Two more dogs have fallen victims to animal cruelty, this time in the Province of Iloilo.

The dogs are not strays, neither have they gone astray, according to their owner, Vincent John Bornales.

The dogs were hit reportedly on purpose within the confines of Bornales' residence.

Bornales said that the circumstance has upset him to great extent. He said that the dogs are not set free to roam outside of his residence but they still fall victims to animal cruelty. 

Sling-launched darts or improvised targets were found stuck in the body of his two fur babies, one on the neck while the other at the back.

The incident happened in Barangay Poblacion Ilaud (pronounced “ila-wod”), Zarraga town, Iloilo morning on March 9, 2025.

He said he was about to feed his pets, 14 of them, when he found out that darts were stuck on two of them.

He shared it is disheartening to know that someone could hurt the dogs while one of them is pregnant.

“Tinamaan siya sa likod, ang isa naman may tama sa leeg. Nasa loob sila. Hindi naman sila pinakakawalan, sa loob lang sila [ng bakod],” Bornales said.

After seeking medical help, the two dogs are in good condition, as of this writing.

Bornales said he has reported the incident at the barangay, but not at the police station.

The barangay has already logged three incidents of animals hit by sling-launched darts locally referred to as “indyan panâ.” On March 8, 2025, a dog named “Lyla” went home to her fur parent, Marielle Caroleen Balintongog, with a dart stuck on her body.

“Ang aso kasi, pinapakawalan namin, pero dito lang naman sila sa paligid. Hindi naman namiminsala sa mga dumadaan, [hindi] nanghahabol ng mga tao,” Balintongog said.

Following the incident, Balintongog has put “Lyla” on leash permanently to avoid a repeat of the incident.

The police are verifying a report on a possible perpetrator who is also a resident of the said barangay.

“May suspek sila pero hindi pa sigurado na siya talaga. Follow-up pa ng intel kung may CCTV near the area,” said Staff Sergeant Ivan Christian Saludares, investigator at Zarraga Municipal Police Station.

According to a barangay official, it is possible that the person who hit the three dogs is one and the same because the improvised darts recovered are similar.

The suspect will be summoned at the barangay.

“Kasi noong una pa lang, noong nakaraang taon, nakita na namin na ito ang pinaglalaruan niya (ng suspek),” Barangay Poblacion Ilaud Chairman Virgilio Solito, Jr. said.

Following the incident, barangay officials vowed to implement stringently an ordinance that prohibits stray dogs, and to ensure roving of barangay tanods.

To recall, two dogs were also hurt in Murcia town, Province of Negros Occidental with "indyan panâ" in February 2025.

"Tiktok," one of the dogs, sustained severe wounds for the five darts that hit him.

The other dog, named "Bulldog" was hit in the leg with a single dart.

"Tiktok" and "Bulldog" have already recovered from the injuries they sustained.