Adopt. Don’t shop. Why pay big money when you can help save a life for a mere 500 pesos?
Puppies up for adoption, all rescued by the Philippine Animal Rescue Team
When in Manila and you’re looking for angels look no farther than Caloocan where a team of angels had set up the Paws and Claws Pet Haven, a shelter for abandoned and abused dogs and cats rescued from different parts of the Metro. These angels had taken up much time from their personal and professional lives to save lives.
The Philippine Animal Rescue Team, or PART as the organization is commonly referred to, was founded in November 2012 by a group of women who wanted to make a change in the lives of the abandoned, abused, neglected, sick, and injured animals in the Philippines. “We felt that there aren’t enough animal welfare groups in the country and that there is much work to be done in the way of bettering the animals’ lives,” says PART co-founder Connie Delago-Langlois.
Rescued in January of this year. When he was reported to us, kids were throwing rocks at him, his fur was badly matted, and more importantly, he was suffering from Canine Transmittable Venereal Tumor (CTVT or TVT). After surgery and treatment, he was brought to our shelter, Paws and Claws Pet Haven, where he recovered until he was finally adopted in June. He is now enjoying his life with his furever loving family.
“We also wanted to shine the spotlight on the much ignored and much maligned “Aspins” and “Puspins” whom we feel do not get the attention and love they deserve. Our shelter, the Paws and Claws Pet Haven, rescues all types of breeds. We don’t discriminate. A needy dog is a needy dog, no matter the breed. We all believe that at the end of the day, they all give you unconditional love. We want people to “look past the breed.”
The shelter currently houses over 80 cats and dogs. To raise funds for their food and medical and also for funding of future rescue efforts, PART has launched the #FIFTYPESOSFRIDAY.
Rescued in May of this year. He was reported to us by a concerned individual who noticed a bone sticking out of his leg. He was brought to one of our partner vets and after some tests, we had to make the painful decision to have his leg amputated to save his life. After Reno recovered, one of our partner vets adopted him and he now lives a happy and healthy life.
“We realize that some people think that they don’t have enough to give when the fact is, even something as small as 50 Pesos can go a long way if added to other 50 Pesos. I think that some people actually look forward to Fridays now and our #FIFTYPESOSFRIDAY feature as it not only makes them feel good to know they’re helping improve the lives of animals but, in a fun way, it signals that it’s the weekend again. It makes the week seem to go faster,” Connie explains.
The animal rescue group has also launched a monthly photo contest on their Facebook Page helping them interact with supporters. Says Connie, our supporters are very important to us. “We want them to feel connected to us and to know that they are part of the team.”
When asked how readers can help, Connie describes how:
1. Donate! We have a long way to go when it comes to animal welfare. We and the few organizations in the country need all the help and support we can get. And when I say “help and support” I’m not talking about posting pictures of their pets or “liking” a post or commenting on threads on Facebook.
I’m talking about getting out there, rolling up their sleeves and volunteering. I’m talking about opening up their wallets and giving a little.
We can’t survive without financial assistance. That’s the honest to god’s truth. It’s as simple as that. “Likes” don’t save lives. Some people get upset and angry when we can’t help with a rescue but what these people fail to understand is that we have limits. The majority of our expenses for the shelter come out of our own pockets. We want to rescue more, we want to help more, we want to do more, but a rescue doesn’t stop when the cat or dog is rescued. There are vet bills, medicines, vitamins, treatments, and food that they need.
2. Volunteer! We invite people to visit us at our Paws and Claws Pet Haven. Help us cut, chop, slice, and dice veggies for our fur kids. Help us clean their crates, wash their food and water bowls, scoop up their mess, give them a bath, trim their nails, there’s a lot of work involved and we need all the help we can get. Just volunteer. Visit your local shelter and volunteer. Feed your soul.
3. Adopt! We ask people to adopt, adopt, adopt. Don’t shop. Why pay big money when you can help save a life for a mere 500 pesos?
4. Foster! We ask people to foster. While our fur kids are happy and well cared for and loved at the shelter, there is nothing like a home environment to help them thrive even more.
PART operates a no-kill shelter in Caloocan that is not your typical shelter. The shelter is very “homey.” Most of its adoptable dogs are free roaming on the second floor. The ones that are new to the group are also allowed to free roam but with supervision while they get to meet their new furkada and get acclimated to their new environment. It has a nursery for new moms and their puppies on the second floor. The third floor houses the cattery where it has a separate nursery for new moms and their kittens. The first floor is for the new rescues. New rescues are isolated for at least seven days before they’re brought to the second floor to start the socialization process.
The home environment in the PART shelter helps fur kids adjust to their new furever home when they’re adopted out. PART doesn’t believe in confining them to their crates all day long. “It’s important for them to be able to move around and have as much freedom as possible. It’s healthy for them,” says Connie.
Saturdays is a very busy day for PART’s volunteer admins, shelter volunteers, and visitors. This is the day when all the cutting, chopping, slicing, and dicing of all kinds of veggies happen. Rescued animals are fed home-cooked meal twice a day. It’s also the day when volunteers and visitors come to the shelter to help with the bathing and grooming of the animals as well as the general cleaning of the shelter. “The weekly social interactions between rescued fur kids, volunteers, and visitors are healthy and beneficial to both the animals as well as the humans,” Connie observes.
Cattery is designed for fun as well as to serve as shelter for rescued cats.
When in Manila and you are looking for angels, the Philippine Animal Rescue Team urges you to look within yourself and see the angel there just wanting to spread its wings and fly. The abandoned and abused animals in the Philippines need all the angels they can get.
To Join #FIFTYPESOSFRIDAY, donate via:
PayPal email to: donations@philanimalrescue.org
Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI)
PART, Inc.
Checking account #0421-0757-86
(Please provide a copy of your deposit/confirmation slip by email to: donations@philanimalrescue.org)
For more information about the Philippine Animal Rescue Team (PART), please visit www.philanimalrescue.org, www.facebook.com/PhilAnimalRescueTeam, www.facebook.com/groups/PhilAnimalRescueTeam, or @PhilAnimalRescue (Twitter). Tel +63 942-808-PART (7278)
Rescued in February of this year. He was found by PART’s rescue team as they were looking for another dog. He had one of the worse skin conditions as his humans was treating him with motor oil which only made the condition of his skin worse. After treatment, he spent his time at the shelter until his furever loving family adopted him in April. He is now a happy and spoiled baby.
