Rabbit farming is now being proposed by some profit-driven groups in the country, another animal creature they want added to an already murky farming practice littered with animal welfare concerns.  

Our question is, why add another kind to the already sufficient types of animal food being farmed in the country?

One need not look deeper into the farming practices in the Philippines to know how these various livestock are being treated for their meat. The transport of livestock alone, including ducks and chickens, clearly manifests the cruelty these animals endure for the sake of profit. So why add another kind, a rabbit, to the heap? Are the suffering farm animals not enough for us Filipinos?   

Of course, animal welfare is important or else we are just creating communities that have no concept of responsibility and care for living creatures, humans included. What is the main reason for these groups to push for rabbits to be slaughtered is it not for profit? Filipinos can still continue to eat what is already available for them; it is clearly not a question of food availability.

AKF opposes adding rabbits to the already wanting animal welfare farming practices in the country.

When even our Foreign Affairs Secretary, Secretary Teddy Boy Locsin, admits, “We are not good at this”, in refusing a lone and live Panda gift from another county, we must humbly submit to the fact that our animal welfare practices in this part of the world is just highly questionable and not propose another creature to become part of a livestock farming that has been getting away with animal cruelty practices.

Our meat in the market is more than enough; let us prove to the world first that our farming practices are above standard in terms of animal welfare compliance. Until then, let us keep the rabbit, as we in AKF say, “Hoppy!”