Philippines rescue operation
successful and rewarding

Happy dogs living at the AKF Centre in the Philippines, after being rescued from dog thieves and trucks on their way to slaughter houses.

The following is an account by Elly Maynard, founder of Sirius GAO (Global Animal Organisation) of a trip to the Philippines to record and film for television the progress made so far with that country's anti-dog-eating laws and to assist with dog training and running of the rescue centre.

WE arrived in Manila on a Tuesday evening and Charles and Greg (Charles' right handman), who work tirelessly to help that country's dogs, collected us on Wednesday morning. We first travelled to a College and met with a group of media students who had gone undercover and filmed the actual slaughter of a dog (a little fox terrier). The slaughterer was trying to impress the girls who were aged between 18 and 19. The film is horrendous! A copy of the film they made was given to us. After this we went to the Manila dog pound, which was equally distressing as none of the dogs are actively adopted - looking at the conditions in the pound, the fact that they are euthanised is a blessing, and at least there is a qualified Veterinarian there who does this.

We then proceeded to Capas, where we filmed the dogs at the Animal Kindom Foundation (AKF) Centre and I met Peanut, a miniature poodle with three legs whom I immediately adopted. Pip saw a purebred boxer and adopted him. It costs $95 a year to sponsor a dog, which is cheap! We chose these dogs as they appear prominently in the film. It is not just the small amount of local-bred dogs that end up at the butcher's, but stolen pets of all breeds. I would have loved to have adopted them all but have to be realistic and Peanut and I bonded immediately. She is a beautiful two-year-old girl. One day I intend bringing her to New Zealand.

After a quiet night on Wednesday we were up at 3am the next morning for our trip to Baguio which is the major dog-eating capital in the Philippines. Peter Sears, our cameraman and Ingrid, an award-winning journalist; Brando, the undercover agent for AKF; and Chris Taylor our New Zealand Policeman and Police dog trainer, went into a part of the city and filmed the illegal dog-meat restaurants complete with menu. Baguio is 5000 feet into the mountains and is a most impressive place but totally isolated. Most of the dog traders have been closed down here so we did not stay which turned out to be a blessing. We were able to buy 15 dogs instead of 10.

At 3pm that afternoon we arrived at the Baguio Police Chief's office only to be told he was at his country club but no big deal. I had previously had a meeting with the Director of the Department of Agriculture in Baguio, who is working closely with AKF and it was an extremely interesting discussion. The authorities there now know that outsiders with UN status are taking careful note of their activities, which will back Charles' activities up in the Philippines.

At 4pm Brando left us to collect the Jeepney, the vehicle being used to transport the dogs from the illegal meat trader at a place at the foot of the mountains. Because of the very sensitive nature I cannot name this place or give Brando's surname. When we arrived at the destination where Brando would leave us and go and collect the dogs, he was fitted with a hidden camera and has also developed a hidden camera in his money bag. Given that the penalties for dog trading are now four years in jail and a $US780.00 fine, the people he was dealing with are extremely dangerous and I cannot stress this enough! Brando and his two helpers put their lives on the line that night.

They left us at 6pm to collect the dogs and said they would be back by 6.30pm latest. By 6.45pm when there was no sign of them, both Charles and I were starting to get extremely worried. Wearing the hidden camera was a dangerous thing for Brando if the traders had decided to frisk him. These men are armed with guns and knives and would have no hesitation in using them!

We did not have the address where Brando had gone so had no way of alerting the Police if something went drastically wrong so it was a very worrying time. Just after 7pm Brando appeared, much to our relief and was, in Chris's words, totally rattled, so we did not hesitate and picked up the Jeepney and started our journey back to Capas. Minutes were crucial here as the dogs were trussed in sacks, their noses tightly bound and legs also. We finally stopped after half an hour or less at a service station and they opened the back of the Jeepney.

There was a sight which I will never forget! Ten dogs crammed into one tiny cage and five in sacks. The sacks were heaving with the dogs trying to breathe. Charles sprang into action along with Brando, his helpers and Chris and proceeded to open the sacks. The first one showed a dog who had died but the Vets are adamant that it was dead before it was put into the Jeepney as rigor mortis had set in and the time frame meant it was not possible that it had been alive when put into the sack. However, dead or alive, this was one dog that will not end up on the dinner table!

The dogs had no idea where they were and were totally dehydrated and disorientated. We have no idea how long they were in the sacks. Charles was absolutely amazing and had them all cut free in the quickest possible time. The look of fear and death in the dogs eyes - and I am not exaggerating here - was something that caused me to lose it! I am certain the television censors will bleep my comments!

As soon as the dogs were free it was then a race to get them back to Capas and seen by the Vets and into their pen. We arrived there around 10.30pm and the dogs were taken out of the Jeepney, wrapped in towels covering their faces as they were so traumatised. Some just jumped out and went into the pen. Others were totally frightened but no-one hesitated and the dogs were transported out of the Jeepney as quickly as possible. Charles, Brando, his team of helpers and Chris were absolutely amazing and all dogs were transferred with minimal discomfort. The dogs were all then fed and watered. The food and water was left for them to have when they needed it. Four of them had to be taken to triage and placed on drips. This operation took over an hour. We all finally got to bed in the early hours of the morning.

The next morning I was up at 6am checking on them. They had settled but compared with all the dogs around them barking and communicating there was not a sound from any of them. Charles said it would take three days for them to settle. To see some of them sitting, shaking so badly was heartbreaking, but at least they were safe! They will remain together for a few days, then be assessed and put into different pens depending on temperament. We have named one dog Sirius and will look at sponsoring him. The adoption rate is excellent at the Centre and I am certain he will be adopted. If not, he will remain at the Centre with the others for life. He was definitely one of the stolen pets we had been told about and one of the other dogs had become his guardian and was protecting him from the other dogs wanting to come and investigate him. It was an amazing sight!

Ingrid and Peter were amazing and I can see why Ingrid is an award-winning journalist. Peter's camera work was fantastic. We are being given the whole footage plus the footage of what will be screened on television, so I would like anyone who can take a copy to do so! We need to get this film out to as many media outlets as possible. It will also be put up on You-Tube as I understand it.

What we have done here is this. Never before have dogs been bought from the dog traders by people working undercover. Brando is setting up a "sting" for better want of a word and the next time he buys, he will take the Police along and this dog trader will be closed down and sent to jail! All the dogs at Capas, apart from our 15, are from police operations along with AKF, stopping the trucks before they get to the meat traders. This is why this operation was so dangerous as Brando went into the facilities himself. According to one of his helpers, there was a huge number of people there buying dogs.

This week after our team leaves Charles and the Philippines National Police are launching a major campaign, the first in history in the Philippines where posters are being placed at every Airport and Seaport stating that the human consumption of dogs is illegal and tampering the the posters means a jail term! This is fantastic news and positive. I cannot put the emotion I felt into this article. Rescuing stray animals is great, but taking them from the illegal meat traders is a totally different scenario and one we were fortunate enough to film.