WHAT a fabulous affair! And Mama and I were truly meant to enjoy it! Tita Anna (Cabrera, of PAWS, that wonderful group that takes care of my less fortunate aspin brothers and sisters) had been talking about the PAWS dinner even before Mama left for the US, and we had felt so bad when we thought we’d have to miss the event. Well, talk about silver linings; there were problems with the sponsors (something about not keeping your promises? Grrrrr. Okay, Tita Anna, I’ll keep my muzzle closed), which meant the event was delayed until October 20—which meant Mama and I, along with her friends, Titas Joy, Audrey, Popi, Saree, and Cathy, and their dogs, had a great time!
I knew something was afoot when Mama took me to the vet that morning—Tita Marga checked if the energy in all the supplements and products I was using were compatible with mine, a really cool new system of alternative healing, more on that in a future entry. Before we left, they said, “See you all tonight!” Tonight? Mama was seeing my vets?
Then Mama gave me an extra spritz of my insect-repellant dog cologne (from Giga! All-natural ingredients like citronella and sandalwood!) after giving me a serious bath that afternoon. Then Mama started to dress up, and the dead give-away—she fixed up my doggie bag! Oh joy, I was coming along! (PS A doggie bag contains everything I need, from water and a drinking bowl to a First Aid kit—again, more on that in a future entry). Mama experimented with tying a glittery scarf around me, but I didn’t think it worked; she eventually agreed. Here’s a pic of me with a different scarf, taken by Kevin Ong, and Mama and me in all our evening finery.
The place at Bonifacio High Street was wonderful, lots of grass and fountains and ooooh, other dogs! I almost dragged Mama over the grass heading there (well, I did gain 2 lbs of muscle, as Tita Marga said). We checked in at the entrance, and they gave me a pretty maroon scarf with gold glitter (good thing we left the ugly one at home, arf). Tita Audrey took Caper her whippet, and Tita Cathy brought Chili the shih tzu. Tita Joy was there with my sweetie Una, who has developed quite a dislike for loud noise, but he calmed down after a while. Tita Anna and Tita Liza looked so glam! My vets were all there, yippee—Tita Marga and Tito Nick Carpio with baby Roxy and dogs Tippi and Kohler (who Mama is always threatening to dognap), and Tito Nielsan and Tita Carol Donato and their kids, with dogs in three sizes! Cody must be the world’s most well-behaved Pomeranian. Cloud the Siberian Husky was very handsome, but Motombo the gargantuan mastiff was the biggest hunk around! Well, actually it was a toss-up between him and that gorgeous choco lab Tyson—soooo shy, but such a cutie (don’t tell Una!).
Dine with PAWS featured a buffet for both people and dogs. The people food, I gathered, was good—lots of veggie choices for non-meat eaters like Mama. But the doggie buffet! Oh food glorious food! Raw veggies, raw chicken, squash dumplings and all kinds of really good stuff. And we were worried it would all be processed cookies and fast-food! This was truly doggie gourmet stuff, and we also got clear water bowls to drink from (although Una and I could drink up the contents in a single gulp, they were so tiny).
What was heart-warming was how many people turned out. It wasn’t cheap; people paid P1,000 to eat, and P1,200 if your dog was eating, too. We were overjoyed to hear that the event drew a crowd of 300 and made some P225,000 for PAWS. And the stories we heard about the night’s awardees—Sassy, the dog who saved her owner’s life by calling for help after her human had fallen from a ladder; the people behind Bodhi and other groups who constantly donate to the organization; that babe Pia Guanio, who never turns down an invite to speak or appear in behalf of the organization. I was very proud when my vets were called on stage for having the heart to take on charity and grave cases, and for being fearless enough to treat the two poor pit bulls rescued from a dogfight in Antipolo earlier this year. What do Mama and I love about my vets? Aside from knowing their stuff, they love what they do, and they have animal welfare on their minds; it ain’t just all about the money! I still remember how Mama cried on Tita Marga when I had to undergo a second kneecap operation. They care, enough to take risks, as nobody wanted to help out with those pit bulls at that ungodly hour then but Tita Marga and Tito Nick. I’m so proud of you, guys! Here’s a picture Mama took—not too close, but well, you can see them.
There were so many celebrities around, too, and it was nice to see their dogs as dressed up as they were. My favorites were Echo and Heart—such a cute couple (especially Echo! Woof!) and with such a soft spot for dogs, too. I swear, it may take some time before people really do “See Beauty Beyond Breed”—honestly, there was only a handful of aspins that night—but with high-profile folks like them making a stand, I think there’s hope yet. There must be a change in attitude; PAWS can’t forever go around cleaning up after cruel, clueless, and inconsiderate humans who treat dogs like objects, and not the loving, loyal living things we are. I think it was Gandhi who said that a civilization will truly be judged by how it treats the most gentle and helpless creatures that share their world. How, indeed, can dogs fight against people, whether they skin and eat my brother and sister aspins, or think that dogs can be disposed of and given away when you tire of them, like used socks or a bag of garbage? Oh, if you only knew how happy we can make you if you let us. I changed my Mama’s life—and she never tires of saying so.
Disregard of animal rights in a country where even human rights are often trampled upon is a big problem, but PAWS is doing so much to help solve it. Pia Guanio was right; just because you have other problems doesn’t mean people cannot keep their humanity intact by being true stewards of nature, like God told you to be. That’s why Mama swears she’ll support these guys forever—Christmas is coming, and she grabs the opportunity to donate shopping money to them in her friends’ names instead of shopping for two dozen useless things that people don’t need, anyway. Now, that’s something to consider. In fact, Mama was sobbing herself when Tata, that lovely lady (she always smells sooo goood!) who started this all, got a much-deserved tribute. And no, Mama hasn’t given up on her plan of getting me an aspin baby sister; she just wants to make sure the dogs at home who aren’t getting enough attention are settled first, as well.
Me? I was just happy that night to be with Mama, her dear friends, and so many other dogs who are blessed enough to be so loved. I know that for every one of us who is safe and secure in our human’s love, a dozen aspins are hungry and neglected and dying painful deaths. But I have faith in PAWS, my mama, and people like them. All those good intentions can surely transform the world, I thought to myself, as, curling up on my doggie bed that night, I fell into a deep sleep , dreaming of squash dumplings and humans with good hearts.
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