A SIXTY-THREE-year-old man identified by police as George Mayol a resident of Sitio Molila, Barangay Lawaan 1, Talisay City was reported by relatives to have been killed by his own dog on Sept. 28, 2023. However, a veterinarian found the claim impossible to believe.
Mayol was found dead inside a makeshift toilet near his house with multiple wounds and scratches on his body.
His younger brother, Rodrigo, said he had long warned George not to keep the dog, a mixed breed of German Shepherd and Doberman, because this type would not submit to its “master.”
But the head of Cebu City’s Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries (DVMF), Jessica Maribojoc, told the media on Monday, Oct. 2 that Rodrigo’s claim was not believable.
“Personally, as a veterinarian, I do not believe the claim. Dogs do not bite even if you pinch them for as long as there is trust and a bond has been established between the dog and the owner,” said Maribojoc in Cebuano.
Maribojoc said there could be other reasons for Mayol’s death.
“If the dog is rabid, it will attack if it hears a sound even when caged. In this case, you can see that the dog is very calm,” Maribojoc said.
Maribojoc saw the possibility of foul play since Mayol’s relatives refused to have his body autopsied.
Police Lt. Col. Wayne Magbanua, chief of the Talisay City Police Station, said they suggested to the victim’s relatives to have an autopsy done on Mayol to ascertain the cause of his death.
But, according to Magbanua, the family rejected the proposal because they were convinced that he had died after being attacked by his dog, Spike.
As part of protocol, Spike is now under a 14-day quarantine at the DVMF, and will be moved to a shelter owned by Alexa Yna, a dog lover and owner of animal rescue shelter, after completing the observation period.
Prior to the incident, Spike lived with his owner for four years.
