PNP & AKF Against Dog Meat Trading
AKF forged a formidable partnership with the Directorate for Operations-Public Safety Division of the Philippine National Police headed by General Andres Caro & Sr. Supt. Toni Gumiran. Aside from the nationwide poster campaign of both parties, AKF & PNP have both signed agreements for a speedy and adroit enforcement of the law against the dog meat traders. GSQ June2009
AKF Inc. Spearheads Seminar with DILG, NMIS and PNP
Kicking off last July 20, 2006, Animal Kingdom Foundation Inc. together with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) conducted series of information seminars on Republic Act 8485 otherwise known as the Animal Welfare Law and Administrative Order No. 10, Rules on the Transport of Dogs and Cats and Rules on Engagement on Violators of this Law.
The seminar commenced in Region 6 last July 20 in Iloilo City. The following day, July 21 in Bacolod City and on to Region 4-A in Lipa City on July 28. The road show then went up to Region 1 in Dagupan City on August 4 and completed its the final stop in Baguio in the Cordillera Autonomous Region on August 11.
The seminar aims to give DILG, NMIS and PNP field personnel in the selected regions a good understanding and working knowledge of RA 8485 to fully implement the said ruling and also to foster a good working relationship with NGOs and the mentioned government agencies.
AKF INc. Sponsors Publication of RA 8485 AO’s
In its continuing effort to support the government in fully implementing RA 8485, Animal Kingdom Foundation Inc. sponsored the publication of Administrative Order number 10 of Republic Act 8485 otherwise known as the Animal Welfare Law.
Throughout the discussions with the Committee on Animal Welfare till the final draft of Administrative Order no. 10, AKF Inc lawyers Attys. Heidi Caguioa and Mona Vargas together with External Affairs Officer Luis Buenaflor were present not only to give inputs and information but actively participate as well.
The final draft of Administrative Order no. 10 which was presented to the Secretary of Agriculture and signed was ably crafted by AKF Inc. lawyers Attys. Caguioa and Vargas.
Animal Rehabilitation & Rescue Center Launched!
To fulfill a long time dream of having a safe haven for rescued and homeless animals particular dogs, Animal Kingdom Foundation Inc officially launched AKF Animal Rehabilitation and Rescue Center last July, 2006 in Barangay Cubcub, Capas, Tarlac.
AKF envisioned the rescue center as a safe place where rescued dogs can run free and live out their natural lives in contentment. And so it is!
The affair was attended by the Mayor of Capas, Tarlac, Hon Rey Catacutan, his wife Lenny, Dept of Interior and Local Government Undersecretary for Peace and Order, Usec. Wensley Andanar, National Meat Inspection Service National Director, Dr. Minda Manantan, Director of Animal Welfare Division, Dr. Angel Mateo and Chairman of Committee on Animal Welfare, Dr. Enrique Carlos.
A priest conducted a short but solemn ceremony and blessed the whole center. Jovial faces of the guests are evident before and after the event. Obviously, they were enjoying the experience. Almost everyone was in unison saying that the center is the most ambitious yet fulfilled animal-welfare project in the country.
Two buses were provided to the guest composed mostly by pertinent partner agencies from government, private sector and media personalities. Photojournalists and reporters from print and broadcasts had a field day taking pictures of the happy dogs on the kennels.
Charles Wartenberg, AKF President, while calling for more support from animal lovers during the press conference, indicated that the dream has just begun. Truly, this happy kingdom will house more rescued dogs in the future.
Animal Welfare Acts
PepsiCo Supports AKF Inc. Project in Bohol
In Tagbilaran City, Bohol, PepsiCo and AKF, together with the Municipal Tourism Council of Alburquerque, agreed to build an animal sanctuary in the said municipality. The parties agreed that Pepsico will fund the project while AKF Inc. will serve as the conduit and technical supervisor and the Municipal Tourism Council Of Alburquerque will be the implementing agency.
PepsiCo was represented by its Cebu General Manager Joseph Martin Borromeo while AKF Inc. was represented by Senior Researcher Luis Buenaflor while the Municipal Tourism Council Of Alburquerque was represented by Mayor Efren Tungol. A tripartite Memorandum of Agreement was formulated and signed.
AKF Inc. Joins Forces with Boy Scouts
In Manila, a partnership described as “the first of its kind”, was forged by AKF Inc., as the leading animal welfare NGO with the Boy Scouts of the Philippines aimed to continue the efforts of eliminating dog meat trade in the country.
