The Status of Dog Meat Consumption: Implementation of Ordinance No.

015-2014(Protecting and Promoting Animal Welfare Pursuant to the Republic Act 8485

otherwise known as Animal Welfare Act of 1998) in Bagulin and Santol, La Union

Dogs play a significant role in every household as others call them “bantay” and

trust them whenever they leave the house. They also provide emotional support when

we are stressed and anxious which help us in our emotional states, especially

someone who has been attached to their dog’s pet, they treat them as part of their

family.

However, in the Philippines, it is common to see people who practice dog meat

consumption, despite its prohibition. It is one of the issues of animal welfare

advocates in the country, as others argue that dog meat consumption is part of the

culture of the Philippines, particularly the ones who are part of indigenous groups.

Therefore, the researchers have decided to conduct a study that aims to provide a

status on dog meat consumption, particularly in Bagulin and Santol, La Union under

Ordinance Number 015-2014 to compare and determine the significance of the

ordinance whether the residents of the abovementioned locals comply with it. This

will help us determine the effectivity of the regulation of protecting the rights and

well-being of animals, particularly dogs. The findings of this study will serve as a basis

whether the ordinance is properly implemented and for the researchers to propose

policy recommendation to further enhance animal rights in the municipality of Bagulin

and Santol, La Union.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study aims to determine the status of dog meat consumption in the

municipality of Bagulin and Santol, La Union under Ordinance No. 015-2014(

Protection and Promotion of Animal Welfare Pursuant to the Republic Act 8485

otherwise known as Animal Welfare Act of 1998)

This sought to answer the following questions;

1. What is the profile of dog meat consumers in terms of;

1.1. Age:

1.2. Gender;

1.3. Ethnicity?

2. Is there a significant difference between the status of dog meat consumption of

Bagulin, Launion from Santol, La Union under Ordinance No. 015-2014 in terms

of;

2.1. Frequency of dog meat consumption;

2.2. Implementation;

2.3. Consumer’s Health?

3. Is there a significant difference between the proportion of analysis between

the municipality of Bagulin, La Union and Santol, La Union in terms of;

3.1. Custom and Tradition;

3.2. Health Awareness?

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Dogs are great companions through life. They have great qualities that

makes them great pets. Since the beginning of time, dogs have been humans’

best friends, t are energetic, loyal, and playful. These companions will

completely change the routines of people who open up the doors of their

home to them. Further, dogs can keep a house safe, in fact, studies have shown

that barking dogs can help repel burglaries and other possible violent attacks.

With their sensitive hearing and smell, dogs can alert its owner to possible

danger(American Humane, 2018).

Nevertheless, according to Hussain(2023), the flesh of dogs are

traditionally believed to fill those who eat it with health benefits. Most people

are aware of dog meat trade, with that being said, several countries lack laws

criminalizing eating dogs. Maria Taragan, the owner of a restaurant serving

exclusively dog meat in Indonesia said,”If it was by my side all day long, of

course I would be attached to it, but really, what is the difference with eating

another animal? “. What Taragan is pointing out is the similarity between dogs

and other animals such as pigs that are commonly eaten animals(Hussain,

2023).

Unfortunately, dog meat is not as nutritious as people might think, the

risk associated with eating it is real. Dog meat might contain parasitic worms

that could result in fatal consequences, such as rabies(Hieu, 2018). In terms of

culture, most Hindus in India, as well as many Bhuddhists consider dog eating
as shameful because they beleive that all living organisms are considered

sacred

In Western countries, the consumption of dog meat is not common.

Historically, it was consumed in some such as Germany and Switzerland during

times of famine. Today, the dog meat consumption is illegal in most western

countries, except Switzerland and Canada, where eating and slaughtering is

legal as long as it must be done with the approved facility. In US, it is illegal to

slaughter dogs for meat, with exceptions to Native American rituals. Although,

it is widely considered as taboo, the Us government has lack on state law

banning dog meat consumption. In fact, only seven (7) states said no to dog

meat consumption namely; California, Georgia, Hawaii, Michigan, New Jersey,

New York, and Virginia(World Population Review, 2024).

While consumption of dog meat in most Western countries, it is

considered as a delicacy in African continent. In Congo, dog meats are

consumed as an alternative for the rising prices of cattle meats. In 2022 Ebola

outbreak in Africa, at least 1t6 dogs in Congo was confirmed to have been

infected with Ebola virus, while these dogs showed no signs of illness, they

were still capable of transmitting the virus. Ul to this day, ebola still continues

to kill infected individuals in Congo, and dog meat is still rampant despite the

case(Zosimo, 2024).

The practice of dog meat trade is also rampant in Ghana. A study was

conducted by Tiasame et al. in 2022 regarding a potential risk for rabies

transmission through dog meat consumption in Ghana. Out of 144 brain tissues
from apparently healthy dogs slaughtered for human consumption, 3 of the

brain tissues were confirmed to have rabies virus RNA(Tiasame et al, 2022).

Despite the factual result of the study, it does not concerns the Ghanaians from

consuming the meat as special delicacy. According to the BBC News, tribes

even get tribal games where the winner of the game will take home the dog

head as a trophy, they even have a dog meat market where they could buy and

sell fresh dog meat(BBC News, 2021).

Moreover, in Nigeria, the country has a long history of dog-eating and is

considered part of their culinary tradition. In fact, Nigeria has the third highest

dog consumption rate in the world, according to Mathew Nash—lead researcher

lf Dog-Friendly Country Index. Nigerians are no strangers to the news of dog

eating in the country despite the efforts of animal activists. In 2021, almost 18

000 people signed an online petition urging Nigerian government to ban the

sale of dog meat in Nigeria led by animal rights activist Natasha Choolun in

2020( Augoye, 2022).

