02 August 2010, Gerry's Grill, Ali Mall, Cubao
The recent passing of the Administrative Order # 21 by the Department of Agriculture - Bureau of Animal Industry is an indication how inept the Philippine government and the members of the Committee on Animal Welfare are. Only 2 NGOs disapproved of the Tambucho gassing, namely PAWS and PSPCA...read more
The Committee on Animal Welfare is made up of representatives from:
(1) The Department of Interior and Local government (DILG);
(2) Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS)
(3) Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) of the Department of Agriculture(DA)
(4) Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
(5) National Meat Inspection Commission (NMIC) of the DA;
Agriculture Training Institute (ATI) of the DA;(7) Philippine Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA);
(8) Veterinary Practitioners Association of the Philippines (VPAP);
(9) Philippine Animal Hospital Association of the Philippines (PAHA);
(10) Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS);
(11) Philippine Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals(PSPCA);
(12) Philippine Society of Swine Practitioners (PSSP);
(13) Philippine College of Canine Practitioners (PCCP); and
(14) Philippine Society of Animal Science (PSAS).
Almost 80% of its membership are veterinary associations who, among everyone else should be the bulwark of upholding the very essence of the Animal Welfare Law #8485
It is very unfortunate that all veterinary associations in CAW through its representatives voted for the use of Tambucho or car exhaust as a source of Carbon Monoxide for the gassing of dogs in the pounds
Gassing of dogs using carbon monoxide is not at all condemnable provided it has met the following criteria:
Only pure carbon monoxide gas is used
That an air tight enclosure is used for the gas chamber
That a safety gas capture or exhaust is made available to ensure the safety of the pound personnel
Tambucho or car exhaust is not 100% carbon monoxide - it is made up of:
Carbon Monoxide
Nitrogen dioxide
Sulphur dioxide
Suspended particles, PM-10 particles less than 10 microns in size.
Benzene
Formaldehyde
Polycyclic hydrocarbon
Thus proving that it does not at all provide the painless death that pure carbon monoxide warrants. Animals placed in tambucho or car exhaust whimper (in pain and agony), urinate and defecate and worst of all - struggle for more than 15 minutes before death. The amount of suffering that the animals undergo in the tambucho or car exhaust is not what Euthanasia is all about. EUTHANASIA is defined as "peaceful death" - no struggling, no indications of pain and suffering, and it is instantaneous
CARA believes that the Veterinary associations should review the existing Administrative Order and evaluate closely the use of tambucho as a euthanasia procedure. We fear that we are not at all advancing in the promotion of Animal Welfare in our country; rather we are going back to the dark ages where man kills one another for supremacy and rule
BAI - CAW is not working to promote Animal Welfare in the country by making Administrative Orders counter productive to the very essence of the law. The cost of injectable Barbiturates is not a reason for turning away from the use of the product
Impounding facilities who cannot provide welfare of animals in their care should not operate and focus rather on improving the awareness of the people for the importance of Responsible Pet Ownership and Spay & Neuter to curb stray animal population
Marikina city pound no longer keeps animals in their facility. They no longer round up strays. Rather, they trace back the dogs to their owners and thereafter issue a ticket of violation to their owners. They have proven that impounding does not work. And with the experience that almost all dogs perished during the flood brought by Ondoy (typhoon Ketsana), impounding is counterproductive
Above all CARA does not believe in impounding and eventual gassing as a measure to control the stray animal population. We espouse Responsible Pet Ownership and Spay & Neuter