gipaak. Punterya ang iyang liog pero napugngan kini og diha sa bukton napakaan,” said Reponte.

Rodrigo Mayol, 61, brother of the victim, said he had warned his brother not to keep dogs.

The victim was alone in their 2,000 square meter space while his siblings live in Cebu City.

Meanwhile, Police Corporal Clifford Lerio, investigator at Talisay City Police Station, in their initial investigation, said it is possible that the victim was beaten by his dog until he died and they will follow all angles to see if there was foul play in his death.

Animal Welfare

Meanwhile, the Cebu City Council has approved the formation of the Animal Welfare Act Council that will be closely eyeing the policies that protect the animal welfare.

The approval was sealed during the weekly council session last Wednesday presided by Vice Mayor Alvin Raymond Garcia.

Cebu City veterinarian, Dr. Jessica Maribojoc, said that among the first programs that they will be pushing through is the launching of the Animal Welfare Desk in every police station.

“Through the creating sa body, ma push na sya na city council para na sad sa resolution na tanang station sa Cebu City,” she said.

Aside from this, the said body is also eyeing to form a permanent Animal Disaster Rescue team through the resolution.

In line with this, the local police will be also undergoing training to equip them in handling cases of animal cruelty.

As cited in the measure authored by the Garcia, this ordinance aims to protect and promote the welfare of all animals “by establishing a system of supervision and regulation to ensure humane treatment in all aspects of the keeping, maintaining, handling, transporting, breeding, training, treating and use of animals either as objects of trade or is pets in the City of Cebu.”

Maribojoc said that the policy-making body will be composed of the team coming from the Cebu City Department of Veterinary Medicine & Fisheries (DVMF), Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Animal Industry-Regulatory Division, Cebu City Police Office, Department of the Interior and Local Government-Cebu City, Liga ng mga Barangay-Cebu City Chapter, and the Bureau of Fire Protection-Cebu City.

This will be chaired by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama himself.

“So kato sila is di sila one-sided, dili sya bias, because we will also hear out man gud kinsa to ang chairman, kinsa to ang vice-chairman, kinsa na sya ang mga members which is identified na,” she added.

This body shall formulate policies that will be approved by the City Council.

According to Maribojoc, Cebu City will be the first city to implement an Animal Welfare Act Council in which Cebuano can take pride. — GMR (FREEMAN)