BACOLOD CITY — A dog was injured after being struck by a dart arrow, locally known as an “Indian target,” in Barangay 8 recently, more than a year after similar attacks on dogs were reported in nearby Murcia, Negros Occidental.
A video showing the injured dog with the dart lodged in its body, apparently near a bone, went viral on social media and drew expressions of concern from pet owners and other netizens.
Animal welfare nongovernmental organization Bach Project PH said on social media that it learned about the injured dog after social media users tagged the group and sought its help.
The group said it initially held off responding after fellow animal rescuers criticized it for allegedly responding only to cases that had gone viral.
“We waited because we wanted to give other rescuers or concerned individuals a chance to step in. So this time, we held back. But more than 24 hours passed, no one stepped it,” the group said.
The organization said that while people continued sharing, commenting on and tagging others in posts about the case, the dog remained in need of medical attention.
The group eventually responded and brought the dog to Juan Veterinarian-Bacolod for assessment and treatment.
Bach Project PH said the dog was safe and under veterinary care.
The organization thanked Barangay 8 officials for assisting its team and cooperating in efforts to ensure the dog’s welfare.
“At the end of the day, we don’t care who gets the credit. We just couldn’t continue watching an animal suffer while waiting for someone else to act,” the group said.
Police were checking whether the incident had been formally reported to authorities.
Similar attacks were reported in Murcia in February 2025, when dogs named Tiktok and Buldog were injured by sling-launched darts, locally called “indyan panâ.”
Tiktok was found in Barangay Blumentritt with five darts lodged in its body, while Buldog was injured by a dart in Barangay Caliban.
Both dogs survived the attacks, but Tiktok later died in a road accident in September 2025.
Another dog, Maxi, was seriously injured in a similar dart attack in Barangay Iglau-an in August 2025, marking at least three such cases reported in Murcia that year.
The Animal Welfare Act of 1998, as amended by Republic Act No. 10631, prohibits cruelty, maltreatment and neglect of animals and provides criminal penalties for violations. (Glazyl M. Jopson via tdg photo by tdg)