Trigger Warning: Article contains graphic descriptions relating to physical injuries caused by accident
The agriculture office of a municipality in Leyte gave an update about the carabaos involved in an accident with a sports utility vehicle (SUV) on Monday.
The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) of Burauen, Leyte reported that a silver SUV in Barangay Moguing rammed a carabao with a carriage on August 7.
A 48-year-old woman from Barangay San Jose West in Burauen was injured.
Burauen MDRRMO said that they immediately provided her first-aid help and brought her to the nearest hospital for medical intervention.
The accident was also reported by The Philippine STAR on its Facebook page, garnering 44,000 sad reactions, 3,200 shares, and over 3,300 comments so far.
Majority of Filipinos in the comments hoped the carabao was doing okay after reading about the incident.
By Monday evening, the Burauen Municipal Agriculture Office posted an update about the animals on its Facebook page.
According to them, two carabaos were involved in the road accident. Both were examined by veterinarian Analou Detablan of the town’s agriculture office.
One was found with “numerous wounds, particularly to the head.”
“Unfortunately, because [of] the serious head injuries, the calf did not survive. Its [h]orn almost fell off, its mandible was misaligned, and it was unable to stand,” the agriculture office said on its post on Monday evening.
A calf is a baby of a carabao.
The agriculture office said that the carabao in the picture was the one that survived. It has also received treatment.
The local government unit (LGU) of Burauen also released a statement about the viral incident through its Facebook page.
It confirmed the accident which resulted in the death of a carabao and the injury of another, with the latter receiving treatment from its agricultural office.
The Burauen LGU also said that according to its MDRRMO, the parties involved in the accident “have amended and settled everything.”
“They claim that those in charge of the incident were able to cover the victims’ medical expenses as well as the costs associated with the damage done to the property and the loss of the animal,” the LGU said, citing the report of its MDRRMO.
The government unit added that it is “deeply saddened” by the incident.
“As we take actions and provide services, we encourage everyone to be careful in our actions and also in the words we say. Thank you,” it concluded.
Various animal welfare organizations in the country have been urging motorists to “brake for animals” whenever they encounter one on the road.
The initiative reminds motorists to drive safely so as to reduce accidents involving animals, from strays to pets.
Meanwhile, reckless driving is penalized under Philippine laws.
It is defined as “the act of operating a motor vehicle without reasonable caution considering the width, traffic, grades, crossing, curvatures, visibility and other conditions of the highway and the conditions of the atmosphere and weather, or so as to endanger the property or the safety or rights of any person, or so as to cause excessive or unreasonable damage to the highway.”