Everybody yearns to come home to love. May it be excited squeals from your kids, a warm hug from your spouse, or a hearty meal lovingly prepared by your mom. Love, indeed, comes in different forms. And for some families, a special love comes in the form of furs and wagging tails.
Nowadays, pets are treated as family members capable of providing emotional support, unconditional love, and a sense of “home” for their loved ones. Families with pets share a truly incredible kind of bonding and loving relationship.
On Feb. 14, PLDT Home celebrated the unique love shared by different kinds of families – including pet parents and their fur babies.
In the video, concert and events director Paolo Valenciano, managing director and editor-in-chief Gretchen Gatan, CEO and cycling instructor Kristina Sy, marketing manager Camille Tantoco, and musician and managing director JJ Pimpinio talked about how being pet parents changed their homes.
Paolo says of his shih tzu Trooper, “He is really part of our family. That’s why my daughter calls Trooper ‘kuya.’ He always makes sure that we’re okay. When I’m sad, he’d come to me and start kissing me. He knows our feelings.”
For Kristina, her dog Olie is the go-to stress reliever of her and her husband. “It may sound cliché, but the truth is they really do make you a happier person,” she said. “It’s weird because it means more responsibility, expenses, and headaches. But the joy he gives you every day—even when you just leave him for like 10 minutes, when you see him again it’s like he hasn’t seen you in five years. It’s very unconditional.”
Though unconventional, pet parents show unconditional love and meaningful connection with their fur babies in their own unique ways such as making sure that their home is safe and secured for their pets. Paolo shares, “If you want the dog to live a long and happy life, you have to treat them like a human being. I make sure that my daughter, Leah, and Trooper are always safe. I have a PLDT Home Fam Cam at home that lets me take care of them whenever and wherever I am.”
Gretchen treats her cat Bella as her own baby. She says, “When I got married, my husband and I had to look for a condo that is near our offices so that if something urgent happens with our pets at home, we can go to them right away. As a parent, I want to feel assured that my baby is okay. Home security is very important for us. We upgraded our PLDT Home Fibr connection and installed home monitoring cameras to ensure Bella is well-monitored at home.”
A sweet treat for furry pals
As a Valentine’s Day treat, PLDT Home held a paw-some date for pets and their owners at Paw Club Philippines, SM Mall of Asia and Bark Central in Eastwood City on Feb. 8.
It was a fun-filled afternoon of bonding and pampering for humans and pets alike as they participated in different activities such as caricature painting, do-it-yourself collar crafting, and pet grooming.
In addition, award-winning veterinarian and trainer Dr. Abel Manalo also held a special dog training activity to teach obedience, protection, and other disciplines.