LOOK: Proposed statue to remember dogs killed in 1800s anti-rabies campaign

The Dogs in Philippine History Facebook page, run by author-historian Ian Alfonso, shared on Sunday, June 15, a look at the sketch of a dog statue being proposed for mounting at the Rizal Park in Manila.

Alfonso, together with Biyaya Animal Care president Rina Ortiz, muralist Derrick Macutay, and sculptor Jester Oani drew up the design in hopes of commemorating the landmark’s 150th anniversary as a “graveyard” for the dogs killed amidst the country’s anti-rabies campaign in the 19th century.

The proposed statue features a mother aspin (asong Pinoy) standing over three puppies — meant to represent the country’s three major island groups: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. According to the Dogs in Philippine History page, each puppy is positioned differently to send out varying messages.

The puppy being nursed by the mother aspin is a nod to all the aspins and “abused and neglected dogs” who survived, while the sleeping one represents the dogs that were killed throughout the anti-rabies campaign.

The last puppy — situated between the mother aspin’s front legs, symbolizes the hope that aspins are still chosen by Filipinos “despite being unwanted.”

June 15 marks the 150th anniversary of homeless dogs being buried along the Campo de Bagumbayan beach and Tondo, which now exists as the part of Roxas Boulevard in front of Rizal Park, and the Mel Lopez Boulevard. These dogs were said to have been poisoned following the orders of Spanish authorities.

“The need for such graveyards in Manila was imperative since countless dogs were killed every day by way of poison. The authorities used strychnine, a crystalline substance developed specially to kill dogs (thus earning the Spanish moniker, mataperros or dog killer),” Alfonso wrote on the page.

Alfonso added that the National Parks Development Committee and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines are deciding if the dog memorial will be mounted at Rizal Park.

Alfonso is the author of the Dogs in Philippine History book, published in 2023. The book won the Best Design award in the 42nd National Book Awards.