For nineteen years, NFA has worked to strengthen Philippine law and raid slaughterhouses and restaurants, to bring an end to the brutality of the dog meat trade. Consuming dog meat is cruel, illegal and frowned upon by most in Manila, yet outside of the Philippine capital Network for Animals continues to fight dog butchery every day.
One of the greatest challenges in modern times is the flow of information about our movements. On the morning of December 7th following confirmation from an informant that an illegal dog slaughterhouse was active, we coordinated a raid in Padre Garcia, a small town on the southern Philippine mainland.
When we arrived with our police support team, the area had already been cleared of all trace of dog butchery. Quickly our team regrouped and brought in the Municipal Agriculture Office. We inspected the stalls of local street vendors and were able to confiscate around 20 kilograms (44lb) of raw and cooked dog meat.
A week later our team organised a further series of raids in the province of La Trinidad, north of Manila. Raids in the north typically partner with the police and National Meat Inspection Service. In the first two restaurants, we seized 16.2 kilograms (35lb) of cooked dog meat, however the second two restaurants were found clear. Experience has taught us that a communication network exists and word quickly spreads between vendors when raids are taking place.
All confiscated remains were buried by our team, the restaurants warned by the police, and footage of each of these seizures broadcast on ABS-CBN and TV5 Bitag news, sending a strong message to those still involved in the dog meat trade.
We were pleased to see such low quantities of dog meat in the active restaurants, particularly during winter, as it reflects our ongoing success. With your continued support, we will end the brutality of the Philippine dog meat trade once and for all.
