Online anger over photo of dog in sack

MANILA, Philippines – Anger is brewing online over a viral photo of a dog being transported in a sack and hung at the back of a car.

The photo, which depicts a dog with its mouth tied and being transported at the back of a vehicle in a sack, started spreading on Facebook and Twitter on Monday, March 12.

The vehicle involved is a black Nissan Safari, with plate number BDK 617, and was reportedly en route to Baguio City.

On the official page of the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), readers’ anger over the treatment of the dog can be read in the more than 300 comments.

The image has also been shared more than 315 times.

PAWS said they are already trying to track down the owner of the vehicle, which is important in the filing of a case.

Criminal charges can be filed against the owner for violating Republic Act No. 8485, or the Animal Welfare Act of 1998.

Several cases of animal cruelty have been on the spotlight in recent years, with the help of social media.

Punishment

In 2009, Joseph Candare, a student at the University of the Philippines, bragged in his blog about killing a stray cat, which led to a court case for violation of RA 8485.

He plead guilty in May 2011, and was convicted to pay a P2,000 fine and was ordered to take care of hundreds of cats and dozens of dogs at an animal shelter.

His case was the first conviction of a case filed by PAWS on grounds of animal cruelty.

Meanwhile, last June, a photo of a dog hanging from a clothesline “to dry” also went viral, and the person who did it, Jerzon Senador, was also sued by PAWS for animal cruelty. – Rappler.com