CEBU, Philippines — Even before the incident involving the death of five dogs that were believed to be poisoned got solved, a more horrifying incident of animal cruelty reached City Hall involving a supposed dog shelter in Barangay Adlaon, Cebu City.
More than 120 dogs were found abandoned, seven of them already dead, inside the facility, said Ramil Ayuman, one of the Mayor’s Special Assistants.
City Disaster Chief Harold Alcontin said, the dogs were already fighting for their own survival, when they went to the location.
Alcontin described the situation in the dog shelter as a case of “dog-eats-dog” and most of them were already weak.
The dogs reportedly did not resist anymore when they rescued them
There were also some dogs that were able to escape from the said shelter but have reportedly harmed some other animals in the neighborhood.
The Department of Veterinary Medicine & Fisheries has started rescuing these dogs and will take care of them.
As this developed, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has ordered concerned departments to go after the perpetrators of animal cruelty in the city.
“It’s unpardonable, it’s condemnable,” Rama said in yesterday’s press conference.
Rama has directed Alcontin to coordinate with the Cebu City Police Office and other departments “to get to the bottom of this.”
“No let-up…whoever may have committed…bring them to court…have them prosecuted,” Rama said.
Back-to-back incidents of animal cruelty had been reported in two barangays in the city.
Earlier this week, the owner of five domestic dogs that were reportedly poisoned in Barangay Guadalupe cried foul and sought justice for their pets. — GAN (FREEMAN)