Target: Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Quezon City, Philippines
Goal: Pursue all lawful penalties, if the evidence supports the allegations, against the owner of a horse reportedly forced to run nearly 16 miles behind a moving vehicle until it collapsed from exhaustion and heat stroke.
Kabang survived, but survival should never be mistaken for acceptable treatment. According to animal welfare investigators, the horse’s ordeal lasted mile after mile, tethered by a short rope to a moving vehicle with virtually no chance to stop, rest, or escape.
Investigators say Kabang was tied to a vehicle and forced to gallop for nearly 16 miles under punishing conditions before collapsing onto the roadway from exhaustion and heat stroke. Animal welfare responders intervened immediately, providing emergency veterinary care before organizing a roughly 1,000-mile rescue by road and sea to get Kabang to a specialist equine hospital in Batangas for long-term rehabilitation. Authorities have identified the owner, and the Bureau of Animal Industry is reviewing the case before deciding whether formal charges will proceed. No court has determined criminal liability, and no penalties have been imposed.
Working animals deserve the same legal protection from unnecessary suffering as any companion animal. If the evidence supports the allegation that Kabang’s owner deliberately pushed the horse beyond the limits of physical endurance, meaningful accountability should follow. This case also highlights the need for stronger enforcement of welfare standards for draft and working animals, so that endurance and profit never come before humane treatment.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Secretary Laurel,
The horse Kabang’s rescue has generated widespread concern among veterinarians, equine welfare organizations, and the public. Investigators are reviewing allegations that the horse was subjected to prolonged physical exertion while tethered to a moving vehicle.
Kabang allegedly collapsed from exhaustion and heat-related injuries before receiving emergency veterinary treatment. The allegations against the owner remain subject to review and should be evaluated through careful examination of veterinary records, witness testimony, and all other available evidence.
Please ensure this case receives every available enforcement resource and that, if the evidence supports the allegations, the owner faces the full legal penalties available under Philippine law. Stronger protections for working animals should be advanced nationwide so no animal is pushed to this point again.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Judgefloro
