PAWS

PAWS

Update As of July/7/2011

"Tambucho" Killing Deleted

Unclaimed dogs and cats in pounds can no longer be legally put down through tambucho-gassing.

Department of Agriculture Administrative Order number 9 signed by Secretary Proceso Alcala removes ' the use of carbon monoxide coming from vehicle exhaust fumes' as a legal procedure of euthanizing animals. Only "carbon monoxide in cylinders may be used.

For related news article, click http://paws.org.ph/site/ItemID=78/305/default.aspx?month=7

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The article/links below are not current and for documentation purposes only.

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What is THE TAMBUCHO-GASSING METHOD

Seven to ten dogs are crammed into a metal box which is then sealed. The fully-conscious dogs break into a frenzy of wails and panicky scratching as the hose is connected from the running vehicle’s exhaust pipe to the metal box.

As soon as the fumes enter the box, the dogs’ whimper and howls of pain rise to a crescendo. Their struggles to get out of the box is clearly heard by anyone standing outside.

All noises emanating from the metal box indicate that for the duration of a full ten minutes, the dogs feel every pain possible before they stop struggling and finally expire.

This method is currently being done on a weekly basis in some provinces with the use of improvised gas chambers-using exhaust fumes from whatever type of government vehicle is available.

PAWS, Animal Kingdom Foundation and CARA Welfare Philippines launched a campaign directed at appealing to the Department of Agriculture Secretary Alcala to delete the use of vehicle exhaust fumes in the Administrative Order on Euthanasia.

Who included tambucho-kill in the AO?
The help of then-Senators Letty Ramos-Shahani, Orlando Mercado and Edgardo Angara.

What is the Committee on Animal Welfare (CAW)?
A committee comprising of professional veterinary associations, government and non-government institutions whose work was related to animals during the time that the law was passed, viz:

VOTED FOR RETENTION OF TAMBUCHO:

Philippine Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA) *gave indication through Dr. Baldos that they may 'abstain' from voting
Veterinary Practitioners Association of the Philippines (VPAP)
Philippine Animal Hospital Association (PAHA)* gave indication that they may change vote
Philippine College of Canine Practitioners (PCCP)
Philippine Society of Animal Science (PSAS)
Agricultural Technology Institute (ATI)
Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) of the Department of Agriculture (DA)
Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)

VOTED FOR DELETION OF TAMBUCHO:

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG);
Department of Education (DepEd)
National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS)
Philippine Society of Swine Practitioners (PSSP)
Philippine Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PSPCA)
The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS)

The Committee draws up guidelines and implementing rules and regulations or Administrative Orders (AOs) that define which acts should be considered ‘cruelty’.

To date, the CAW has churned out a total of eighteen AOs, including the now-defunct AO 21 (series 1999) which was simply known as the Code of Conduct in the Euthanasia of Pets – which the new Administrative Order will replace.

After drawing up the rules and going through a Public Hearing, the CAW recommends the AO for approval of the DA.

In the case of the Euthanasia AO, there were protests from animal welfare groups at the Public Hearing but majority of the CAW voted for the retention of tambucho because of:

the non-availability of drugs in some areas
euthanasia drugs are more expensive
carbon monoxide gassing is "conditionally allowed" by the American Veterinary Medical Association. For the first two enumerated reasons, it must be noted that there are other options enumerated in the AO for the euthanasia of animals which do not use Euthal. One is the use of the more affordable magnesium sulfate while the animal is sedated.

For argument number 3, gassing with vehicle exhaust fumes is not the carbon monoxide gassing that is conditionally allowed by the AVMA. Initially, animal welfare groups were told that carbon monoxide in cylinders were not available in the country.

What is the point of the whole campaign:
For CAW to remove vehicle exhaust fume-gassing in the AO.
In the same way that we will not include a method of electrocution or beating a dog on the head with a dos por dos (piece of wood) as acceptable methods, the cruel and internationally-rejected method of vehicle exhaust fume-gassing should not be in the AO.

There are other options, drugs can be made available, talks with pharmaceutical companies and chemical engineers are underway, but take TAMBUCHO out of the AO.

Help us write to Secretary Alcala to appeal to him to delete tambucho-kill in the Administrative Order which will be issues as one of the implementing laws under the ANIMAL WELFARE ACT

ospja_sec@yahoo.com

There is no "animal welfare" in tambucho-kill.

graphic video of actual tambucho killing