ALL THEY WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A HOME

CLICK TO ENLARGE

           

The pitbulls rescued from Laguna made it to the cover of ANIMALSCENE magazine, December 2012 issue. Hope you enjoy reading this.
 

                        ALL THEY WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A HOME

                                                By Khrysta Imperial Rara

The pit bull curled up on his side, his face hidden from prying eyes. “Aero,” I called out softly. “How are you, Aero?”

He remained in his position, immobile. Was he feigning sleep or have years of violence and abuse rendered him indifferent to a friendly gesture? His cage was at the far end of the row with nothing but vegetation behind it. I figured most visitors would probably not go all the way there.

I straightened up and took a step backward. Just as I was leaving, I sensed an almost imperceptible twitch of his ear.

“Aero,” I whispered. “I just want to be your friend.”

His ear cocked then he turned around and looked at me. For several seconds, our eyes were locked in silent communication, his cage and his cruel past serving as barriers to an otherwise immediate bonding moment.

He had a big frame but his body thinned out toward his rear. His fur, mostly white, had brown patches on the back and the legs. The most prominent patch circled his left eye, stretching all the way to his left ear.

After some coaxing, he moved toward me but stopped midway. For some reason, I was drawn to his eyes. They were the most melancholy pair I had ever seen at the sanctuary. Brown and glum, they drew me in like whirlpools of dejection. My tears suddenly flowed and I found myself sobbing uncontrollably.

I guess Aero’s eyes disclosed it all – the loneliness, the search for love and acceptance and yet the unwillingness to entrust his heart to a stranger who will stay but a few minutes.

I had just visited about a hundred dogs and spent three to seven minutes with each of them. According to my calculations, I could only stay three minutes with each of the 170 dogs at the Pit Bull Rehabilitation Center in Batangas if I wanted to interact with each one.

It was my second visit to the sanctuary and this time, I was dead set on meeting all the dogs. During my first visit in June, I left the center with a tinge of sadness as I was able to meet only 90 dogs.

A friendly stroke, a few words of reassurance, an eager lick, barks that demand attention, a photo here and there – what else could the dogs and I do in three minutes?

Familiar and unfamiliar names and faces greeted me. There was Dolphy, now named Afro, who was in sick bay. He bit his aluminum dish and threw it in the air like he always does when someone is watching him. But he was much healthier when he was still named Dolphy.

There was gentle Alfonso, a very huggable dog who is one of those up for adoption. There was Athena who called out to me and wouldn’t stop licking my hand. How could I not notice Benjo whose balls shook in sync with the wagging of his tail? And Medusa, whose mesmerizing eyes practically begged for a change of name!

I met Lucio, a demanding black pittie with white paws, who wouldn’t let me leave. Every time I turned to go, he would jump up and bark hysterically. Talk about separation anxiety!  A gentle licker, he turned quiet and attentive when I stroked him. To humor him a bit, I stuck around for 3 minutes more, using the time to delete old photos from my camera’s memory card. But Lucio would have none of that. As soon as I shifted my attention away from him, he peed on his water dish!

All the interactions were funny, endearing and pleasant. So nothing prepared me for Aero.

ONCE BETRAYED, NOW READY FOR A HOME

“Aero must have been someone’s pet once,” Nancy Cu-Unjieng, President of the animal welfare group Care and Responsibility for Animals (CARA), told me. “He has very refined manners. He eats the treats gently and not like the others who just gulp them down.”

Nancy and fellow CARA officer Kaoru Cumagun had arrived just in time to witness my embarrassing outburst. We watched as Aero relished the bacon treats, held them with both paws and gently chewed them.

Aero is one of the pit bulls rescued in March from a farm in Laguna where they were used in illegal dog fights streamed online by a group of South Koreans based in the Philippines.

Out of the 230 dogs turned over to the CARA, only 170 have survived. When first found, the dogs had ripped ears, torn tongues and maggot-infested wounds. They lived in rusty steel drums with gaping holes that gave them no protection from sun and rain. Heavy steel chains nailed three feet to the ground prevented their escape. Many were too sick and in pain and had to be euthanized. Others later succumbed to illnesses resulting from poor diet, forced mating, lack of veterinary care and constant exposure to the elements.

Breed experts have assessed and rehabilitated the pit bulls and several are now up for adoption.

