Ironman, APEC collateral damage?: Dogs captured, killed to ‘secure’ city roads

CEBU, Philippines - Stray dogs in Lapu-Lapu City have somehow become casualties in the city’s effort to ensure tight security during two upcoming major events: the Cobra Ironman competition and the APEC ministerial meetings.

Street dogs or “askals” are being rounded up by the City Veterinarian’s Office (CVO), the sick ones injected with sedatives.

The fully-conscious dogs are then crammed into a sealed metal box. They would break into a frenzy of wails and panicky scratching as the hose is connected from the running vehicle’s exhaust pipe to the metal box.

The process, called tambucho-gassing method, eventually kills the dogs whose bodies are then disposed of inside septic tanks.

Animal welfare groups, such as the Philippine Animal Welfare Society, have been wanting this method outlawed.

“If we need to put a dog to death because he cannot be cared for, the least we can do is send him off as painlessly and as humanely as possible,” earlier said Anna Cabrera, PAWS program director.

She said euthanasia means a “good death.”  Tambucho-killing, such as what is allegedly being practiced in Lapu-Lapu City, makes the dogs whimper and thrash about in pain for a good ten minutes before they die.

But Teodoro Limpangog, in-charge of the impounding of dogs, said their operations against stray animals have become even more frequent lately.

This as Lapu-Lapu City is expected to play host to the international triathlon competition on August 2 and some of the ministerial meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit starting August 22.

“We conduct our regular operation every Monday and Tuesday, but we are doing successive operations now for Ironman,” Limpangog said. Most of the operations are staged along the race route which covers Barangays Punta Engaño and Pusok.

Since June this year, CVO has captured at least 300 stray dogs and even some other domestic animals like cats, goats and livestock.

After these animals are taken into custody, Limpangog said they are then caged until such time that their owners claim them.

But because only a few owners show up to claim the animals, most of the dogs are killed after a week or so. As for goats, they are turned over to the barangay hall where they can be claimed by their rightful owners.

Healthy dogs that are not claimed are, however, open for adoption.

CVO is charging P500 on dog owners who would get their animals back.

During the actual day of the competition, CVO personnel will be deployed to ensure the route is free of stray animals. (FREEMAN)