The most notorious countries in terms of consumption of dog meat can

be found in Asia. In Vietnam, according to their government, dog meat

consumption will be banned by 2021. Despite this, the dog killing process can

still be seen in public spaces, particularly in Hanoi City( We Animals Media,

2022). According to the latest Neilsen opinion poll commissioned by Humane

Society International(HSI) in September, 2023, it shows that 40 per cent lf

Vietnamese population are active consumers of dog meat. Moreover, the

consumers are mostly male, particularly in Hanoi( HSI, 2023).

 In Korea, dog meat is the fourth-most consumed meat after pork, beef

and chicken. Dog consumption has a long history in Korea. According to some

Korean scholars, they have provided evidences that dogs have been eaten since

6 000 BC to 2 000 BC in relation to the excavation of dog bones from Korean

relics dating to the Neolithic age. In 2002 alone, 3 million dogs were

slaughtered for consumption according to animal protection group.

Nevertheless, the South Korean dog meat trade will officially end in 2027, after

a bill was passed, making the slaughter of dogs and selling of dog meat for

human consumption illegal in the country( Dugnoille and Knight, 2024).

In China, mlst of the Chinese people do not eat dog meat according to

HSI. An opinion poll was conducted in 2016 and showed that 69. 5 percent of

them have never tried eating one( Humane Society International, 2022). It

contradict to the findings of Ague Blazyte in 2023 who conducted survey in

China. According to Blazyte, almost 73 percent of the surveyed Yulin region

residents said they ate dog meat once or several times a year. Yulin City in

Guanxi province of China is infamous for its annual Dog Meat Festival, which

draws a lot of criticisms internationally due to concerns about animal cruelty

( Blazyte, 2023).

In the Philippines, the killing of dogs as livestock has been banned since

1998 under Republic Act 8485, otherwise known as the Animal Welfare Act of

1998, with exemptions for dogs killed and eaten as part of indigenous rituals.

The local laws that ban the dog meat trade have also existed prior to the

enactment of the abovementioned act. (Philippine Animal Welfare Society).

However, dog meat remains popular in the country, as others called it

“asocena”, “aso” means “dog” and “cena” means “dinner”( Tan, 2024).

For some reasons, the researchers have not found any data regarding the

status of dog meat consumption in La Union, which indicates that there are

little to few studies ever conducted in the province. However, based on the

researchers’ daily observations, dog meat consumption in La Union is still

rampant despite the implementation of Ordinance Number 015-2014 in

pursuant to the Animal Welfare Act. Therefore, the researchers have decided

to conduct a study to determine the status of dog meat consumption in two

municipalities of La Union, particularly Bagulin and Santol La Union to compare

whether and determine the significance of the ordinance whether the residents

comply with it. Thus will also help the researchers determine the effectivity of

the regulation in protecting the rights and well-being of animals, particularly

dogs.
References:

American Humane. (2018). Benefits of owning A Dog.

https://www.americanhumane.org/blog/benefits-of-owning-a-dog/

Hussain, G.(2023).Sentient Media. The Dog Meat Trade is Still Legal in Some

Countries—--Here’s What You Need To Know.

https://sentientmedia.org/korean-dog-meat/

Hieu, D. (2018). Why Dogs Are Not Meant To Be Eaten.

https://e.vnexpress.net/news/perspectives/why-dogs-are-not-meant-to-be-eaten-37

93264.html

De La Harpe, T. (2023). Dog Healthcare. Which Countries Eat Dogs? An Overview of

the Dog Meat Industry.

https://pawsafe.com/blogs/dog-healthcare/which-countries-eat-dogs

World Population Review. (2024). Dog Consumption Legality.

https://sentientmedia.org/korean-dog-meat/

Zosimo, J. (2024). Top Dog Tips. 17 Countries that Eat Dogs and Why They Do It.

https://topdogtips.com/what-countries-eat-dogs/
Tiasame, W. et al. (2022). National Library of Medicine. Rabies Virus in Slaughtered

Dogs for Meat Consumption in Ghana: A Potential Risk for Rabies Transmission.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34331389/

BBC News Pidgin. (2021). Meet de People from Ghana who dey Eat Cats and Dogs.

https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/tori-58513310

Augoye, J. (2022). Premium Times. Nigeria is Country with Third Highest Dog

Consumption Rate in the World.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/entertainment/naija-fashion/522487-nigeria-is-co

untry-with-third-highest-dog-consumption-rate-in-the-world-report.html?tztc=1

We Animals Media. (2022). Investigation: Inside Vietnam’s Dog Meat Trade and Wet

Markets.https://weanimalsmedia.org/2022/08/25/new-investigation-inside-vietnams-

dog-meat-trade-and-wet-markets/

Humane Society International. (2023). Ending Vietnam’s Dog and Cat Meat Trades.

https://www.hsi.org/news-resources/ending-viet-nams-dog-meat-trade/

Dugnoille, J., Knight, J.(2024).Why South Korea is Banning the Sale of Dog

Meat.https://theconversation.com/why-south-korea-is-banning-the-sale-of-dog-meat-

220926
Humane Society International(2022).Asia’s Dog Meat Trade: FAQs.

https://www.hsi.org/news-resources/dog-meat-trade-faqs/

Blazyte, A. (2023).Statistica. Frequency of Eating Dog or Cat Meat in Yulin Region,

China2023.https://www.statista.com/statistics/1388435/china-frequency-of-eating-d

og-cat-meat-in-yulin/

Tan, M. (2024). Inquirer. Net. From Hot Dogs to ‘Asocena’.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/opinion.inquirer.net/169970/from-hot-dogs-to-asoce

na