We have not adopted any out as of now. We have several who are ready to be adopted and a few potential adopters who have begun the adoption process,” says CARA member Maria Parsons who visits the site twice a week. “As of now, three people are interested in adopting.”

Maria admits she has grown fond of the dogs. “I have several that I plan to adopt... I have been close to them since San Pablo, and I have bonded with them,” she confides.

Nancy is hoping for a lot of adoptions before the end of the year. “We will try to get some organizations internationally to adopt some of the pit bulls. We have some positive advice concerning this,” she confides.

She says that out of the 170 dogs, only five are aggressive. “I am attached to the dogs that are harder to handle. They will take longer to rehabilitate so you could refer to them as the underdogs. When we first relocated to Batangas, they were not approachable. Now they all wag their tails and have gotten friendlier. It’s a good sign,” she quips.

“The pit bulls are a joy to be with in spite of all the misconceptions about the breed. They are truly lovable dogs.”

To make sure the rescued dogs will be cared for, people who wish to adopt a pit bull have to visit the site more than once to bond with the dog of their choice. CARA will also conduct follow-up home visits to check on the dogs and their new families.

SPECIAL DOGS

Freelance writer Owen Santos has her sights set on Ruby. Owen has a cat at home, and she intends to bring her feline friend to the center to see how they will react to each other. If they get along, then Ruby gets a permanent home.

“I hope to get the dog as soon as we’re bonded. I need to run and walk with a dog but I need a low level dog for my cat,” she says.

Volunteers like Owen have many stories to tell about their “special dog”. Melody de Jesus recounts how she was challenged to win over a shy young canine named Tinkerbell.

“Every time she sees someone approaching her cage, she becomes very nervous and would just go to the farthest side and look away. One day I brought a toy for her and her eyes lit up. She slowly approached me and started smelling my fingers. That same day, I was able to bring her out, walk her and give her a bath,” Melody recalls.

“Every time I visit the center, I visit her cage, touch her and try to bring her out…To date, she is getting more sociable with other people, wagging her tail and giving everyone a happy face.”

Melody also talks fondly of Mona, a sweet and gentle blue fawn pit bull whom everybody adores. She saw Mona while the dog was being spayed last October.  Melody visited Mona at the veterinary clinic when she developed complications and had to be operated on four times.

In order for Mona to get her much-needed rest, she was fostered by CARA volunteers Louise and Carl Pike for 5 days. She had her own room, a queen-sized bed, her own backyard, an electric fan and lots of food and love. But now, she is back at the sanctuary.

 “Mona is a sweet and gentle soul. Out of all the dogs at the sanctuary, I immensely enjoy taking her out for a stroll every time I visit because she is such a pleasure to go on walks with. She is the ultimate companion. She would never tug too hard or pull me to another direction even if her strength and weight could actually take me down at any moment,” Louise Pike avers.

“I would have loved for her to stay longer, and I would have wanted to adopt her. However, she was often stressed out by my other pets,” she said ruefully.

IMMEDIATE FUTURE

Although CARA members and volunteers are optimistic that most, if not all, the rescued dogs will eventually find permanent homes, the reality is that this could take some time. Meanwhile, life for these dogs must go on at the center, where the monthly budget for their upkeep comes close to US 5000 dollars.

“Now we face the problem of finding regular funding for the caretakers' salaries, the utilities, dog food and medical care for the dogs. The lengthy rehabilitation process is the biggest concern at present. The health of the dogs has improved a lot, but there are still many who have health issues that need to be addressed,” Nancy states.

The center relies solely on donations. Nancy revealed that at present, two American ladies and two local groups have expressed interest in donating funds to the pit bulls. “Now it is a matter of waiting for the funds to arrive,” she says.

The Center has become a hub of sorts for people who love pit bulls and those who want to help them. “We are always holding activities at the center, weekly volunteer orientations and open houses,” Maria said.

For this yuletide season, CARA members would like to cheer up the dogs.  “We may have a Christmas party for the pit bulls, caretakers, volunteers and staff. Possibly pot luck, as we are always lacking in funds,” Nancy said.

Despite the lack of funds, CARA makes sure the dogs have the food and medical attention they need. But perhaps the best Christmas gifts they could receive are permanent homes.

Louise summed it up best: “My only wish would be for each of them to belong to loving homes and experience family life as soon as possible. Like all of us, they just want to be loved.”

