The Philippines is a renowned tourism and business destination in the western Pacific. Heartbreakingly, it harbours a dark secret: The Dog Meat Trade.
PAL’s founder Brian Davies has fought the appallingly cruel – and illegal – dog meat trade in the Philippines for more than two decades. In that time, PAL lobbied vigorously for the Animal Welfare Law of 1998 and has worked to strengthen legislation since then; its sister organisation, Network for Animals, has worked directly on the ground to save the lives of thousands of dogs.
Through NFA’s efforts, the consumption of dog meat has substantially reduced in the Philippines and more than 400 illegal dog meat traders have been convicted and imprisoned. But PAL’s fight is far from over. Pets and street dogs alike are kidnapped by dog meat traders, inhumanely slaughtered and served in restaurants. Both the dealers and the restaurant owners profit from the sale of dog meat, while dogs suffer unimaginable cruelty.
A lack of strict law enforcement is a problem. The authorities are required to make regular inspections of restaurants and identify and close down those that break the law, but often this does not happen. PAL’s team in the Philippines lobbies for intensified and faster action by the government agencies charged with enforcing health regulations and the law.
