Convicted! Cat Killer Pleads Guilty to Cruelty-to-Animals Charges

In a landmark trial, a student from the University of the Philippines pleaded guilty to cruelty-to-animals under Republic Act 8485 (Animal Welfare Act of 1998) for killing a kitten named Tengteng in 2009. This is the first time that a conviction has resulted from an individual case of cruelty to one animal.

Joseph Carlo Candare—who wrote about the killing on his blog, which fuelled an online campaign against him—was sentenced to a 1,000 Php fine and community service at a local animal protection group, The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). He will also receive psychological counseling.

Candare’s conviction is a firm statement that animal abuse won’t be tolerated in the Philippines. To do your part to ensure that no one ever gets away with harming an animal, always remember to report cruelty to animals.

Posted by Rochelle Regodon