Aero is no exception. For Aero and the rest of the pit bulls, only a forever home with kind people can erase the trauma of a violent past and usher in a new life of freedom and love.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

For more information, check out http://www.caraphil.org.

For inquiries regarding adoptions, write to adopt.a.lpb@gmail.com.

For inquiries regarding volunteering, write to volunteeratlpb@gmail.com.

Send all other inquiries to: lagunapitbulls@gmail.com

 _________________________________________________________

Published in Animal Scene Magazine, December 2012

PET GROOMING 101

BASIC ANIMAL CARE YOU CAN DO AT HOME

By Khrysta Imperial Rara

There are three areas that have to be constantly checked for regular and basic grooming at home, according to our guest last Nov. 17, Dr. Rey Oronan, who is currently Faculty-in-Charge at the UP Veterinary Hospital. You’ll have to check the EARS, the EYES and the NAILS of your dog or cat.

COMPASSIONATE VET

I have known Doc Rey since the early 2000’s when I used to bring my cats and dogs to Animal House along Aurora Boulevard and he used to work there. He was new at the time, and he took good care of my two-month old black kitten Bagheera whom nobody thought would survive a bad case of kitten flu or distemper. I had always wanted a black cat and I told Doc Rey Bagheera must live. Bagheera survived that crisis, thanks to Doc Rey.

Another instance that stands out in my memory was when my white and brown Persian cat Amon-Ra was confined due to kidney failure. After 3 days, I asked Doc Rey about his chances of survival. Amon-Ra had been in and out of the hospital for a couple of years. That night, Doc Rey took a long look at Amon-Ra and said, “Take him home now. He could go anytime.”

He was right. Amon-Ra passed away in the early hours of the morning. But because of Doc Rey’s foresight and compassion (he allowed my cat to go home with me when other vets would probably have not allowed it), I was able to be with my Amon-Ra and comfort him in his last hours.

GROOMING THE EARS

Doc Rey says long-eared animals are prone to ear infections from microbes so you’ll have to clean their ears when you give them a bath. It is also important to dry their ears. There are products you can buy over the counter to clean their ears. But if you want to use home remedies, diluted vinegar and diluted agua oxynada would be good at a 1:10 ratio, that is, one ml of vinegar or agua oxynada to 10 ml of water. You will know when the ears are dirty because they become covered with black dirt, or could smell bad, or cause pain to the animal. If the animal has an ear wound and the wound is too deep or big, bring him/her to a veterinarian.

The ears of an adult dog or cat can be cleaned twice a week. But if the animal has ear infection, doctors usually recommend ear cleaning and medication twice a day. The ears of puppies and kittens, on the other hand, should only be cleaned when they reach 2 months old.

Caution: Do not use soap and water to clean the ears. Alcohol is not good either because it can irritate the ears. Baby oil feels hot on the skin and so could result in a burning sensation. Do not use cotton buds. Use cotton buds or your fingers instead.

CLEANING THE EYES

Healthy eyes are clear and glassy. The presence of excessive mucus could be an indication of eye infection or dehydration. Or it could mean infection in some part of the body like in the case of Upper Respiratory Tract Infection.

CAUTION: Cleaning the eyes with water may cause infection. It’s better to use eyewash or other medicated eye products that can be bought over the counter.

CUTTING THE NAILS

Nails always have to be clipped short because animals can accidentally scratch themselves, other animals in the home or you. Cats and kittens usually play war games among themselves and they use their paws and nails a lot. Someone could get accidentally scratched in the eyes by a playmate with long nails.

To clip the nails, you could use a nail clipper or nail cutter. Even the ones people use will work as long as you do it properly. This means clipping the nail above the “quick” or the pink part of the nail which could cause bleeding when cut.

HERBAL HOME REMEDIES

An interesting question came from listener Grace Arevalo of Quezon City – What herbal remedies can be used to treat colds, diarrhea and skin problems?

To my pleasant surprise, Dr. Rey gamely entertained the question and was very familiar with herbal remedies!

“Cats really don’t like citrus but Vitamin C is the best remedy for colds. So you can give Vitamin C syrup with a syringe,” he said, adding that there is no such thing as an overdose of vit. C because the body will just automatically excrete the excess fluids.

As for diarrhea, he says the cause must be identified first. If it’s due to the presence of worms, then the animal has to be dewormed. Or if it’s due to protozoa or amoeba, then proper treatment is needed.

