MANILA, Philippines - I’ve had two visits to the PAWS Animal Rehabilitation Center (PARC) in Katipunan the past few months. And my heart bleeds each time.
The shelter houses more than 250 cats and about less than half that number of dogs.
There’s an office, a multi-purpose hall, a clinic, and multiple areas for both cats and dogs in various stages of rehabilitation.
It was actually better than I expected, despite being almost filled to bursting. To be honest, I had expected a rundown shack groaning at the seams. It obviously wouldn’t compare to rescue facilities in the US you see on Animal Planet. But it’s well-maintained and professionally-run, and you really can’t ask for anything more.
Despite the facility’s obvious needs, I still felt a slight pang of guilt about how I should have spent the money when I first donated. It wasn’t a princely sum, but I imagined it could have alleviated more dire needs. Kids with cancer perhaps, or something towards housing or education...
I suppose many people feel that way. When you have a country as desperately destitute as ours, concern for animals becomes a luxury in the face of myriad other problems. When you have to choose between improving human lives versus those of animals, there’s usually no question.
But there’s simply no excuse for what some people have done to the animals here. A volunteer named Anna walked me through the cases, and I was aghast upon hearing the depths to which some people would sink.
There was a dog who was emaciated after being tied to (if I remember right) a rusty, dilapidated car for weeks. Some cats and dogs needed emergency medical procedures — for injuries after being run over, for removing collars or foreign objects deeply embedded in their skins from sheer neglect. The list goes on. There was a special quarantined area at the back of the facility for particularly brutal cases, and we had to disinfect our shoes after we left the area.
Thinking back, most of the cats and dogs would actually have been better off had people simply ignored them. But here were instances where people were deliberately cruel for no reason whatsoever.
I’d say — at the risk of sounding politically incorrect — that people treat one another a certain way because of a specific perception they have, whether fair or misguided, good or bad: contempt for perceived wrongs, kinship due to common values, respect for status, etc.
But people who abuse animals are just plain rotten — or sociopaths, take your pick. Like children, these creatures are innocent and unassuming. They have no agenda. So, for me personally, the way society treats animals is a reflection of its basic humanity... or lack of it.
In the end, I donated — and continue to donate — not simply because I love animals. It’s because I felt raw, overwhelming compassion. We created a situation where these animals could breed and grow under the most appalling conditions, and then we devalued them for it. Plus they’re mute and defenseless. If you’re looking for the nation’s most marginalized creatures, you’ve found them.
The worst part is it feels like a losing battle. I learned my contribution would only be able to feed their cats for two days. And the monthly maintenance fees rack up significantly despite public contributions (PARC needs cash and cat food more than dog food, by the way).
For every un-spayed or un-neutered cat or dog on the streets, their numbers increase exponentially each year. The odds are overwhelming.
I still don’t think I’m contributing as much as I could. I haven’t taken the leap of adopting. In fact, I have two rambunctious, breeder-bought Siberian huskies — they’re already a handful so I currently don’t have room for more. Hopefully, regular “tithes” from my salary can make a small difference. And spreading the word about what these good people are doing.
I want to end on a hopeful note, though.
I believe if we all start by just being a bit more conscious and humane about how we treat animals — both those on the streets, and those we’ve chosen to take in — we’ll witness a ripple of change.
Start noticing stray cats and dogs. If you’re a parent, teach your kids to love animals (and how to properly handle or approach them). Don’t keep your pets caged or leashed the whole day. And visit PARC or other shelters once in a while.
We’ll eventually reach a watershed in Filipino culture — one that’s more compassionate, sensible, but ultimately life-affirming.
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Donation details for PAWS: http://paws.org.ph.