Valentine’s Day doesn’t just have to be for romantic love. Mary Jane Burgos, a 24-year-old government worker in the Philippines, had a number of cute dates on Feb. 14, but they were all shelter dogs currently up for adoption.
Helping Dogs Find Forever Homes in the Philippines
A dozen people spent Valentine’s Day this week at an animal shelter in Manila run by the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). The shelter charged attendees 500 to 1000 pesos (around $7.56 to $15.11) per 30-minute date.
The money will go toward operating the shelter, which looks after over 200 dogs and cats. Some used to be street dogs, while others were rescued from abusive homes.
“With these kinds of events they can be immersed with different people, and help them socialize and, hopefully, improve their social skills and get them adopted in the future,” Burgos, who has seven dogs herself, explained.
“The awareness for pet adoption is not that high, and there are still a lot of people buying pets,” said Sharon Yap, PAWS campaign officer. “And it’s a sad fact that a lot of animals in the shelter can give all the love that they can give, but they aren’t given any chance.”
Animal cruelty is a crime in the Philippines. However, cases often go unreported.
Valentine’s Day With Dogs
If there aren’t any doggy date events near you, why not spend the day with your own pup? Of course, Valentine’s Day this year has been and gone now, but it’s never too early to plan for next year!
Why not treat your dog to their favorite food or give them a nice long walk? Or, simply do their favorite thing. But, of course, remember to keep chocolates and other dangerous Valentine’s Day items out of their way. After all, you don’t want to spend Valentine’s Day at the vet with a poorly pup.
