Dog beaten to death in Cainta

A senior citizen in Cainta, Rizal, faces criminal charges for beating a stray dog to death.

In Vonne Aquino's report on "24 Oras" on Wednesday, CCTV footage showed the dog outside the gate of a house in Barangay San Isidro. 

Shortly afterward, the male senior citizen who was taking care of the house went outside and repeatedly hit the dog with a broom until it left.

He hit the dog again after seeing it in front of a neighbor's house. 

A witness said she attempted but failed to stop the caretaker from attacking the dog. 

"Naawa din po ako kasi hindi na po makatayo yung aso that time. Tapos ang ginawa po nya, hindi niya po tinitigilan yung aso kahit maamo na po. Nag-decide na po ako na sumigaw nun. sabi ko, 'tama na po.' Tapos hindi pa rin tumigil hanggang sa hindi na po niya kinaya, hanggang sa namatay po yung aso," said witness Angeli Uy.

(I felt pity for the dog because it could no longer stand at that time. He wouldn't stop beating the dog even though it was already tame. I decided to scream at him. I said, 'enough.' He still continued until the dog died.)

Uy and another animal rights advocate have already filed charges of violating the Animal Welfare Act against the man, who claims he acted in self-defense when the dog allegedly attempted to bite him. 

"Pinalo ko siya kasi siyempre magdedepensa naman ako sa sarili ko, paano kung makagat ako, sinong magpapa-injection sa akin?" the man said.

(I hit the dog because, of course, I would defend myself. What if I get bitten? Who will take care of my anti-rabies shots?)

Atty. Heidi Caguioa, program director of Animal Kingdom Foundation, said the video of the incident indicated that the dog did not show signs of aggressive behavior.

"Hurting the dog will not stop it from being aggressive; in fact, baka pa nga ito maging ma-agit lalo yung aso, and it will become defensive," Caguioa said.

(Hurting the dog will not stop it from being aggressive; in fact, the dog may even become agitated, and it will become defensive.)

The Animal Welfare Act punishes maltreatment or torture of an animal that results in its death with a P100,000 fine and a maximum two-year jail sentence. —VBL, GMA Integrated News