Trigger Warning: Article contains descriptions of animal cruelty and a video depicting animal cruelty
“Animal cruelty has no place in our organization.”
This was what electric power distributor Meralco’s response after a service dog was spotted being mistreated on its premises.
Facebook user Nicole Espiritu shared that she witnessed a K9 handler striking a service dog after it refused to let go of a ball.
She said she was about to look outside her window to check the rain when she saw the incident.
“His goal was to grab the dog’s collar and yank it upward so it would choke and drop the ball,” Espiritu wrote in the video she posted on Wednesday, September 3.
“Obvious naman, na gusto lang nung handler na bitawan nung K9 dog ‘yung ball. Pero para ganyanin niya?” she said in her caption.
The incident also reached Project Kuna, an animal welfare organization, which said the owner of the K9 company had “already reached out to Nicole” and “expressed sincerest apologies.”
The organization added that the Philippine Animal Welfare Society “will be providing legal assistance” in relation to the incident.
Meralco acknowledged the incident and said that it is “in active coordination” with the Search and Secure Canine Training and Services International (SAS K9), the security agency assigned to its premises, to ensure that “a full and immediate investigation is conducted.”
“We are deeply disturbed by what we’ve seen and are treating this matter with utmost seriousness,” the power distributor said in a statement on Thursday, September 4.
“The handler involved has been placed under preventive suspension pending the outcome of the investigation,” Meralco added.
The firm also said that the service dog, Bingo, “is now safe and receiving the proper attention and care he deserves.”
“Our values demand that we act with integrity and malasakit, a value that guides how we treat not just people, but every living being under our care. What happened is not only unacceptable, it stands in direct contradiction to everything we believe in,” Meralco said.
“Bingo’s well-being remains our top concern. We are ensuring he is cared for in a safe, nurturing environment and will continue to monitor his condition closely. We are also reviewing all related practices to make sure every animal in our operations is treated with respect, dignity, and kindness,” it added.
The firm stated that animal cruelty “has no place” in its organization and is “reinforcing” its standards to prevent a similar incident from occurring again.
Republic Act 8485, also known as the Animal Welfare Act, states the following:
It shall be unlawful for any person to torture any animal, to neglect to provide adequate care, sustenance or shelter, or maltreat any animal or to subject any dog or horse to dogfights or horsefights, kill or cause or procure to be tortured or deprived of adequate care, sustenance or shelter, or maltreat or use the same in research or experiments not expressly authorized by the Committee on Animal Welfare.
Violators will face a fine of P30,000 and/or be imprisoned for six months to one year if found to have subjected an animal to any cruelty, maltreatment, or neglect, without causing its death.
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