Compassion for animals

I am writing regarding a report by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals about an exhausted horse collapsing due to extreme heat and poor health.

The horse was pulling a carriage in Manila under the scorching heat of the sun. The tourists who ride these carriages under the safe shed of the cart are usually utterly unaware of the misery and damage they are inflicting on the horse, physically and physiologically.

The horse was forced to endure the extreme weather, walking on hot pavement, being whipped multiple times, all while pulling a cart that is obviously heavier than the recommended standard of 20 percent of the horse’s body weight, in a busy and noisy city.

I am thoroughly dismayed. This is a serious matter, and nothing can make up for the pain and trauma suffered by these animals.

It is highly important for us to make a choice, and we can start by respecting and treating animals
with compassion.

ALLEONA MARIE ANTIDO, Bel-air, Makati City