Doc Rey said that some cats don’t digest certain foods very well, like rice for instance. I told him that when my cats have a bum stomach, I boil a piece of bark from the star apple or kaimito tree and give them 12 ml twice a day. It always works.

Boiling some guava leaves to make tea also works as a treatment for diarrhea but I put in a bit of honey to soften the bitter taste.

As for skin problems, Doc Rey says you must first find out the cause of the problem. If it’s fleas, then you must get rid of the fleas. He recommends boiling the leaves of madre de cacao or cacahuete and rinsing the animal with it.

Since we are in a tropical country, fleas are present in the soil all year round. If your dog or cat goes outdoors, or if he or she has contact with another animal that has access outdoors, then the fleas could transfer to him/her.

We were already trying to beat the time at this point so I was a not able to add that recently, my friend Leng Velasco shared with me her remedy for mange. All that’s needed is Acapulco leaves ground and mixed in virgin coconut oil. Wipe this concoction on the animal’s body using cotton balls every three days until the mange is gone. I noticed that the Acapulco – vco concoction also got rid of the fleas and kept them away for a long time!

Guava leaves can also rescue troubled skin. I boil four guava leaves with a clove of garlic in a cup of water then use cottonball to wipe the concoction in the animal’s skin. It refreshes them and heals wounds since guava is an antiseptic.

BATHING TIPS

Another listener asked for bathing tips. Doc Rey said dogs could be given a bath twice a week. A more frequent bath could damage the skin and strip it of essential oils. Long-haired animals have more sensitive skin and it’s the hair that protects them, he said.

If the weather is cold, bathe him during the warmest part of the day – like at noon – and use warm water. Then dry him with a towel or hair dryer. It’s better than drying with an electric fan because this gives off cold or cool air.

For hairballs, the best natural solution is unprocessed and unsweetened pineapple juice which could be given with a syringe or papaya fruit which could be mixed with their food, according to Doc Rey.

He also strongly recommends brushing the animal’s hair daily because this provides a good opportunity for both of you to bond. You will also be able to see if your dog or cat has skin problems like fleas or wounds. Early treatment can improve your animal’s quality of life.

PET CARE FOR THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS

For his parting remarks, Doc Rey reminded the audience that special considerations have to be taken into account for the Christmas season.

“Puppy proof your house. Dog proof your house,” he stated. This means that your animals must not have access to decors that could prove toxic to them.

“Make sure that leftover food is properly stored,” he adds. Among the foods that could prove hazardous to animals are wine and grapes, chocolates, fatty foods and small and sharp bones. Salty foods must be avoided at all cost.

Unfortunately, we had to end the program at this point. But we agreed that there had to be a second part to this because there’s still a lot of things that people have to know in order to keep their animals safe during the Christmas holidays.

If you want to hear more tips on animal care for the holidays, listen to KWENTUHANG PETS ATBP on Thursday, December 8 at 1-2pm Manila time. Doc Rey Oronan will be joining us again to give more advice on how to keep our animals during this hectic season!

Solomon Dolphins in Subic

(Blogger's note: In reaction to my first article "Animal groups seek return of Solomon dolphins in Subic to their native habitat" that was published by yahoo.ph on November 20, 2011, Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore issued a statement to contradict the claims of ACRES Singapore and Earth Island Institute. This is the follow-up article.)

RWS: Our dolphins are in a well-established facility in the Philippines

By VERA Files | The Inbox – Thu, Nov 24, 2011

By Khrysta Imperial Rara, VERA Files

The 25 dolphins from the Solomon Islands that are now in Subic are well-cared for and free to interact with each other, according to Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) in Singapore.

In a statement sent to Yahoo/VERA Files in reaction to the article "Animal groups seek return of Solomon dolphins in Subic to their native habitat," Lim Soon Hua, RWS director for communications, said their dolphins currently in the Philippines are in a "facility which comes with a dedicated veterinary clinic, a marine mammal clinical diagnostic laboratory and enclosures that exceed international standards such as those set by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums."

The RWS-owned Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) are temporarily kept in Ocean Adventure, an open-water marine park in the Subic Bay Freeport zone, about 100 km northwest of Manila Bay.

Lim said "The area where our dolphins are housed is restricted for safety and security reasons."

