eartwarming Video: Hundreds of Overworked Horses Stuck on a Volcanic Island in the Philippines Have Never Seen a Veterinarian—Until Now

For Immediate Release:
August 17, 2017

Contact:
Megan Wiltsie 202-483-7382

Taal Volcano, the second most active volcano in the Philippines, is a popular destination for tourists, most of whom opt to ride up its steep slopes on horses—many of whom are lame, exhausted, and undernourished and go without water despite the grueling climb. These horses had never been treated by a veterinarian for illness or injuries, let alone for routine care, but—as a PETA video released today reveals—that all changed for many of them when PETA Asia teamed up with International Veterinary Outreach to improve their lives.

Arriving by canoe across a vast lake formed by the volcano’s caldera, volunteer veterinarians accompanied PETA Asia onto the island and provided hundreds of horses with emergency treatment for injuries, vital dental and hoof care, vaccinations, parasite prevention, and more. The vets also conducted an informational seminar that has helped owners improve the horses’ welfare. While the lives of these horses will remain hard—and neglect is rampant—meeting their most basic health-care needs has gone a long way to reducing their suffering.

PETA’s motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way,” and more information about these unique Philippine horse-care clinics is available on PETA’s blog.