Dog-owner claims barangay pound killed, incinerated her pet

A Trece Martires City-Cavite resident claimed that the local barangay dog pound, where her pet "Bolt" was being held as she came up with the money to get him out, had killed her dog and set fire to his corpse.

Dog-owner Xena Marie told GMA 7 news program "24 Oras" on Tuesday that she had found Bolt's decaying body beside other rotting dog corpses at the Barangay Lapidario pound. She also claimed that her dog's head was scorched.

Xena took a phone-video of the pound, and speculated that some of the dogs had been killed because they could not be fed. "Dito po sila nakakulong. Siguro po, 'yung aso ko d'yan din po siguro nanggaling. Pero dahil wala na po silang mapakain, sinunog na lang po nila," she cried.

However, when Xena returned to the pound on Monday, she found that the spot where she saw the burned dogs had been covered with stacks of lumber. "Sabi po nila na hindi nga daw po sinunog. Pero po may iba pa po kasing aso du'n na sunog po. 'Yung aso ko po kasi, sunog 'yung ulo," she claimed.

Barangay officials denied they had destroyed Bolt, and instead claimed that the dog was run over and  killed by a tricycle after escaping from the pound.

"Merong concerned na citizen din na nagtabi du'n napalagay 'yun na parang sinunog. Pinagsigaan ng mga damo. Kaya akala nu'ng nakakita ay sinusunog po 'yung aso," said acting Barangay Lapidario adminstrator Jessie Barrientos.

Meanwhile, Trece Martires' City Veterinary Office told GMA News that they had no knowledge of the pound, and that some barangays were running such facilities without informing them. "Kung na-inform po kami, maaari ho naman sana siyang ikutan," said Veterinary Office staffer Janeth Cabalag.

According to animal welfare advocate Norman Marquez, the barangay was responsible for the animals in their care.

"Kung under custody nila, bakit  sasabihan nila na 'yung asko ay nakakawala?" Marquez argued. "Hindi rin proper 'yung maintenance ng kanilang pound kaya malinaw dito na may paglabag."

Xena said that barangay dog catchers took Bolt away after the dog broke free from his leash. Unfortunately, she did not have the money to free him in time.

Still emotional after seeing her pet's carcass, she urged the public not to be cruel to animals. "Sana po, 'wag na po maulit 'yung ganu'ng case, kasi kawawa naman po ng 'yung mga aso." — Margaret Claire Layug/DVM, GMA News