The killing of a pet dog in the northern Philippines has ignited widespread outrage and reopened debate on the country’s weak animal welfare protections after disturbing footage of the incident went viral online.
The video shows an American Bully named Axle being beaten with a wooden plank in the remote town of Sadanga in Mountain Province, prompting an outpouring of grief from animal lovers and a wave of calls for authorities to strengthen enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act.
Closed-circuit television images captured the dog whimpering and trying to escape as a man chased and struck it repeatedly, before it later died from its injuries.
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The attack occurred on December 4 and was first posted on YouTube, but reposts on TikTok and Facebook helped the footage spread rapidly, drawing thousands of views within hours.
Within days, #JusticeForAxle posts from animal welfare groups and local news pages were ricocheting across social media, helping turn the case into a national news story.
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