Operatives confiscated three cattle in a private slaughterhouse in Barangay Talamban, Cebu City. More on this shortly | Tonee Despojo
The Cebu City Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries (DVMF) apprehended the owners of a private abattoir in Barangay Talamban on Friday (June 1) after tolerating the act of forcefully pumping water into five cows.
The unlawful practice is also known as waterflooding.
The owners of the private slaughterhouse were identified as Merly Survilla, Boy Dahunan, and Jun Cola.
Each of the owners may face a fine in violation of the Animal Welfare Act, the Consumer Act of the Philippines and City Ordinance No. 2080.
City veterinarian Alice Utlang told Cebu Daily News that they also issued a citation ticket to the slaughterhouse.
Utlang explained that the water inside the cow’s body would make them bloat, causing it to appear heavier once it is weighed before being sold to the markets.
“Ang owner sa ihawan, amo gyung i-monitor ug magpost mi ug dugang inspector ani nga ihawan kay sila ra diri sa city mo ihaw ug large animals (We will be monitoring the owners of the slaughterhouse and we will assign additional inspectors there since it’s the only slaughterhouse in Cebu City which is permitted to butcher large animals),” she explained. / STC Intern Candy Morr Baraga