Recently, pet lovers from all over Metro Manila and nearby provinces gathered for the grand eyeball of the GMA News TV show Luv U Pet.
Dogs, cats, birds, fish, hamsters, hedgehogs, rats, piglets, exotic pets, and their owners met up and socialized at the Baywalk on Roxas Boulevard for the event which became part of the season finale of the only pet lifestyle show on Philippine TV.“Pinoy Dog Whisperer” and show host Lestre Zapanta led the morning’s pack walk with hundreds of dogs and dog owners; later, he held a dog training lecture in which he gave a live demonstration to dog owners. Pet owners were treated to free services like anti-rabies vaccinations, grooming, and a doggie buffet. Lectures from veterinarians and pet product sponsors encouraged pet owners to learn the proper way to handle their pets, to watch over their diets, and how to treat pets for various ailments.
Animal welfare organizations Adopt a Pet Philippines (AAPP) and Island Rescue Organization (IRO) set up a pet adoption and fundraising booth for the benefit of dog rescue centers in Cebu and Bacolod. Metro Manila’s only college of veterinary medicine, De La Salle Araneta University, along with one of its student arms, the SCENERodeo Club Araneta Chapter, served as an extended vaccination booth and water and first aid station.For several groups, the event became an avenue to promote awareness of their pets; the Philippine Fish Adoption (PFA) group gave away fish for adoption and taught visitors about proper fish keeping.
For their part, Keepers of Extreme Exotics Philippines (KEEP) members showcased their exotic pets. Also present at the event, with full turnouts, were the Association of Cavite Dog Lovers (ACDL), Bulacan Dog Walkers (BDW), Bulakan Bulacan Dog Walkers (BBDW), Bulakenyo Huskies (BH and Friends), Dog Owners Group Philippines (D.O.G. Ph), FURever BARKadas (FurBark), Hamster Club of the Philippines (HCP), Hedgehog Owners of the Philippines (HOP), Japanese Spitz Club of the Philippines (JSCP), KutingPH, Malabon Dog Pack Club (MDPC), Mini Pinscher Lovers Philippines (MPL.ph), Philippine Bird Lovers and Trainers (PBLT), Philippine Chihuahua Club (PCC), Philippine Siberian Husky Club (PSHC), Pooch Pals Philippines (PPP), Siberian Huskies Society (SHS), SUPERDOGS of the PHILIPPINES, United Dog Lovers of Bulacan (UDLB), United Philippines Jack Russell Terrier Club (UPJRTC), Valenzuela Pack (ValPack) and Valenzuela South Alpha Dogs (VSAD).
Other pet groups also participated in the event, including members from the Philippine Parrot Free Fly (PPFF) and Pet Rats Philippines (PRP).
This appeared in Animal Scene’s July 2015 issue.