Lim also said the wild-caught cetaceans have " ample space to swim, interact and bond with their fellow pod mates and are cared for by our team of veterinarians and marine mammal specialists who collectively represent over 300 years of relevant experience working in more than 60 marine mammal facilities globally".

"Our Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins were acquired according to Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) requirements. The movement of marine animals, including dolphins, is governed by the United Nations Environment Programme which upholds the policies of CITES. The species of dolphins that will be housed at the Marine Life Park are not classified as endangered, nor are they threatened with extinction," he further said.

Lim said "We have always maintained that there are no plans to conduct animal shows. As part of caring for our marine mammals, the Marine Life Park team has introduced various enrichment devices that are water resistant, durable and safe for our animals. Dolphins in the wild are often in search of opportunities to interact and play. In zoological environments, balls and hoops encourage play activities among dolphins. These activities promote health and social interaction among the animals."

He said the Marine Life Park opens in 2012, and stressed, "We believe it will have a role in inspiring and promoting marine conservation."

On Nov.12, several animal protection groups, among them Singapore's Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES), Earth Island Institute (EII) and the Philippine Welfare Society (PAWS) launched the "Save the World's Saddest Dolphins" campaign at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. They called on the Philippine government to ban the re-export of the dolphins to the RWS Marine Life Park in Singapore and return them to Solomon Islands, their native habitat.

They went to Subic on Nov. 14 to see for themselves the condition of the dolphins.

Louis Ng, a biologist and executive director of Singapore charity Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES), said the group saw and filmed the trainers using basketballs and hula-hoops during the training. "We are puzzled by this as RWS has always maintained that they have no plans for animal shows," he said.

Trixie Concepcion, Regional Director of Earth Island Institute doubts RWS' claim that the facility where the dolphins are being kept is truly a 'well established facility'.

"The Ocean Adventure Park which houses the dolphins has had 4 out of its 5 false killer whales die in just a few years of operation. All four false killer whales were all juveniles and died before they were sexually mature," she said.

"Moreover," she said, " Ocean Adventure has been sued for the violation of the Environmental Impact Statement System of the Philippines (PD 1586) as well as the violation of the Animal Welfare Act (RA 8485), a well established facility, indeed!"

Concepcion disagrees that the method RWS used to obtain the dolphins conforms to CITES requirements. She said the export of dolphins from the Solomon Islands was put under the Review of Significant Trade in the Animals Committee of CITES in 2008 due to the issue of sustainability.

"In that meeting in 2008, the Solomon Islands government committed to stopping the export of dolphins if it was proven to be unsustainable. This September 2011, the government of the Solomon Islands announced that all dolphin exports will be banned starting January 2012, an admission that the past dolphin hunts have been largely unregulated and unsustainable," Concepcion noted.

Concepcion said that in their talks with the Philippine government pertinent authorities, nobody could verify the present condition of the 25 dolphins. "They could not even tell us if all 25 dolphins are alive," she said.

(VERA Files is put out by veteran journalists taking a deeper look at current issues. Vera is Latin for "true.")

See related links:

http://ph.news.yahoo.com/blogs/the-inbox/animal-groups-seek-return-solomon-dolphins-subic-native-104221072.html and

http://ph.news.yahoo.com/blogs/the-inbox/rws-dolphins-well-established-facility-philippines-064459467.html

Return Dolphins in Subic to Solomon Islands' waters!

Animal groups seek return of Solomon dolphins in Subic to their native habitat

VERA Files | The Inbox, yahoo.ph – Sun, Nov 20, 2011

By Khrysta Imperial Rara, VERA Files

Representatives of Manila and Singapore-based animal protection groups are blocking the reported plan to send the dolphins in Subic to Singapore. They also want them returned to where they came from- Solomon Islands.

The campaign, "Save the World's Saddest Dolphins" launched at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig last weekend, gained urgency because of reports learned by the animal protection groups that the dolphins will be sent to Singapore by the end of this year where they will be one of the main attractions in Resorts World Sentosa that will open its (marine) park next year.

Solomon Island Dolphins in Subic

"The main thing here is to block the re-export of the dolphins to Singapore. We believe that Philippine laws should be upheld and Section 6 of the Wildlife Resources Conservation Act of the Philippines was violated," Louis Ng, a biologist and executive director of Singapore charity Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES), said in an interview at DZUP last week.

