The pandemic may still be upon us, but we have gradually been transitioning to a new normal. People have been going out more than before—equipped with the proper masks and face shields, of course—and establishments have begun to reopen, but with proper sanitation and strict policies on social distancing.
Similarly, malls too have begun to reopen, and have been offering services like they used to. Take weekend markets and bazaars, for example. And Eastwood Malls is no exception to that.
When both the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, and World Animal Day coincided, this mall hosted its very own pet blessing. The twist? It was a via drive-thru!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CF6fzlsH9xa/
Last Sunday, on October 4, cars lined up at Citywalk road with pets in tow. From a safe distance, dogs, cats, and even birds were blessed with holy water by a priest. The blessing took place from 4 to 5 PM that day.
According to a report from Reuters, the organizers and participants said that this unconventional way of blessing pets allowed eventgoers to not only ensure well-wishes for their pets but to also recognize animal rights and welfare. All this was done with proper social distancing, of course. Plus, owners were asked to wear the proper face shields and masks to ensure their safety.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CF53PmDHKej/
“We have to adapt to the new normal and the pandemic should never stop us from paying tribute to the furry animals that we have,” said Ritchie Pascual, one of the event organizers.
And we couldn’t agree more.
[Also Read: Pet Owners Flock Eastwood City for its Annual Pet Blessing]
Do you think that more malls should offer this kind of service?
Do you have a story for the WhenInManila.com Team? Email me at diane.wheninmanila@gmail.com or send a direct message to our WhenInManila.com Facebook Page. Interact with the team and join the WhenInManila.com Community at WIM Squad and join us on Viber for updates!
