A bow wow Halloween

Halloween: the event of the year when almost everyone who likes to add a little more spook to their life dresses up in wacky and scary costumes.

This year, the fourth for “Scaredy Cats and Dogs” of  the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) and  Eastwood City was exactly that — a Halloween event  with kids, adults, and cats and dogs dressed in their scariest best.

Unique and frightful is how  I would describe the costumes this year. Sure there were the usual zombies,  witches and vampires, but there were also dogs in grass skirts or bumble-bee costumes and those came in their naked best.  A Chow-Chow came dressed as a tarantula,  while a zombie Minipin came dragging in a  miniature coffin behind him, and a Golden Retriever came in a pumpkin outfit.

This year, 50 pets and their owners competed for the scariest, cutest and most original costumes.  It was fun to watch how the humans coaxed their dogs and a few cats into getting ready for the competition. A warning was issued that no pet should be hurt by their humans in their desire to make them win. From where we were sitting, it was fun to see just how lovingly and meticulously the humans dressed up their favorite canine or feline companions.

Even as pets and pet owners had a howling good time, rescued dogs and cats at the PAWS Animal Rehabilitation Center (PARC) were also happy. Corporate sponsors and all participants who paid the P150 joining fee raised much-needed funds for the upkeep of the animal shelter.

“It’s a blessing that people and their pets can do fun things  together, and still contribute to a good cause,” said Liza Umayam, PAWS  adoption head. PARC is the first animal shelter in the country with an active adoption and spay-neuter program. The center has already re-homed  and rehabilitated more than 300 animals since it opened in 2002.

“We’ve also spayed and neutered about 157 dogs and cats from January to October 2007,” Liza  added. “This, despite the odds that we have just one shelter veterinarian who is also actively involved in animal rescues and oversees the health of our shelter animals. We’re really grateful that pet events enable PAWS to continue its work for the animals.”

Back to the competition. The kids did their thing first. There were a few games and the real scary stuff got underway. 

Here’s the list of winners:

Best Ghoulish Partners (best pet and guardian tandem): Jan Ruselle Banaag, a green earth fairy with Maxine the sleepy Chihuahua. Both were dressed in green outfits accented with real  tree leaves to make an environmental statement.

Transylvanian Star (best pet in costume): Maan Ramos was with Babsie, her English Bulldog. The tandem came  in Mardi Gras  costume.

Crypt-Keeper’s Choice (most original costume): Julia, a half-Japanese Spitz, half-Shih Tzu, was dressed as a Victoria’s Secret  model (lacy red outfit with angel wings)  together with her owner’s human friend, Sandy Pepito.

Casper’s Choice (cutest pet in costume): Yorkshire Terrier Charming was adorably dressed as a poinsettia flower and was carried in a basket of fake poinsettias by her owner, Rose Piñero.

Phantom’s Pick (most creative costume): Zombie Mini Pinscher with a lighted coffin.

Rocco’s Choice (best cat in Halloween costume) and Hali-meow Awardee  (best native cat in costume) went to Kisha, the black cat, who was dressed as a black spider. Her human is Marian Barola.

Mark and Blanche Arreza with their pumpkin human baby, Joaquin Antonio, and pumpkin canine baby, Cody the Golden Retriever, romped off with a special prize as runners-up in the Best Ghoulish Partners category.

Pumpkin Patch Awardees (honorable mentions) were:

  1. Mipao, the prisoner Chihuahua, with owner Janelle Toh.

  2. Kulet, dressed as the orange witch, with owner Lilit Dyliacco.

Doggie Draculas and canine Frankensteins feasted on their favorite  Alpo 2-in-1crunchy treat or juicy sauce,  which was distributed at the venue.  Kids who joined the kid Halloween costume contest came home with hefty Halloween goodie bags filled with Chiz Curls, Cloud 9, Chooey Choco, Poppins peanut butter, Hello Pippers, Peanut Crumbles, Dynamite, Big Bang, Strawberry Choco. Jojo Gummi strawberry Puff, Bear Bites Buttermilk, Lush, Milky Shakes, Caramel Curls, Star Fruits, Star Pops Fruits, Star Pops Choco and Wiggles. Other sponsors were the Philippine star Pet Life Section, McDonald’s and Frontline.