Daily Tribune‘When we treat pets as beloved family members — ensuring their safety, health, and happiness — we create places that are vibrant, inclusive and truly humane. Together, we’re building a culture of care that benefits everyone.’
PAWS Executive Director Atty Anna Cabrera awards the Certified Pet-Friendly Seal to Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Ayala Malls Vertis North.
Ayala Corporation vice chairman Fernando Zobel de Ayala and PAWS executive director Atty. Anna Cabrera (center) led the ceremonial unveiling of the first Certified Pet-Friendly Seal awarded to Ayala Mall Vertis North. Also present were (from left) Ayala Malls Vertis North Senior Marketing Associate Nica Santiago, Ayala Malls Vertis North Deputy General Manager Ayi Alzola, Ayala Malls Corporate Chief-of-Staff Meigan Soriano and PAWS directors Cristina Martinez and Rich Ilustre.
The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) has officially conferred its first-ever Certified Pet-Friendly Seal to Ayala Malls Vertis North, in recognition of the establishment’s commitment to creating a safe, welcoming environment for people and their beloved companion animals.
The certification underscores the mall’s inclusive pet policy that welcomes all breeds – showing that pet-friendliness goes beyond pedigrees and embraces all animals equally. Ayala Malls Vertis North is also a proud KabaliCAT partner, supporting PAWS’ Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) program for its community cats. Through this collaboration, the mall not only provides pet-friendly spaces but also contributes directly to responsible and humane population management of stray animals.
“The PAWS Pet-Friendly Seal is our way of honoring establishments that go the extra mile for companion animals and their humans,” said PAWS Executive Director Atty. Anna Cabrera. “We commend Ayala Malls Vertis North for its inclusivity in welcoming aspins and puspins, and for its active partnership in TNVR through KabaliCAT. This is what true pet-friendliness looks like —creating safe spaces while also addressing animal welfare at the community level.”
For his part, Ayala Corporation vice chairman Fernando Zobel De Ayala said, “In our malls, animal welfare is more than a policy - it’s a reflection of who we are as a community. We believe responsible pet ownership begins with kindness, and we strive to live that value every day.”
He continued, “The reality is, our country faces many challenges with abandoned dogs and cats, but we’re committed to doing our part. When we treat pets as beloved family members—ensuring their safety, health, and happiness—we create places that are vibrant, inclusive, and truly humane. Together, we’re building a culture of care that benefits everyone.”
The trend of bringing dogs to malls began to gain traction in 2010 onwards and reached its peak during the pandemic when pets were considered as the new “kids” of young professionals who choose not to have children,” Cabrera added. “With seniors and children were not allowed to go to public places due to covid, it was the pet owners who became the regular customers of malls, restaurants and other shops.”
It is important because a lot of establishments put up “pet friendly” signs to capture the growing market of pet owners. However, not all of them are really pet friendly because they discriminate as to the size or breed of the dog as experienced by a fur mom last year when her pet Aspin was not allowed to enter a “pet-friendly” restaurant that had breeded dogs inside.
PAWS’ Certified Pet-Friendly seal is given only to those establishments which we have road tested (through our ‘undercover’ volunteers who bring their aspins and various dogs with them).
The Certified Pet-Friendly Seal is a mark of assurance that restaurants, malls, and other establishments carrying it welcome all dogs, including aspins and native breeds, allow pets to enter or dine with their families without discrimination, and are committed to policies rooted in inclusion, safety and compassion
The Seal serves as a guide for all animal lovers and responsible pet parents who are eager to support businesses that treat our furry companions as truly cherished members of the family.
Present during the event were Malls Corporate Chief-of-Staff Meigan Soriano, Ayala Malls Vertis North Deputy General Manager Ayi Alzola and Ayala Malls Vertis North Senior Marketing Associate Nica Santiago as well as PAWS Directors Cristina Martinez and Rich Ilustre.
This marks the official conferment of the PAWS Pet-Friendly Seal to a shopping mall, setting a standard for other establishments to follow in promoting responsible pet ownership and animal welfare in the country.
Because being pet-friendly should mean friendly to all pets -– not just the tiny or the imported dog breeds.