The unified act was held in the historic compound of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines.
AKF President Charles Wartenberg presented awards to Jejomar Binay, Boy Scouts National President, Jose Rizal Panganiban, Boy Scouts Secretary General and Nixon Canlapan Director of the Boy Scouts Public Relations Office for their invaluable and unflinching support in the advocacy of Animal Kingdom Foundation Inc.
Among the agreed collaborations are massive information campaign aimed at total awareness of animal welfare throughout the country. The program will consist of a series of seminars/symposiums to all Boy Scout Troops in all schools nationwide. There will be a series of audio-visual presentations, film showing to all Boy Scout Troops in various schools. Likewise, AKF Inc. will be a regular participant in Boy Scout Jamborees with booths and other information campaign activities, while the successful partnership with the Boy Scouts Magazine continues.
AKF Inc. Launches Dog Adoption Program with Manila City Pound
As a celebration of the “Anti-Rabies Month”, the Manila City Pound launched together with AKF Inc. a dog adoption program.
The program intended to give dogs, impounded by the animal control unit of the Manila pound and dogs rescued by AKF Inc. from illegal dog-traders, proper care and attention.
The Manila pound headed by Dr. Jose Diaz takes care of selecting the healthiest dogs and provides them with needed medication/immunization while AKF Inc. recommends possible adopting parties via a series of tests and consultations.
A Memorandum of Agreement was signed between AKF Inc. President Charles Wartenberg and Manila City Mayor Lito Atienza.
AKF Inc. President Meets Agriculture Secretary
Fostering a closer working relationship with concerned government agencies, AKF Inc. President Charles Wartenberg met with the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture Domingo Panganiban.
The closed-door meeting was held at the national office of the Department of Agriculture. Present also were AKF Inc. OIC Suzanne Llanera and AKF Inc. External Affairs Officer Luis Buenaflor.
Secretary Panganiban, as a result of the meeting, gave directives to the Bureau of Animal Industry, Animal Welfare Division to take care of issues concerning animal welfare and urge all concerned agencies to fully implement the animal-welfare law, particularly issues on the illegal dog meat trade.
And Then, There Was Sweet
In one of its sorties against the illegal dog traders in the north, AKF Inc. together with its mother organization International Wildlife Coalition Trust (IWCT) rescued a fledging 3 month old dog from a slaughterhouse in Baguio City. Sweet, as he came to be called, is just one among the thousands of dogs that ends up in one of the many illegal slaughterhouses in Baguio each week. He was found cowering in a corner of a very cramped cage along with several other dogs without food and water. Earlier, 40 other dogs were brutally slaughtered in front of him, their heads smashed with a wooden club. Perhaps it was his soulful eyes or demeanor amidst the carnage that caught the attention of IWCT Director Charles Warternberg to rescue Sweet and bring him to London.
“It is likely that Sweet was more of a family pet who was either stolen or sold to the dog-meat traders as he was in fairly good physical condition when we rescued him”, Charles said.
From Baguio, Sweet was immediately taken to a pet hospital in Makati where he was treated and recuperated for a month prior to his flight to London.
At 12:35 p.m. August 2, 2002, Sweet arrived at the Gatwick airport to begin his new life with Charles Wartenberg.
Sweet Celebration: (Pinoy Askal Wins United Kingdom’s Dog Of The Year 2004!)
Animal Kingdom Foundation Inc.’s dog, Sweet, is the United Kingdom’s Dog of the Year for 2004. The Dog of the year is an annual contest sponsored by Daily Mail Weekend Magazine where they search for the dog with the most unusual and memorable experience.
Sweet bested over 8,000 other entries coming from all over United Kingdom and romped away with a Silver trophy, a gold medallion and a grand prize of 1,000 pounds. Prominent members of the British press judged the contest.
Several months back, AKFI operatives led by Charles Wartenberg, Suzanne Llanera, Luis Buenaflor Jr and Dr. Winston Samaniego rescued a 3-month-old mongrel from dog butchers in Baguio. Sweet, as he came to be known, was nursed back to health and brought by Charles to London to become part of the Wartenberg family.
“We never thought Sweet would become a celebrity abroad! All we want is for him to have a happy home.” says AKFI’s senior researcher Luis Buenaflor Jr, “He seems so helpless when I was holding him during the rescue. Now, he is a Pinoy superstar in London!” Suzanne Llanera, AKFI’s officer- in- charge fondly remembers.
Animal Kingdom Foundation Inc. 