Ng is referring to the Republic Act 9147 which states that "All activities… shall be authorized by the Secretary upon proper evaluation of best available information or scientific data showing that the activity is, or for a purpose, not detrimental to the survival of the species or subspecies involved and/or their habitat."

Investigations by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature — Cetacean Specialist Group (IUCN-CSG) in 2003 and 2007 concluded that there was no sufficient population data for the Solomon Islands to make a valid Non-Detriment Finding, or an expert scientific opinion showing that the export or trade will not put the survival of the Tursiops aduncus species at risk.

"So the import permits for the 25 dolphins from the Solomon Islands were issued without proper evaluation of the best available scientific data that the importation will not be detrimental to the population of wild dolphins in the Solomon Islands," Earth Island Regional Director Trixie Concepcion said.

"The Philippine government should revoke the permit and send the dolphins back to the Islands," Ng reiterated.

Officers of ACRES ,Earth Island Institute (EII) and the Philippine Welfare Society (PAWS), who visited Ocean Adventure in Subic this week to see 25 Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, were told to leave the area immediately and prevented from filming the animals.

The group bought admission tickets and proceeded to the area opposite to where the wild-caught dolphins were being housed. They said there were no signs banning entry to and filming in this area.

"Initially, we were told we could remain in the area but were not allowed to film the dolphins. However, we were later politely told to leave the area and we were not allowed to film the dolphins, but could film anywhere else in Ocean Adventure. We did not hold any placards or hold any demonstration and remained civil throughout the entire time. We eventually left the area," ACRES Campaigns Officer Christina Lee recounted in a press statement.

According to the ACRES, the group saw and filmed the trainers using basketballs and hula-hoops during the training. "We are puzzled by this as RWS has always maintained that they have no plans for animal shows," the statement said.

ACRES is focused on battling the illegal wildlife trade as well as promoting cruelty-free living, community outreach, wildlife rescue and rehab, zoo animal welfare and humane education.

"A vast majority of Singaporeans have spoken up now. They support the issue. The people really want to take action," Ng said.

During the groups' meeting last Nov. 11 at the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) of the Department of Agriculture, Assistant Director Benjamin Tabios assured them that there are no pending applications for permits to import or export any dolphins.

"But that situation could change anytime. Someone could suddenly apply for a permit," Tabios said.

Returning the 25 dolphins to their native waters will be long and costly.

"We hope that Resorts World Sentosa will shoulder the expense of bringing them back to where they were caught. RWS can afford this because in the first quarter of this year, they made a pre-tax profit of 500 million Singapore dollars which is equivalent to 400 million US dollars. And that was even without the dolphins," Ng stated.

"But if RWS does not shoulder the cost, ACRES and Earth Island will," he said.

According to him, RWS originally bought the 27 dolphins in the Solomon Islands at 60,000 US dollars each. Two of the dolphins died while under training in Langkawi, Malaysia.

The Subic trip was part of a campaign to inform the Filipino people of the Solomon dolphin issue. In the coming weeks, the campaign will be brought to different universities in Metro Manila and the provinces.

"The dolphins have lost control over their lives. They can't speak for themselves so it's up to us to speak for them, to fight for their rights and hopefully to secure their freedom," Ng stressed.

"We are asking Filipinos and Singaporeans to put themselves in the situation of the dolphins. Would you like to be forcibly removed from your house? Would you like to be put on an artificial diet? Would you like to be imprisoned forever?" Ng asked. "The answer for everyone is 'no'. So why are we doing this to dolphins?"

Other countries like Chile and Costa Rica have enacted laws banning cetacean hunting in their territorial waters. In Costa Rica, the killing, capture, injuring or use of whales, dolphins and porpoises for commercial gain is not allowed. The government of the Solomon islands has banned the export of dolphins starting January 2012.

Other groups involved in the campaign are Marine Wildlife Watch (MWWP), Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (WBCP), Dolphins Love Freedom Network (DLFN), and Save Philippine Seas (SPS). Care and Responsibility for Animals (CARA), Animal Kingdom Foundation (AKF), Palawan Animal Welfare Association as well as the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) are also supporting the campaign.

========================

(VERA Files is put out by veteran journalists taking a deeper look at current issues. Vera is Latin for "true.")

Saving the "TUKO"

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Joey Ayala and the AGILA

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KWENTUHANG PETS ATBP ON RADIO FIRST ANNIVERSARY

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