AS FAR as I can remember, my dad has been a dog meat eater. He always said it is part of the Igorot culture and all Igorots must learn to eat dog meat. In the 1980’s when I was working in his accounting office at Teofelix Building along Session Road, we would occasionally go to eat at Sagada Lunch. Dog meat was a specialty and the eatery of Mangay Smith was always full whenever we go there for lunch. I stopped eating dog meat after one instance that I vomited right after a dog meat lunch. My husband John is a dog lover and a dog meat eater. And so I occasionally taste the pulutan they get every time Manong Alex comes to Baguio and ask for we serve that “special meat.”
Regg was given to us as a puppy seven years ago, John has trained him and so at times we can give commands and in a way talk to him. He is a Labrador (not a hundred percent) which makes him a perfect dog for us – obeys well, barks at intruders, barks to welcome us home and bullies the others to sit down in preparation to meal time. At one time, he was scolded by my husband and he felt rejected and would simply sit at the gate waiting to be invited in. When he knew he did sometime wrong, he would come and give a hand shake. He thinks that would settle everything. We have grown to love him and found much excitement having to have him in our home.
Beauty is of the golden retriever breed (ngem askal latta kano.) She has a golden double coat which becomes more pronounce after her bath and the sunlight hits her. Beauty is totally lovable and is very alert, can catch a piece of bread thrown her way, and friendly. She is devoted so much so that even if she is being rebuked, she would be waging her tail and totally confidently looking at me (as if nothing is seriously wrong.) She likes a hug and a pat upon arriving home seems to be heavenly to her. She is totally lovable and friendly. She will climb up her dog house and watch us eat through the window. She just looks no barking, no tantrums.
Three nights ago, the dogs were all released off their chains for playtime. By nighttime we forgot to chain them up again and so they slipped through the gate and went out in the mountains. Before midnight going out to check on them, I found only one dog Sheila in the yard and so I chained her. I called out the names of our dogs and two more came back – Shasha and Chowking. Two dogs – Regg and beauty – have not returned.
The next morning we went around looking for them, calling their names but to no avail. That night I had a nightmare that Regg was barbequed and I saw his tongue sticking out. I woke up with heart pumping off my chest and so I went out and called Regg and Beauty. But my hollering fell to deaf ears despite the stillness and silence of the night. As I write this, it is the third day of distress. Since day one, we looked around our subdivision; ask the guards, the barangay officers and some home owners but to no avail. On day one I called up the pound and the dogs are not there. One of the staff knows Regg and Beauty and we asked him to keep tab in case they are caught. People we asked seem to say “they went to the pot” and looks of pity and sympathy are thrown our way.
My brother said that the news headline is that dog butchers and dealers of Pangasinan have been caught again and charge with cruelty to animals. My husband says that maybe the local people have resorted to dog butchery because the Pangasinan dog meat sellers cannot come up to Baguio anymore. But I still pray that they are still alive, that they were locked up in someone’s yard and soon they will find a way to run back home. I pray to God, that it be the case and still in denial that they are in dog heaven. My heart bleeds, Regg and Beauty are lovers. Have they met the butcher, I pray not.. The dog butchers will never realize the pain it would cause the pet owners, I call them heartless.