And the fight continues

The July 28 presscon called by Senator Jamby Madrigal so that the animal welfare groups could be heard on their opposition to House Bill 5291, “An Act Granting The Fox New Millennium Amusement Club Inc. (FNMACI): A Franchise to Construct, Operate and Maintain a Greyhound Racetrack in Any Place Within the City of Mandaue, Province of Cebu,” garnered the right reactions. Present at the hearing were representatives of the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Compassion and Responsibility towards Animals (CARA Phil.), Animal Kingdom Foundation (AKF), Feathered Friends Foundation, and Earth Island Institute Phils.

At the start of this crusade against Greyhound racing there were only seven senators who agreed to vote against the bill that has already passed through the House of Representatives.

All the efforts to get the message across that Greyhound racing is not only cruel to the dogs, but also encourages gambling, have paid off. At present the number of senators who have expressed opposition to the bill has grown to 13.

The enlightened 13 are:

1. Senator Chiz Escudero

2. Senator Gringo Honasan

3. Senator Pia Cayetano

4. Senator Miguel Zubiri

5. Senator Jamby Madrigal

6. Senator Manny Villar

7. Senator Rodolfo Biazon

8. Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr.

9. Senator Mar Roxas

10. Senator Alan Peter Cayetano

11. Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III

12. Senator Kiko Pangilinan

13. Senator Joker Arroyo

Let’s hope that these senators deliver on their promise and say no to the Greyhound dog racing bill should it reach a voting stage. Better yet, we at Petlife hope that the bill will be killed and never resurface again.

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There is another reason for pet-lovers all over to celebrate, Cardinal Ricardo Vidal of Cebu says that he is against Greyhound racing, as it is a form of gambling. The good Cardinal is also a dog lover — he is definitely against any form of cruelty to dogs, too.

In a statement released by Cardinal Rosales recently he said:

“I am opposed to the introduction of Greyhound racing in the Philippines. It is again another form of gambling that will be institutionalized in Cebu. It not only takes away hard-earned money from the poor but is also a form of cruelty to animals. It will not be good for all, especially for the young people. It will not be a blessing to Cebu. It is against nature and morality.”

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When PAWS representatives Anna Cabrera and May Felix visited him, the Cardinal had lamented about some local politicians losing sight of moral values in favor of getting more business or money.

As we reported earlier Greyhound racing is a dying industry in the rest of the developed world. Attendance at Greyhound tracks has plummeted worldwide. As a result, 27 Greyhound tracks have closed in the US since 1991. Barbados, Guam, Haiti and Indonesia have all closed down their tracks due to dwindling profits.

Ironically, the introduction of Greyhound racing may even turn off tourists from visiting the Mandaue. Many foreigners are already informed about the cruelty of this sport.

In the US, an annual average of 20,000 Greyhounds produced specifically for this industry are put to death simply because there are not enough homes for these dogs when they are retired at age three.

“We have approached several archbishops already who agree with his Eminence that the passage of House Bill Nos. 5291 and 5648 is a serious threat which will contribute to the country’s moral degradation — something that far outweighs any of the perceived ‘economic benefits’ presented by the proponents of this new form of gambling,” said Cabrera. “The only ones who will truly benefit from this are Fox New Millenium Amusement Club Inc. and the Southeast Asia Greyhound Racing Club Inc.”

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Elizabeth still bears the wire-marks on her snout. Lorenzo Sayson put her in a sack, muzzled and tied her legs with alambre.

Fortunately for Elizabeth, as she wriggled her way out of the sack, PAWS volunteer Bradford Feliciano, who was on his way to the shelter, spotted her on the floor of the jeepney just in front of the FX that he was riding.

Feliciano, a photographer, managed to snap a photo showing part of the sack and the plate number of the jeepney before he reported to the Marikina police. Police managed to track down Sayson, who lived just a few blocks from the PAWS Animal Shelter.

Despite Sayson’s protestations that he had no intention of slaughtering the dog (he claims he was merely transporting her from Rizal to Marikina to give her to his brother as a guard dog and was afraid that she would bite), PAWS pointed out that tying a dog in such a manner and putting her in a sack was enough to file charges for violation of the Animal Welfare Act for illegal dog transport. Sayson spent four days in jail.

And, in a very rare case of the wheels of justice turning fast, the Marikina Municipal Trial Court Branch 74 on Aug. 10 found Sayson guilty and sentenced him to pay a fine of P2,000 for violation of the Animal Welfare Act. The fine may be low, but the conviction will stay as part of his criminal record. Neighbors who saw Sayson being arrested by policemen brought in by PAWS are not likely to forget that in Marikina, attempted dog slaughter and illegal dog transport are crimes not to be taken lightly.

Elizabeth is now at the PAWS shelter and is currently waiting for a good home. She is one of PAWS’ sweetest dogs and her demeanor is as lady-like as her name.

Help Elizabeth forget her horrible past and give her a chance at a new life. She enjoys long, lazy walks and likes to be cuddled.

Visit her in PARC Aurora Blvd., Katipunan Valley, Loyola Heights, Q.C.

Call PAWS at 475-1688 during office hours.