Will good dogs get their day in court?
The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) said Thursday it was planning to file charges against the village watcher tagged in the killing of a golden retriever in Bato, Camarines Sur.
“Because the pet owner and witnesses have submitted affidavits, PAWS will be able to file charges of violation of the Animal Welfare Act and ensure that the person responsible for this crime will be held accountable,” the advoacy group said in a statement on Wednesday.
The dog Killua was first reported missing on March 17, according tohis owner Vina Rachelle Arazas. She said her pet could have accidentally leapt over their house gate and was later found dead and bloodied in a sack.
The suspect, Anthony Solares, claimed that Killua was aggressive. The village “tanod” said he was only responding to a complaint against a dog in his area. The retriever was later found bloodied and dead inside a sack near Solares’ home.
The incident fueled public outcry and the hashtag #JusticeForKillua dominated social media earlier this week.
PAWS urged netizens to come forward and “cooperate with law enforcement agents and seek help, if needed, for the filing of the cases.”
“Tagging on social media will not result in punishment unless a criminal complaint is filed in Court,” the group said.
But PAWS believes the suspect could face complaints for violating the Animal Welfare Act.
“The animal offender claims that this was an act of self-defense, but video evidence shows that Killua, the dog, was being chased by him and none of the elements of self-defense were present,” the group said.