Of pets and humans

Today, is a big day for the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) as it hosts “Dine With PAWS” at SM Mall of Asia at 6:30 p.m.

“We have lined up so many exciting activities,” said PAWS volunteer and even director Rich Ilustre. “It will be loads of fun.”

I was at Dine with PAWS last year, but I went solo. This year I will be bringing a date — I have not yet decided who of my five doggie companions will be the one. If I could, I would take all of them.

The dinner is a formal event, where pets and their humans come dressed to the nines. A buffet spread is set with one for humans and another for the pet companion. And, yes, the dinner is a sit-down sort of thing with a seat for the human and their pet companion.

The proceeds of the event will go to the many projects of PAWS.

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Did you know that PAWS has only around 10 employees? The rest of the needs of the shelter, in terms of people power is composed of wonderful folks who come in a do volunteer works.

Last year alone, PAWS’ volunteer adoption team rehomed 71 rescued cats and 41 rescued dogs; the volunteers for the humane education team delivered RPO (Responsible Pet Owner) lectures to 1,030 students in universities, elementary and pre-schools; the volunteers assisted the Quezon City government in the registration and rabies vaccination of some 5,000 dogs.

Gwen Protasio, volunteer coordinator and director, says “It just blows us away how much people can do when they’re very passionate about the cause. The dedication of our hardworking volunteers makes it possible for us to do a lot for the animals with the little resources that we have.”

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There is always something we can do to help. Perhaps you might consider doing your share for PAWS. Here is a list some of the work that volunteers do:

1. Direct animal care — In the shelter there are volunteers who walk and bathe the dogs. Others interact with the cats. Still there are others who help in cleaning animal areas and training dogs.

2. Humane education (HE) — The team visits schools and teaches children kindness through puppet shows, storytelling and songs. There are university lectures, too. Other volunteers help prepare materials like video, posters, flyers for the HE team

3. Assist in Dr. Dog — PAWS’s has had the Dr. Dog program for many years now. It is an animal-assisted therapy where the Dr. Dogs visit sick kids in hospitals and institutions.

4. Help in fundraising — There are several events that PAWS’ organizers throughout the year. Tonight there is Dine with PAWS. PAWS’ also has T-shirts, caps, cards which are designed, developed, produced and sold.

5. Lobbying, legal work — This involves meeting with government officials, attending hearings, giving legal assistance to those who want to file cases against animal offenders

6. Adoption Team — The volunteer members of this team do anything and everything to get more “exposure” for shelter animals and tell their stories to increase their chances of being adopted. Some members are also bloggers who try to utilize the web to spread the word about adoption! You can become part of the team by simply blogging.

7. Animal Rescue Team — Rescue animals in distress

8. Spay-Neuter Team — These volunteers raise funds to be able to offer free spay-neuter to those who cannot afford even PAWS’ low cost spay-neuter rates.

How to become a volunteer:

1. Fill up the Volunteer Application Form only if you can devote at least eight hours a month to be at the animal shelter or attend committee meetings. Forms must be handed in personally at the animal shelter in aAurora Blvd., Katipunan Valley, Loyola Heights, Quezon City or mailed to PAWS c/o Nita Hontiveros-Lichauco, 87 Small Horseshoe Drive New Manila, Quezon City, 1112.

Accomplished applications forms cannot be e-mailed or faxed. PAWS is trying to save on printing costs in its office.

2. After you’ve submitted the form, you will be e-mailed by a fellow volunteer or the volunteer coordinator to attend a volunteer orientation (usually scheduled 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on a Saturday). Frequency of volunteer orientation held by PAWS is every six months.

 For other queries on volunteering for PAWS, please e-mail philpaws@yahoo.com or drop by the PAWS Animal Shelter in Aurora Blvd., Quezon City between 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays or Saturdays.

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I got this in the e-mail recently. I reprinted it in full so that pet owners who walk their dogs are warned.

My friend Anton got dognapped

Anton is an adorable little black Pomeranian and a regular customer at my hubby’s resto. Or rather, Anton’s owner is. I see them maybe weekly, and I’m a little embarrassed that I still don’t know the name of the owner (who I shall now refer as AO). Anton would sit beside AO, and every time I see them, she would bring Anton out to play with me. He was such a sweet little thing.

AO exercises at Luneta and would bring Anton with her. It only took a second, she said. One moment Anton was there, and the next, he was gone. She had noticed two guys hovering nearby earlier, and witnesses recount later on that it was those two guys who walked away with Anton.

From flyers, to rewards, to looking everywhere, AO has done everything to try and get Anton back. She even filed a police report — only to find out that there had been three other dognapping cases in Luneta. Sadly, none of the dogs have been found.