More meows and barks, tweets and oinks

We, at PetLife, continue to be overwhelmed with the outpouring of barks, meows, tweets and oinks which we have received through e-mail.

This is not déjà vu. We continue to receive e-mails and we are just thrilled.

We’ve decided to answer some of your e-mails:

To Toni of Mandaluyong City: the contact number of the Philippine Animal Welfare Society is 724-63-95. PAWS president is Nita Lichauco and she will gladly welcome you to the fold, if not give you a stray cat or dog to re-home.

To Anna Hashim-Cabrera: When will you e-mail us back? You promised to give us a list of articles. Don’t hide. Kathy’s dog will find you.

To Tin Mann and her caterwauling cat: He caterwauls because he wants a girlfriend. By the way, is he fixed?

To Winston, the cat freak: We share your dream. Sigh. We want the pusang kalye loved, not run down by cars. Send us a funny story about your cat and if we laugh, we’ll send you a paw-tographed picture of Tigger. (She’s the bad-mood cat in the photo with me.)

To Ma. Dinna Valenzuela: Thank you for sharing with us your ideas. They were terrific. Now we don’t have to brainstorm until next year.

To Charles Ramez: Yes, we will feature Feline Fanciers of the Philippines soon and thanks for the tip about the big cat show in December which will be sponsored by Nestle Friskies.

Now this tip from Daphne of San Fernando, La Union: "Here are two books every avid reader of Pet Life must have: Chicken Soup for the Cat & Dog Lover’s Soul: Celebrating Pets as Family with Stories about Cats, Dogs & other Critters, by Jack Canfield, Carol Kline, Mark Victor Hansen and Marty Becker and Chicken Soup for the Pet Lovers Soul: Stories about Pets as Teachers, Healers, Heroes & Friends by Jack Canfield, Marty Becker, Carol Kline. Both are heartwarming and inspiring books – must haves for pet owners."

So what are you waiting for? Head for the book store.

Pet lovers, animal rights activitists and the weak of heart, sit down before you read this letter from Rosanna "Nini" Balderama:

"I just want to call your attention regarding the project of Mayor Fernando of Marikina City about keeping dogs away from the streets of Marikina. A couple of weeks back, my nephew related to me an incident wherein the mayor’s supporters roamed the streets of Sta. Elena, one of the barangays in Marikina to look for dogs on the streets and to take them to the city pound. Two men chanced upon my nephew’s dog, a-year-old golden retriever, who was inside their garage.

The two men attempted to take the dog by its collar by means of a long rod which the men inserted through the gate’s steel grills. The poor dog hid behind the car and if their househelp didn’t get out in time, they could have taken the dog. The men were riding a small truck obviously owned by the Marikina government and they went away laughing when the household help went out to check the commotion. These cruel men don’t have any business fishing out dogs inside private homes. They said, "It’s on orders of the mayor.

I hope you can write an article about this insensitivity and cruelty to animals."

Grrrrrr... paging Mayor Fernando of Marikina...

* * *

For comments and suggestions, e-mail starpetlife@hotmail.com.