Honda Cars Philippines, ‘SENSING’ that such an experience could change human and animal lives for the better, lets motoring scribes immerse in a ‘Pawssionate’ activity
In a perfect world, our animal companions (I avoid calling them “pets,” for it connotes ownership and total control of one species over another) should co-exist with us humans peacefully and happily.
But we’re far from perfect.
Literally right beneath our noses, millions of stray animals—many of them once considered “pets” by their “masters” or “owners,” and vied for their loving attention—now beg for mercy and compassion. Mercy and compassion are even rarer than the tiny morsels passersby might throw at them from time to time. In the instances when these strays are at their most vulnerable, mercy and compassion are the furthest from their reach.
Where once these “pets” lined up for treats in the comfort of their humans’ homes, they are now lined up for execution at the pound. Where once these “pets” were gently bathed to make them clean and cuddly, now boiling water is angrily poured over them because they’ve become “nuisances” in a stranger’s kitchen. Where once kittens were tucked into their tiny beds with their mothers, they’re now brusquely stashed into sacks or boxes and left by the roadside or thrown to the trash heap. Where once these “pets” roamed and ran freely in families’ homes and yards, they’re now caged or given up to shelters or pounds because their humans have found them “too big,” “too unruly” or “too aggressive.” Where once these “pets” fetched five- or even six-digit amounts for their breeders, they now await adoption at the city pounds, rejected by the very humans who equated their lives with cold cash.
We say our “pets” have become part of our family, and we’d do anything to keep them out of harm’s way. Do the 15 million (and counting) stray cats and dogs in this country feel as safe and secure?
This harsh reality hit 33-year-old marketing graduate Malou Perez like a speeding train when she visited a city pound some five years ago. There, she saw the captured dogs that were past their deadlines for adoption, all set for euthanizing. They were lined up, execution-style, beside a mass open grave. The mode of killing? One shot to the head because, as Malou recounts, the pound said it was cheaper to shoot the dogs (at 6 pesos per bullet) than to gas or inject them. Right then and there, Malou resolved that she would have to do something about the situation.
Thus, a mix of sadness, desperation, and hope helped build Malou’s Pawssion Project Foundation, which is in its fifth year and has shelters in Bacolod province (where the project began) and in the city of San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan province. This non-profit organization has rescued over 2,000 strays and rehabilitated and rehomed over 1,000 abused and neglected animals.
This reality also hit me hard when I was part of a small group of motoring writers and online content creators who were invited by Honda Cars Philippines Inc. to pay a visit to the foundation’s Bulacan shelter last October 13. We met the petite-yet-feisty and very articulate Malou, her youthful and dedicated staff and a handful of volunteers who made sure that the 260 rescued dogs and the over 50 cats were well taken cared of (free-roaming, fully vaccinated, spayed and neutered and fed twice a day with snacks and vitamins). Our group drove and rode HCPI’s representative roster of models: The new Brio, the new City and the all-new BR-V, its current top seller. HCPI also brought donations of dog and cat food, cat litter, food and refreshments for the staff and volunteers.
Malou briefed us before we went in to mingle with the rescued dogs and cats, giving us an overview of the dire situation of the 15 million strays. She also said that she hoped Filipinos would be more responsible for the care of their animal companions, and that they would include spaying and neutering (“kapon”) to prevent animal overpopulation.
The second we stepped inside the shelter grounds, we were greeted by a cacophony of barking and yelping. Hundreds of wet noses were nudging us from everywhere all at once. I saw various breeds and sizes of dogs—from “askals” to dachshunds to terriers. All of them had names, and responded when called.
There were also dogs with infirmities or special needs— the ones which Malou termed as “un-adoptable,” and were thus destined to live out the rest of their days in the shelter. These were the seniors, the ones with neurological issues (there were a couple of distemper survivors who exhibited the classic survivor behaviors such as body twitching or shrugging), or psychological trauma from repeated mistreatment and constant neglect. I also patted a couple of dogs who were currently undergoing chemotherapy (“Fighting!”, I urged them on).
Having gone inside slaughterhouses many times in my decades-old advocacy for animal rights, I’ve found that visiting an animal shelter is no less emotional. When you enter a slaughterhouse, the stench of violence, desperation, and death is overpowering. The pigs, who sense that they’re about to meet their end in the cruelest way possible, really do cry. The same goes for cows, chickens, ducks, and goats. They become fearful. They cry. Sea creatures–fish, whales, turtles, octopuses, sharks and crustaceans–let out a silent scream, as well from pain, I would imagine. And these are heartbreaking.
In shelters like this one in Bulacan, there’s no pall of death, nor the palpable fear of violence or cruelty. But the air still feels so heavy with the aftermath of betrayal and abandonment. And that’s no less heartbreaking than seeing someone actually ending the life of a being who was once considered a best friend.
And so, we might have been greeted with the joyful, slobbery licks from these dogs (and the gentle body rubs from the purring cats), but their eyes revealed sad, unforgotten memories. Every now and then, a dog would attempt an escape to try and find his or her original human companion. A pointless endeavor, no doubt, but for someone who has known nothing all his or her life but to shell out unconditional love, the try in itself would’ve been worth it.
Short line for adoptions
Malou said that the foundation makes all the effort via social media to find these dogs their “furever homes,” but there is no guarantee of success. “We still get very few adoption inquiries, all the more the ones with special needs.”
She reiterated that Pawssion Project is more than just a halfway home for the rescues. “We want to make the public aware that we are doing everything we can to make our shelter a home for them because even if they don’t get adopted, at least they have lived their last remaining time in a happy environment. They would feel the love not only from us but from everyone who visits the shelter,” said Malou.
She differentiates pounds from shelters. “Pounds are run by the government, and since the budget for pounds is very limited, animal welfare doesn’t really factor in here. There’s just no place for animal welfare in the government right now,” she said.
Shelter over business
Malou’s life was on a completely different trajectory before her eye-opening experience at the city pound in Bacolod. “I was supposed to put up an Airbnb business. But then I saw a social media post about dogs about to be shot to death in the pound. After that visit, without thinking twice, without knowing how to run a shelter, I said yes, let’s do it, without knowing it was going to change my life,” she narrated.
And just like that, what was supposed to be board-and-lodging for tourists became a shelter for rescued animals. Malou started with 50 rescued dogs. Now that number has come up to over 2,000 dogs and cats, with forever homes found for more than a thousand. Malou proudly said that her foundation has sent four rescues to their new homes in Canada, another to Las Vegas, and one that’s currently touring Europe.
She reminded us, though, that the foundation’s successes are mere drops in the bucket. For every rescue, thousands more are suffering, hidden in plain sight.
“When you get to grasp this reality, you’ll realize just how important it is that we all do our part,” Malou stressed.
Raising awareness costs zero
Doing our part could even be as simple and as free as spreading awareness. “It doesn’t matter from what industry you’re from. It doesn’t even matter whether you’re an animal lover or not. It costs zero to share a post to educate someone that you should not mistreat, tie or cage your dog,” Malou explained.
But of course, there are so many other ways one can help the cause apart from just sharing information online. You can do more to help the rescues at Pawssion Project Foundation. Visit the website: https:// pawssionproject.org.ph/ or donate: https://pawssionproject. org.ph/donate/. Or visit the Pawssion Project Foundation shelters themselves in Bacolod and Bulacan. Who knows, you may come home with a new, and grateful, best friend.
