Cruelty to dogs

Press, 9 March 1982, Page 20

Cruelty to dogs

Sir,—The news item in “The Press” on March 5 on the “Philippine Dog Meat Bill" designed to stop slaughter in public to correct the country’s tarnished image would be mere window-dressing if new standards of animal protection were not also’ proposed. For Philippines officials to state that it is their own business anyway is a blatant disregard for world opinion. You also reveal that dog slaughter is established at 10,000 a week. If this barbaric use of such highly intelligent and friendly animals is their own business, then the oppression and barbarity in El Salvador, Chile, South Africa, Afghanistan is- also no-one’s business.-Fortunately, it is increasingly apparent that oppression and barbarity are 1 everyone’s business whether practised upon two or fourlegged animals. In these days of trade and aid, countries cannot afford to ignore world condemnation if they wish to maintain a friendly relationship. — Yours, etc., J. SHARP. March 8, 1982.