A PAWSsion project four paws at a time
‘I think so many people do not know that there are shelters that they can go and adopt rescues from so many people who do know that there are pounds in the country.’
Pawchela, PAWSsion Project‘s annual benefit concert for cause. This year, Pawchela will be on 6 December.
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF PAWSSION PROJECT
I started the organization six years ago because of an experience with dogs on death row at the Bacolod City Pound,” begins Malou Perez, founder PAWSsion Philippines. “The dogs were going to be put down, but not through euthanasia — by gunshot.”
Just as a background, putting dogs down by gunshot is an allowed practice in some pounds, but it must be done by a person assigned by the city dog pound.
That experience changed Perez forever. She is quick to admit, though, that as a fresh college graduate then, she had just started an online business, “which was my first passion project.”
Founded in October 2018, PAWSsion Project Philippines was put up with the hope, courage and lots of ‘unconditional loving’ by Malou and a few good friends.
Malou Perez with Luigi, one of PAWSsion’s most special rescue. He is a paraplegic dog, distemper and parvo survivor. He recently crossed the rainbow bridge.
“After that first pound rescue, numerous reports poured in one after another, which eventually led to the opening of a second shelter in Bulacan mid-2019,” Perez added. “Since then, the journey has led PAWSsion Project to more than 2,000 rescues, and thankfully over 1,000 rehomed animals.”
But what made this passion project so different?
“The opportunity to save the dogs really came at the right time,” Perez said. “My cup was overflowing and I had more than enough love to give to the animals. So, coming across that post on Facebook of the dogs on death row to be put down through gunshot – that was really a major turning point for me.”
Perez wasn’t even aware then that there were so many pounds in the country. She says, “I thought adoption was not an be an option here. It was something people abroad did.”
She soon learned about adoption and how it could be done here — fast-tracked lessons for her.
“My first experience in the pound was the day when I went to save those dogs from being put down by gunshot,” Perez add. “It was a major turning point in my life. It was my first time to go to a pound, and I was standing next to the hole where the dogs were supposed to be buried.”
After that first rescue operation, the post about it went viral. Perez started to receive so may messages, pictures, videos of other pounds in the country.
“I was scared and a hard time sleeping,” she said.
