Layout by: Josh Ezekiel Bahia
Published by: Simoun Jarred Erpilo
Date Published: April 3, 2024
Time Published: 8:50 AM
A Facebook post on March 17 made by Vina Rachelle, owner of a Golden Retriever dog named Killua, went viral after reporting her dog was found lifeless in a sack [1]. Killing a dog and even disregarding him by putting him in a sack is plain unjustifiable and inhumane.
To mercilessly beat up Killua, who is more than defenseless against an armed human, and murder him is not only heartless, but is also against the law. Republic Act of 8485, also known as Animal Welfare 1998, is the first law to be made in the Philippines to prioritize animals' safety and wellbeing by forbidding cruel acts against them such as abuse, neglect, torture, or murder. Those who violate this law are to face punishments ranging from fines to imprisonment [2].
Back to the issue's events, Vina stated after her first post regarding her dog that Killua was not intentionally released from their premises. "For the information of everyone, hindi 'yan nakalabas kasi bukas ang gate. The gate was locked. Tumaas siya tapos nahulog ata, we don't exactly know what happened. He was probably anxious and stressed, hindi siya sanay sa labas kasi sa loob lang yan ng bahay palagi. Kaya, no, hindi namin binuksan yung pinto kaya nakalabas," Vina wrote in her second post [3].
CCTV footage released by the victim's owner showed how the culprit chased Killua on the streets and hit the dog multiple times. Vina immediately communicated with the authorities regarding serving justice for Killua's passing.
"We are already cooperating with the law enforces. We are fighting for this," Vina said in one of her Facebook posts [4]. The suspect, named Anthony Solares, admitted his crime afterwards in an interview with News 5. He stated that his actions were a form of "protection" against a dog bite towards his child. "Ginawa ko lang 'yung nararapat," he claimed [5].
However, Solares denied accusations that he was the one to put Killua in a sack [6].
Killua's owner argued that her dog was tamed enough to not bite anyone. Netizens continued to show their grievances for Killua. "I'm so sorry for your loss. Please take legal actions for your furbaby," a netizen commented in one of Vina's posts.
It is enraging and saddening to witness pets—or animals in general—departing due to cruelty that humanity has shown them. Especially knowing that based on evidences presented, Killua was never seen trying to defend himself against the suspect's merciless hits and only ran away as he tried to escape Solares.
Even Senator Grace Poe expressed her sympathy and released a statement regarding Killua's situation while referencing to Animal Welfare Act of 1998. "I am heart-broken and enraged to hear of the mauling of Killua, a Golden Retriever. It is, of course, up to our courts to decide on the matter. However, the public should be aware that there are laws [that] prohibit and punish the cruel treatment of animals," Poe stated.
"If we are to create a kinder society where animals and humans can co-exist in harmony, we must raise awareness on the proper, responsible, and humane manner of treating animals" [7].
It is also important to take note that Killua being a Golden Retriever makes Solares's claims more unlikely, but not impossible. Golden Retrievers are genetically proven to be rarely aggressive to human beings in general. Instead, Golden Retrievers are commonly known for their friendly and sweet nature [8].
While it is understandable to be wary of animals, violence and murder towards them will never be justifiable. Like humans, animals have their own lives and struggles to survive. Humans and animals alike share both anxiety and fear when it comes to being placed in unfamiliar situations.
As pet owners, we must also remember that not everyone is kind enough to treat animals properly [9]. We must value pet ownership by properly training our fur babies and responsibly keeping and supervising our pets in our homes.
REFERENCES:
[1] Rachelle, V. (2024, March). Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/rGtCHdHzPMR74dDQ/?mibextid=xfxF2i
[2] CARA Welfare Philippines. (n.d.). Animal Welfare Laws. https://www.caraphil.org/animal-welfare-laws/?fbclid=IwAR262SWSFnm63O74aEX07Mex5rjO_VewU6mRNunJD01IB_TUlWi8b2dWZJo#:~:text=Republic%20Act%208485%20%E2%80%93%20Animal%20Welfare%20Act%20of%201998&text=The%20Animal%20Welfare%20Act%20of%201998%20is%20the%20first%20law,torture%2C%20killing%2C%20and%20neglect
[3] Rachelle, V. (2024, March). Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/BqboGfs6Hwk9tQKs/?mibextid=oFDknk
[4] Rachelle, V. (2024, March). Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/hiD76ffCweeP71Yn/?
mibextid=oFDknk
[5] Manila Standard. (2024, March 20). #ANONGBALITA #JusticeForKillua: Pet’s death sparks animal cruelty talk. https://manilastandard.net/news/314427458/justiceforkillua-death-of-golden-retriever-sparks-online-rage-against-animal-cruelty.html?fbclid=IwAR11uJuKA2zRCunOUVqN9WKPw94I1ub6jpvs2n5JAEKnOpPzxYbKIF1uC1U
[6] Santiago, C. (2024, March 20). Camarines Sur man admits to killing dog Killua. The Philippine Star. https://lm.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fphilstarlife.com%2Fnews-and-views%2F940939-man-admits-to-killing-dog-killua%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2cIEg6Ni0CWjAvG9muOzWQ8X8uXcIQobq1RLmfQP7f0PsTkhJscB62MTQ&h=AT3R69BWkKpSszTYN1Bw2c3p9ghZcIiYX1a6CwSBdxtFLXEKNTenGuY5PiCp6As2--4R-qvg42oaVaLkrrgHGfmawygQMdprOpsMwbwaXD4fMQX58BZXgD6IYpPKPNUupxVv
[7] Abarca, C. (2024, March 20). ‘Heartbroken and enraged’: Grace Poe on brutal killing of dog Killua. Inquirer. https://newsinfo-inquirer-net.cdn.ampproject.org/.../amp...
[8] Golden Meadows. (2023, October 31). Are Golden Retrievers Aggressive? Golden Meadows Retrievers. https://goldenmeadowsretrievers.com/are-golden-retrievers-aggressive/?fbclid=IwAR18n9q4Su6z40ESTrB3KoMPYu33-Bk4zr3r-QyXPngqIQNcFZvfC2w9MlI#:~:text=With%20their%20sweet%20nature%20and,for%20this%20famously%20friendly%20breed
[9] u/JamesRocket98. (2024, March). Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/DOG/s/54e0LicGMe
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