Vet Mayem Yao of Pendragon Dog Clinic called me about the current condition of the dogs in the Mandaluyong Animal Shelter (MAS).
“We are currently starting a campaign (mostly friends and clients), which allows people to sponsor a dog at P1,000,” said Dr. Mayem. “The donation will be used to do a number of blood tests, vaccines and whatever medical needs the dogs might need. If we do have some excess tests, we will reallocate funds for treatment expenses.”
Dr. Mayem informed me that it was Li-an Ascalon, a volunteer for Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), Compassion And Responsibility for Animals (CARA), and an independent volunteer of MAS, who sent Pendragon clinic an e-mail requesting for help with the shelter.
“My friend Joyce Rasco gave me her mobile clinic voucher worth P1,000, which was originally meant for her dog. Hence one dog from MAS received a check-up, anti-rabies shot and 5-in-one through Dr. Thea Salvador and your mobile clinic.
“This is actually a historic first. Ramses the dog is the first-ever recipient of this sponsorship. Last July, PAWS offered their services for free shelter, staff training and blood extraction/tests for 50 of the dogs. I was able to identify from the blood results which of the dogs were healthy enough to receive vaccinations.”
This short e-mail started a collaboration between Dr. Mayem of Pendragon Clinic and Li-An for the benefit of the dogs in MAS.
I joined Dr. Mayem and Li-An at MAS last Saturday and was both amazed and saddened by the current state of the dogs in the shelter.
Amazed that the 70 dogs were getting fed and medically treated by “volunteers” at MAS. Saddened because there is still so much that needs to be done before these dogs can be adopted out of MAS.
I also got a chance to meet the head of MAS, city vet Dr. Louie Encarnacion.
“The MAS, which was opened three years ago, was created to be a safe haven for stray dogs, where they can receive proper care and attention,” said Dr. Louie Encarnacion. “The pound was converted into a shelter because of Mandaluyong Mayor Ben Abalos’ pro-life stance, and pursuant to RA 8485 Animal Welfare Act and RA 9482 Anti Rabies Act.”
MAS is a no-kill shelter, so they do all they can to make sure that the dogs get enough food and medicines so that they can eventually be re-homed. If a dog gets sick in the shelter, Dr. Louie tries to nurse the dog back to health.
Dr. Louie has done a lot for MAS. On the day we were there, he had just come from rescuing 10 dogs from a house in Mandaluyong.
“They were in a small house and their human was beating them,” related Dr. Louie. “We got a call from the neighbors who had complained about the smell and noise the dogs were making.”
With that rescue, the dogs in the shelter have now reached 80. Dr. Louie made sure that the dogs were examined by Dr. Mayem before they were taken into cages at the shelter.
“It seemed like such a big task,” added Li-An. “I thought when I started here three years ago, I couldn’t do much. But I am happy that there are many concerned animal welfare advocates who really want to help.”
Walking around the shelter as we talked, I found that the 70 dogs at MAS still need much help. A shelter is a place where dogs can be rehabilitated so that they will eventually be adopted.
The dogs at the shelter are still not ready to be rehomed. Much still has to be done in order to get these dogs to a state that they can be adopted.
Aside from the medicines and food that the shelter needs, Li-An says that it is also important that the dogs be socialized before they can be adopted out.
One way of being able to socialize these dogs is to find foster homes for them who can take them in while they are not yet adopted out. It is important that a dog be socialized before it goes to a new home.
“But, for now, I take it one day at a time,” said Li-An. “It is good that we have come this far. And, that there are vets like Mayem who are willing to give their services for free.”
Last Saturday, Vet Mayem was assisted by members of the Society for the Advancement of Veterinary Education and Research (SAVER) of Arenta-De Lasalle. The interns were happy, but also looked quite stressed as they conducted a few tests on the state of the health of the dogs.
“I want to be able to help,” quipped Vet Mayem. “And when I got Li-An’s e-mail, I immediately contacted her.”
Li-An is the kind of animal welfare advocate who would find ways, no matter how unconventional, to be able to help an animal in need. Matter of fact, she is working full time as a volunteer to be able to meet the needs of the dogs in MAS.
When the dog food level is running on empty, Li-An goes on her “begging” mode, where she gathers scraps of food from restaurants just so the dogs have something to eat.
I admire her courage and determination to help the dogs that have less in dog life.
“You don’t need to have lots of money,” Li-An said. “But I know that there are many people who, if they know about how hard the situation of the dogs in MAS are will help.”
I also know that since MAS is government-run and cannot accept cash donations — but it can accept donations in kind. This explains why Li-An opted to go the route of collecting food scraps, leftovers, dog food and medicines — for the dogs at the pound so that she could help them in their daily needs.
Volunteerism and socio-civic action at work in MAS is how Li-An likes to describe the work she and others have done.
MAS has allowed proactive concerned animal-loving citizens to take it upon themselves to set initiatives — programs and activities that address MAS dogs’ needs, be it short-term or long-term, which the facility couldn’t ordinarily do on its own,” added Li-An. Better yet is that these “unofficial” volunteers are not limited to Mandaluyong constituents.”
Although Li-An points out that MAS does not have a formal volunteer program, what she has done is to start citizen-initiated activities: feeding programs, in-kind donation drives, mini-fundraisers, cleaning activities, and water feeder installations, among others.
Li-An stressed that all these citizen efforts, help from the NGOs, other groups, private establishments and the business sector are meant to prop up the MAS while it is still too shaky to stand on its own feet. At the end, Li-An hopes that MAS will become empowered — not dependent on the aid.
For a shelter, its performance will be measured through improved conditions and disposition of the dogs at the very least, policies/guidelines, records management system, quality adoptions (screened candidates and dogs are healthy, spayed or neutered before adoption) and increased adoption rate.
There is more that can be done for the dogs in the pound. They need food and also medicines to address their current health state.
Just like humans, dogs need to be in homes where humans will care for them for the rest of their lives.
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For information on how you can help, e-mail mandaluyonganimalshelter@gmail.com. For Pendragon MAS sponsorship voucher, call Pendragon Vet Clinic at 436-3833 or 0922-838-4357.