| Pit bulls in Philippine dog fights to be put down
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Dozens of pit bulls rescued from a dogfighting ring in the Philippines will be put down starting Tuesday by animal welfare activists who say there are no facilities to rehabilitate them and prevent them from again being used in underground arenas. A student recently found guilty of killing a cat received a few months of community service. The eight suspects face charges of illegal gambling and cruelty to animals. He said his group had enough euthanasia drugs to put down 70 dogs, and selected more than a dozen among the most sick, emaciated and aggressive animals to put down first. "That is a fate worse than death," she said. Welfare society veterinarian Wilford Almora said some of the pit bulls — purebred and mixed breeds — suffered horrible wounds, including ripped ears and tongues, in previous fights. The dogs had been kept in metal fuel drums and tied to heavy steel chains inside a 2-hectare (5-acre) coffee plantation surrounded by a fence made of corrugated tin in San Pablo city in Laguna. Some of the roughly 300 dogs rescued Friday had been rescued from a similar facility in nearby Cavite province in December, said activist Anna Cabrera of the Philippine Animal Welfare Society. Cabrera said it was not possible to care for all of the pit bulls that were rescued and it would be irresponsible to give away for adoption the animals that have not properly healed. If convicted of illegal gambling, they face a maximum of 12 years in prison. More dogs could be euthanized later, dependant on how they respond as caretakers try to rehabilitate them. Two of the suspects arrested last week had been apprehended in the December raid but had posted bail, police Chief Inspector Renante Galang said. The San Pablo city prosecutor has not yet completed a preliminary investigation to determine if evidence is strong enough for a court case. Dogfighting is not common in the Philippines and the fights were broadcast mostly outside the country. |
Tuesday, 3 April 2012
Pit bulls in Philippine dog fights to be put down
