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Thursday, February 23, 2006
Dad ignores appeal to stop dog meat consumption
By Jane Cadalig
"NOBODY could change our taste buds, not even those foreigners who are ignorant of our culture."
Benguet Board Member Aloysius Kato issued the statement on Wednesday in reaction to numerous complaints received by the Provincial Government over plans to legalize the sale of dog meat in the market.
Letters from foreign countries like Canada, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom have been transmitted to the PB. Every letter, written either individually or as a group, manifested opposition to the passage of a legislative measure seeking to legalize the sale of dog meat. The letters suggested that measures to this effect should be ignored or rejected.
Advocates for animals' welfare said dogs should not be slaughtered for human consumption.
Republic Act (RA) 8485 or the Philippine Animal Welfare Act penalizes the butcher of dogs, except those used for ritual or offering, in recognition of the customary practices of the indigenous peoples.
Among the letters received by the province included a letter from a Hong Kong-based Animal Welfare Group, noting that "traditions can never be an excuse for cruelty to animals."
The board member however called the foreign individuals and groups as "hypocrites," assailing them for condemning what he claimed as a cultural practice that foreigners could never understand.
"These foreigners are hypocrites. I suggest that we ignore their appeal. They can never change our taste buds and stop us from eating dog meat," Kato said during the PB's regular session.
Kato said even foreign countries commit cruelty to animals, which "is even worse than that of the Cordillerans." "Why do they react negatively and condemn us and deprive us of our rights, when in fact they are worse than us (in treating animals)? I can come up with documented proofs to show animal abuses committed by foreigners," he said.
He said he needs two weeks to produce the documentation.
(February 23, 2006 issue)
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