A walk to remember

It was 3:30 a.m. I woke up and instinctively sniffed the air. It was awfully hot. The cool, albeit stinking, breeze from the Bay just wasn’t there. It was a couple of hours before the big day yet not a leaf was stirring. Instead, an asthmatic sitting in one of the benches by the fountain gasped painfully for breath, while a couple of dogs on leash nearby continuously yapped. In heat? Yeah, the non-sexual kind.

Scooting over to the front of the Malate Church, I noticed the Philippine Animal Welfare Society group busily welcoming the dogs with their humans. They were giving out goodies — a cute kerchief and shirt — around. A huge but kindly Dalmatian named Spot, looking pretty neat with a yellow cap, blocked my way. On his shoulders was a sign — "Why do you kill us? We love man more than we love ourselves." A pretty strong statement and very true.

It was a starry, starry day alright as I singled out writer Alya B. Honasan cooing to her pet Lab Banana. The Philippine STAR’s certified dog lovers Kathy Moran, Tanya and husband Romel Lara all brought their babies along — poodle Gorby, Mini Schnauzer Alley and Labrador Retriever Freeway. And, hey, there was Mark Gil and Maricar with Amber and Ginger, a Pug and Sharpei. Another media practitioner, Loreta Paje of the Philippine News Agency, was also there with her kids and Red, a Doberman, and Cali, a Mini Pin. Sidling up to PAWS’ Jeffrey Chua’s side, I overheard him saying that they were expecting at least 150 dogs from PAWS alone.

Well-loved by both animals and humans, Nita Hontiveros-Lichauco, the grand dame of PAWS, was her usual gracious self — despite the sweltering heat — talking to some reporters. "We’re trying to reach the 3,000 mark in Metro Manila alone. More than breaking the world record for the most number of dogs participating in this walk for a cause, we’d like to send a strong message to people of respect for the dogs. We are against dog eating, dog fighting and negligence," she said emphatically. I wanted to applaud and cheer wildly upon hearing this but I tried to control myself, for fear of attracting too much attention.

Trudging towards Baywalk where a huge throng of doggies and people have formed, I saw the streamers and booths being put up. Chihuahuas, Pitbulls, German Shepherds, all types of Terriers, Sharpeis, Great Danes, Chow Chows, etc. dominated the throng. The country’s first ever "Luv Ko si Bantay" dog walk for a cause was clearly underway. By daybreak, the stage would be filled with costumed dogs entertaining the mostly young crowd with various tricks such as Tahitian dancing and some other circus-like treats.

With the sun peeking out of the horizon, I began to see the full extent of this historic event. Everywhere, as far as my eyes could see and as high as my height allowed me to, dogs of all shapes and sizes appeared, some in fully costumed glory and others just as they are. Some dogs sat and waited patiently, while other, bigger dogs, bullied every tiny ones that came their way. Three huge — and I mean huge — Rottweilers named Crow, Brook and Chuck attracted admiring stares from both pets and humans, their shiny black coats glinting wickedly in the gathering light. The toy dogs, assembled in one corner, tried to avoid them especially when they overheard the Rottweilers’ owner Gina Jornacion saying that the huge dogs don’t really like toy dogs. Well, better safe than sorry then.

Further ahead was an elderly couple, Zeneida and Lorenzo Goca (from the Eastern Canine Club, as indicated in their shirts), who were trying to make Japanese Spitz Rica as comfortable as they could. They seemed to be determined to finish the 4.8-kilometer hike along the length of Roxas Boulevard. An intimidating sight was that of the K-9 group. The men, in no-nonsense black shirt, shorts and boots, could easily frighten even small dogs at first sight. But, if you look closer, they could be the most kindly bunch around. They know how to smile too. That day, 48 dogs in the K-9 roster had a break from their routine of sniffing for explosives and drugs (I wonder, do these dogs ever get high on the drugs that they sniff?).

Standing near the stage unnoticed, I listened closely to what Byron San Pedro, president of the Philippine Canine Club Inc., the organizer of the event, had to say at the start of the event. He said there were 23 venues nationwide that would simultaneously hold the event and that in Manila alone, over 2,000 dogs had already registered. After asking the humans to say, "Good dog!" to their wards and kissing or hugging them, a foreign-looking yet fluent Tagalog-speaking priest named Fr. John blessed everyone present. Then, with an unmistakable excitement filling the hotter-than-ever atmosphere, the speakers started blaring Who Let the Dogs Out? and the march began. I half-walked and half-ran, once in a while propping myself on an elevated place to watch the noisy parade of barking dogs, laughing children and chattering adults. There was a Poodle in ballet outfit and one in a fairy suit. A Pomeranian even came in a sporty attire complete with caps and jersey shirt. A handsome group of Siberian Huskies eagerly walked, almost dragging their humans. A band of Rottweilers slobbered their way through the crowd, while a bevy of lap dogs pranced and hopped around on their pampered little feet (the hot cement was probably too much for their pads). A baby Japanese Spitz, meanwhile, helplessly dangled from the arm of an elderly lady, who was gripping the poor dog almost by the neck. Oww, that must have hurt. Halfway through the walk, a lady stopped midway to give her Golden Retriever a refreshing dose of ice water. The same scene is repeated a few steps ahead with a Rottweiler gulping water from a bottle his owner held up in front of him. The poor dog looked like one of those dessert survivors who suddenly saw an oasis. We later learned that a Labrador Retriever reportedly died due to a stroke in Cebu City. He didn’t even get past the finish line. Several other dogs were said to have been rushed to the vets due to heat stroke. In the Baywalk, uh, walk, a Chow Chow had to be resuscitated with cold water because of exhaustion. (Hmm, I thought we’re fighting against cruelty to animals here.) Perhaps the organizers didn’t anticipate the heat when they moved the event to that hot Maytime morning, from an original sked in March. Still, poor doggies who had to sacrifice their comfort just to be able to make a stand and get their message across.

Up ahead, a wheelchair-bound man tried to keep pace with his beloved dog. And, hey, a pet pig was even sighted marching along with the pups. Another Rottweiler couldn’t wait any longer and decided to leave a "souvenir" right then and there, in the middle of the road, which his owner promptly scooped out of sight. Sadly, other pet owners weren’t as responsible. They just let their dogs go anywhere they desired and didn’t think one bit of cleaning up. I’m pretty sure the K-9 dogs had a field day sidestepping those "explosives".

Newspaper reports have pegged the number to almost 7,000 participants, clearly beating the 5,000-plus dogs that joined a similar dog walk in the UK last year.

But what really makes me smile with pride even now was the sight of four askals under PAWS’ care that led the group. They’re one of the very few mongrels or native dogs fortunate enough to join the once-in-a-lifetime event. They are, after all, the most neglected and most abused dogs in this country. They are the ones that will greatly benefit if laws against dog-eating, dog-fighting and overall neglect are finally implemented. Owners of askals, more often than not, tend to still look at these local dogs as mere bantay (or guard dogs), and not really part of the household. Thus, they’re more exposed to abuse and negligence. Therein lies the difference between the ones with breeds and the askals. I should know, for I’m one of them — a pure-bred askal.

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(Written in memory of Bogart and Choco, two askal poisoned with vetsin-filled bread and dognapped by heartless people. Their beloved owners, two sisters who took good care of them since they were puppies, were inconsolable upon learning of the crime.)