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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Lockdown Heroines 1: Vendors feed chained and stray dogs in Bulacan

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Lockdown Heroes: Vendors feed chained and stray dogs in BulacanEveryday, they walk three hours to feed  30 dogs and 12 cats who were abandoned by the caretaker of a friend in Plaridel, Bulacan.

When the lockdown was enforced starting March 15, they noticed more and more thin and hungry dogs along the way from Pulilan to Plaridel.

Lockdown Heroes: Vendors feed chained and stray dogs in Bulacan
Jhec Victoria (left) and mom Grace with their rescues.

They decided to bring more food so that they can also feed the dogs chained to posts and trees who can not look for food, the stray dogs and cats, and the owned dogs whose owners are also going hungry.  They also brought water.

Vendors Jenica Victoria or Jhec, 28, and her mother Mary Grace Josephine Victoria, 48, can not help but feed the many animals who are starving just like the humans during the Luzon-wide lockdown.

Jhec said they have a permit to travel on foot every day to go to  Plaridel from the agriculture department regional office in the  Pulilan municipal hall.

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“Nakita namin ang hirap ng mga stray dogs at cats. Wala silang makainan dahil walang bukas na mga carinderia o kahit yun mga street vendor na tinatanghuran nila, walang maibigay na talaga sa kanila, “ Jhec said. (We saw the suffering of the stray dogs and cats. They do not have any source of food because the eatery is closed, and even the street vendors have nothing to give to them.)

“Sobrang kawawa po talaga, “ said Jhec. 

Seeing the pitiful condition of the dogs and cats, Jhec and her mom Grace decided to bring extra food and feed dogs and cats along the way.

It gets so tiring, she admitted, as it can get so hot while walking those miles to Plaridel.

But Jhec and Grace love dogs and cats  and thus, they just have to find a way to help every day, as long as they can.

Lockdown Heroes: Vendors feed chained and stray dogs in Bulacan
Jhec and mom Grace feed hungry dogs and cats and vow to do so every day until the lockdown is lifted. 

Jhec, also an on-call cook,  said she took after her mother who she saw feeding and petting dogs and cats while she was growing up.

They have been rescuing or taking in poor kittens since she was a child, Jhec added.

A few years ago, she became a member of Save Animals of Love and Light Inc. (Save ALL) and saw the post on an abandoned pup who needed a home before the typhoon was to hit the country. She decided to step up and adopt the poor puppy.  Since then, she has been recuing animals. She and mom Grace now have 21 rescues with them: 18 dogs and  3 cats.

These days, their routine consists of waking up early and feeding their rescues at home and cleaning their place, then walking for three hours to Plaridel and feeding as many dogs and cats they can along the way, then feeding their friend’s rescues and cleaning the place too, then walking for about 2 hours  to go back to Pulilan.

“Napapagod din po kami. Pero masaya po kami na nakakatulong sa mga aso at pusa, at sa mga homeless na may mga aso at pusa.  Inaabutan din po namin sila. Sa kabila ng pagod, sobrang saya po sa kalooban, “ Jhec said. (We also get tired. But we are happy we are able to help the dogs and cats and the homeless humans who have dogs and cats.)

“Hindi man namin kaya makatulong sa mga tao, at least sa hayop makatulong kami,” Jhec said. (We might not be able to help humans, but we can  at least help the animals.)

Humans, she said, get help from the government. The animals, on the other hand, have no one to help them except for a few animal lovers who can still go out and have food to spare, she said.

Jhec and Grace put signs beside the food containers they leave for stray dogs and cats, asking humans not to get the food meant for the animals.

There are some humans who do not have compassion for animals and throw away the food, she noted.

Lockdown Heroes: Vendors feed chained and stray dogs in Bulacan

Aside from feeling good being able to help animals in need, Jhec noted that the feeding gives her and mom time to strengthen their bond. 

(Next week: A frontline rescues kittens)

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