I’m Jill Alipio, a resident of Metro Manila, and a campaigner with Network for Animals. My father is Mel Alipio, who has fought the dog meat trade with Brian Davies since the early 1980s. As an only child, I grew up with the company of dogs and cats in our home, and thought of them as more than pets – more like brothers and sisters.
Finding Homes for Rescued Dogs
Finding new homes for animals that we take from cruelty and neglect gives me conflicting feelings. Sometimes getting too attached with the dogs we bring home to rehabilitate can’t be avoided. I am the one who usually works to get them to trust humans again. Dogs staying too long with us, makes their transition to a new home difficult, so we try to re-home them as quickly, but safely, as possible.
Before bringing dogs home, we take all rescued dogs to the veterinarian to see if they are in need of immediate treatment. It was during one of our dog meat trade monitoring exercises in Nueva Ecija earlier this year that we found a small dog along the side street of a market. She was weak and her body was covered with mange, as she scavenged food from the garbage along the road. We rescued her and brought her back to Manila, in hope that we could find a loving family that would adopt her. We called her Sasha.
Sasha’s First Day in Our Home
After spending two days at the veterinary clinic, we brought Sasha home. She was shaking from the unfamiliarity of our place, scared to be approached by anyone, and it took almost a month before she let herself be touched.
Sasha Now
Sasha used to hide in a corner, only coming out when it was time to eat and scared when another dog came near to sniff her. She wouldn’t let us hold or carry her. The big surprise though, was inside: Sasha was pregnant with a litter of pups!
After a month of gently socializing, taking care and bathing her, Sasha’s hair grew back and she gained weight. Today she plays with other rescued dogs that we are looking after. She loves her walks to the park, and has been a wonderful mother to her pups.
What Will Happen Now
As you can imagine, it will break my heart to lose Sasha, but she deserves a new forever home, and so do each of her puppies! We need to make space for more animals in need, and whatever happens, Sasha will always remain part of the family.
