When will the cruelty end?

The other day I was tagged in a post showing a dog suffering from severe burns after a neighbor, frustrated by the animal’s barking, poured boiling water on it. My office immediately reached out and we are now awaiting a response. Most people would assume this was an isolated act of cruelty. I wish that were true. The reality is that I am tagged in stories like this all the time, and each one is as heartbreaking as the last.

One video from earlier this week has stayed with me. In Isabela, a motorcycle pulls up beside a dog walking along a road. One of the riders raises a gun and shoots the dog at close range. The animal cries out in pain as the men speed away as though nothing happened.

What followed was almost as disturbing as the attack itself. A significant number of people online applauded the killing rather than condemning it.

That reaction should alarm all of us.

When a dog can be shot in public and many people see nothing wrong with it, we are facing more than a single act of violence. We are confronting a culture that has become comfortable with cruelty whenever an animal is viewed as inconvenient.

Republic Act 8485, or the Animal Welfare Act of 1998 as amended in 2013, was an important step forward. But more than a decade later, the law is no longer enough.

It does not clearly define cruelty in many real world situations. Enforcement remains under the Bureau of Animal Industry, an office whose primary mandate is agricultural production rather than animal protection. There is no dedicated agency focused solely on welfare, no barangay level response system and no simple mechanism for concerned citizens to trigger action when abuse occurs. Community animals living on our streets also remain largely unprotected.

The law was built for a different era, and the gaps it leaves behind are where cruelty continues to thrive.

Just recently another dog was shot with an airsoft gun after it reportedly attacked a chicken on private property. The incident sparked debate over who was responsible.

Some blamed the dog’s owner for failing to restrain the animal. Others pointed to the barangay for not properly managing stray animals. Both arguments have merit.

Responsible pet ownership matters. Local governments also have a duty to address animal welfare in their communities.

But one principle should be clear. No frustration, inconvenience or property dispute gives anyone the right to inflict unnecessary suffering on a living creature.

That is why we MUST pass House Bill 1746.

The measure seeks to modernize and strengthen the Animal Welfare Act by creating a dedicated Animal Welfare Bureau under the Department of Agriculture. This would be a permanent institution with the staff, authority and resources to investigate abuse, confiscate animals, impose sanctions and pursue violators.

The bill also establishes Barangay Animal Welfare Response Committees so that cases of cruelty can be addressed where they happen most often, in our own neighborhoods. Every barangay would designate a trained officer who can respond when residents witness abuse and need immediate assistance.

Penalties would be significantly strengthened. Acts of cruelty resulting in serious injury or death could lead to imprisonment of up to five years and fines of up to P500,000. Habitual offenders could be permanently prohibited from owning animals. Lesser offenders may be required to perform community service involving direct work with animals as part of rehabilitation.

The bill also recognizes that neglectful owners must be held accountable. Allowing animals to roam freely can create hazards and place both people and animals at risk. Ownership carries responsibility.

But neglect by an owner can never justify vigilante violence.

The claim that an animal might cause an accident is not a license to shoot, poison or torture it. We would never accept that reasoning in any other context, and we should not accept it here.

House Bill 1746 also mandates animal welfare education in all public and private primary and secondary schools. Compassion cannot be forced, but it can be taught. And when compassion is reinforced early, accountability becomes stronger later.

I have traveled across the country listening to farmers, fisherfolk, transport workers and students. Last week in Tarlac, during a visit with the International Wildlife Coalition Trust, I was reminded once again that animal welfare and human welfare are deeply connected. The way we treat the most vulnerable among us, including those who cannot speak or defend themselves, reveals the true character of our society.

The dog in Isabela had no voice. It had no protection and no one to call for help.

What happened to that animal was not simply an isolated act of cruelty. It was a stark reminder that our laws have not kept pace with our moral responsibilities.

We have both the power and the responsibility to change that.

The question is simple.

When will the cruelty end?