Bicol farmer seeks justice for slain dog

MANILA, Philippines - With only fare money in his pocket, a 65-year-old farmer took the long bus ride from Bicol to Manila to seek justice for his family’s beloved guard dog that was hacked to death by an intruder.

Silvestre Ravago said even if he has very little money, he rode the bus to seek help from the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) in Quezon City after the police in his hometown of Oas, Albay turned him away upon finding out the case involved a dog.

The local police referred him to PAWS, saying animals were not under their jurisdiction.

“Ella is like one of my children. She sleeps with us,” Ravago said in Filipino of his seven-year-old dog.

“I cannot just let what happened to her pass. Her killer should be punished,” he said at the PAWS office.

The farmer brought with him gruesome pictures of his dead dog, a certification and report from officials of his barangay and his IDs to help boost his case.

PAWS executive director Anna Cabrera met Ravago on Tuesday and helped him draft an affidavit needed to file a complaint.

Ravago said the incident happened on the evening of Nov. 6 when a drunk man entered their premises and hacked Ella, who was barking at the intruder.

It was not clear, however, why the suspect tried to enter their premises.

Ravago was out of the house during the incident and his son tried to block the intruder but the suspect brandished his machete at him.

Barangay tanods tried to save the dog but it died from its injuries.

“Mang Besti (Ravago) says his youngest daughter still cannot stop crying when they talk about what happened to Ella,” Cabrera said.

She said Ravago related that he finds it hard to look at the pictures.

Cabrera said PAWS wrote a letter to the police chief of Oas “so that they will be better informed next time someone approaches them about animal crimes.”

She said most Filipinos, including law enforcers, are unaware of the Animal Welfare Act.

She also said there has been an increasing number of people directly approaching PAWS for help in filing cases of cruelty against animals in the last few months.