EL SALVADOR CITY, Misamis Oriental — Eight dogs were reportedly found dead after allegedly being poisoned in Zone 2B, Barangay Bolobolo, El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental, on the evening of September 22, prompting residents and netizens to call for an immediate investigation into the incident.
The incident reportedly began at around 9 p.m. when a concerned citizen, identified in a Facebook post by Jesiery Portulin, heard the agonizing cries and yelping of several dogs in the area.
When some dog owners and residents went outside to check, they reportedly found the animals struggling to breathe. Several of the dogs subsequently died, according to the information circulating among residents.
Among those reportedly killed was a recently whelped female dog that left behind a litter of young puppies.
Residents became concerned that the deaths may have been caused by deliberate poisoning after food remnants, including what appeared to be leftover pancit and other food, were reportedly found in an area where dogs commonly gather.
The animals were described by residents as friendly local Aspins, or Philippine native dogs, that were familiar in the community.
The circumstances surrounding the deaths, however, remain subject to verification. While residents suspect poisoning, the exact cause of death has not been publicly established through a veterinary examination or other official investigation based on the information available.
The incident has since drawn calls from netizens and animal lovers for authorities to immediately investigate, identify the circumstances that led to the deaths, and determine whether an individual intentionally poisoned the animals.
Residents are also concerned about the surviving puppies left by the female dog and the possibility that other animals could be exposed to contaminated food if poisoned bait was indeed used.
An investigation could help establish what substance, if any, caused the dogs’ deaths, where the suspected poisoned food came from, and whether the incident constitutes a violation of animal welfare laws or other applicable regulations.
For now, residents are urged to avoid handling or consuming any suspicious food left in public areas and to keep pets away from food or substances of unknown origin while the circumstances are being clarified.
The deaths have raised renewed concern over the protection of animals in residential communities and the need for prompt reporting and proper investigation whenever multiple animals suddenly become ill or die under suspicious circumstances.