Key Highlights
- Abolishment of Painful Practices: The ordinance officially bans “Zorro marking” (deep cuts or slashes on swine) and hot iron branding for large ruminants like cattle, carabaos, and horses.
- Adoption of Ear Tagging: All livestock must now use Ear Tagging, a humane, tamper-proof method involving coded tags that contain ownership and location data.
Reasoning: Traditional marking methods cause unnecessary pain and stress, which violates the Animal Welfare Act and can negatively impact meat quality. - Improved Traceability: The new system allows the City Veterinary Office (CVO) to better track animal origins and identify stray livestock on public roads.
- Compliance: Meat vendors are responsible for providing ear tags for swine, while livestock owners must cooperate with the CVO for tagging large ruminants.
Penalties for Violations
Violators face a tiered system of local administrative fines and potential national criminal charges:
- First Offense: ₱2,500.00 fine and a written warning.
- Second Offense: ₱5,000.00 fine and mandatory animal welfare orientation.
- Third Offense: ₱5,000.00 fine and possible revocation of animal transport or ownership permits.
- National Liability: Depending on the severity of cruelty or injury to the animal, violators may also face imprisonment (up to 2 years) and fines up to ₱100,000.00 under the Animal Welfare Act.
- Proposed