Heavier penalties for dog meat traders sought

MANILA, Philippines — Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy of the Bagong Henerasyon party list has proposed tougher penalties on people who kill and butcher dogs for meat.

Under her proposed “Anti-Dog Meat Trade Act of 2019,” Herrera-Dy seeks to repeal part of the Animal Welfare Act to impose heavier sanctions on those who engage in the local dog meat industry.

Any person found guilty of taking part in any stage of the dog meat trade will be punished according to a graduated scale depending on the severity of the offense, according to House Bill No. 4931. —DJ Yap