Hazel Catuiran and her husband recently found new opportunities for work in Germany. While they knew it was a chance they couldn’t pass up on, the fate of their beloved pets was one thing that weighed heavily on their minds. They knew they couldn’t simply leave them on their own or re-home them separately — after all, pets are part of the family too.
(LOOK: This stray dog looks out for his pack because no one else will)
So the couple’s solution was to fly all of their 28 pets to their new home with Hazel’s parents-in-law. They were brought from San Pedro, Laguna to General Santos City in South Cotabato.
The first batch of rescued pets included 5 dogs and 10 cats, while the second had an additional 13 rescued cats.
At first, the two planned on leaving the rescued pets with a hired caretaker but later realized they would fare better with family. They then decided that Polonuling, Tupi, her husband’s hometown, would make a good home for them. It was the next best thing to taking them to Germany as well, but transporting even just one pet across international borders can reach up to millions of pesos in cost.
As it is, this transfer within the Philippines must have cost quite a lot already. But Catuiran assures that every centavo spent was worth it. She told Philippine Star:
Basta hindi namin sila afford pabayaan lamang. Kaya kahit malaki gastos, ayan… ginawan ng paraan para hindi sila mabalik sa kalye at maging strays ulit.
[We couldn’t just leave them on their own. Even if the cost was a heavy burden… we had to find ways and do everything we could just so they wouldn’t return to the street and become strays again.]
(This woman takes care of 83 rescues all on her own and she needs our help)
It’s always heartwarming to see stories of love between pets and their furbabies. Share your own with us!
Photos courtesy of Hazel Catuiran
