Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Alcala heeded public outcry over the inclusion of tambucho (vehicle exhaust) fume-killing in the Administrative Order (AO) Number 13 or the Revised Rules and Regulations on the Euthanasia on Animals. 

Alcala referred the controversial AO back to the Committee on Animal Welfare (CAW) for reconsideration.

At a special CAW meeting held yesterday -August 24, 2010 – where there was a quorum, majority of the members voted YES to the deletion of tambucho-gassing (i.e. removal of Section of 6.2a on “Carbon Monoxide” and fourth item in the second column of the third row of the Table on AGENT AND METHODS OF EUTHANASIA BY SPECIES – referring to “carbon monoxide from a car exhaust using gasoline engine”)

SECRET BALLOTING

Dr. Angel Mateo, OIC of the Animal Welfare Division and member of CAW, suggested that the voting be done via ‘secret balloting’ but this was opposed by the animal welfare groups present at the meeting.

” I think if one truly believes that tambucho-killing is a humane way of putting a dog to death then he or she should not hesitate to vote openly and be counted for his vote,” stated Luis Buenaflor, External Affairs Director of the Animal Kingdom Foundation (AKF).

In his 20-minute speech before the Committee prior to the casting of votes, Mateo stated that the use of Euthal (euthanasia by injection of barbiturates) actually costs “at least a thousand pesos” if the cost of a veterinarian’s license and professional fees were to be included in the amount. 

He also brought out Neal Cruz’s newspaper column pointing out that it should be clarified that it was not a “diesel-fueled engine” that was going to be used for the gassing but a “gasoline-fueled engine”.

Mateo further stated that in the United States, gassing was still used in some states. He requested the presiding CAW Chairman not to allow the PAWS representative to interrupt him during his speech when PAWS made a clarificatory statement that gassing being done in these remaining fourteen US states, was through the use of carbon monoxide cylinders, not tambucho gas (vehicle exhaust fumes).

Mateo ended by citing an earlier resolution of CAW that states that members should all abide by the “majority rule”.  The BAI official said that he was surprised when he saw that PAWS did not follow this and did not affix its signature on AO 13 when the draft was submitted to the DA Secretary.

PAWS representative, Anna Cabrera, stated that Mateo could not have been that surprised as PAWS – as well as other animal welfare organizations like CARA and AKF, who have been present in year-long CAW deliberations on this topic – has already stated that it is against tambucho-gassing because the method is inhumane and cruel.  

Documents like the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Euthanasia Guidelines, among others,  were also presented to the CAW.

THANK YOU
AKF, CARA Welfare and PAWS extend their thanks to all those who brought this issue to light (especially Mr. Ted Teodoro who crafted the CARE2 Petition and Ms. Paricia Bermudez-Hizon for her article on Yahoo Philippines).

We thank all those who signed the following Petition:

Because of your help, we have succeeded in taking out the most cruel method of killing in the AO!

AKF, CARA Welfare and PAWS give special thanks to the following CAW members who voted for the deletion of tambucho-killing:

– Ms. Veronica Javier of the Philippine Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PSPCA) 

– Dr. Wilfrido Risozo of the Philippine Society of Swine Practitioners 

– Engr. Emelita Danganan of the DILG 

– Mr. Baltazar Rapanut of DepEd

Thank you and God bless!


-The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS)

For a complete background on this issue and to see just how much this victory means to us and to the animals, please see related posts: 
http://www.gmanews.tv/video/64239/animal-rights-advocates-condemn- killing-of- stray-dogs-cats-through-gas-emissions-from-vehicles 



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