SM City North EDSA: The newest pet-friendly place in the metro

Bet you didn’t know that SM City North EDSA is a pet-friendly mall. 

So pet friendly is the mall that they even have a special place where humans and their dogs can share bonding time together. The place is called the Skygarden. I was there last Saturday and I noticed how much fun it would be if I had my little Bichon Frise Vodka with me.

The Skygarden is perfect for a cool walk with Vodka because there is lots of space for her to explore.

It’s great that SM City North EDSA encourages pet owners to be responsible too. They have pet litter bins, which are easily accessible. This makes cleaning up after our doggies’ accidents easy because the bins are sealed well and are located in accessible places, too. 

So if you are looking for a place where pets are welcome, then you must make a visit to SM City North EDSA. Matter of fact, over the weekend, the Skydome at SM City North was the venue for the first PCCI Siberian Husky club dog show.

“It is great that we were able to get this venue,” shares Pam Dy, president of the Siberian Husky club. “This is the first time that we have taken our dog show out of the regular PCCI events place in Marikina.”

Pam shares with me that she knows that the dogs were happier to be able to compete in such a great venue as the Skydome because not only is it air-conditioned, but because it was an opportunity for more people to become aware of the Siberian Husky breed.

It is just great that SMCity North EDSA has opened its Skydome and its mall to responsible pet owners. We are always grateful to know that there are more and more places that are beginning to see that our pets are as much a part of our family as every human in the family is.

With SM City North EDSA now pet friendly the mall is truly one that has it all for everyone in the family — pets included.

Pet express:Dogs and cats rule

Paws up to SM City North EDSA: “Pet Express envisions it store as the pet store where all the needs of dogs and cats are met — from food, to treats to grooming and more,” says Janine Ngo, marketing manager.

“What we want to be able to do is to provide the best services, grooming and veterinary care for our customers,” shares Janine Ngo, marketing manager, Pet Express. “We listen to our clients and to their suggestions so that we always have the best accessories, food and treats for cats and dogs.”

Since its opening in 2009, Pet Express has been growing with its loyal customers.

When I visited Pet Express at SM City North EDSA, it was the cleanliness of the place that first caught my attention. Even if the dogs’ grooming area is close to the entrance, there was no smell of dogs or dog grooming as one enters the store.

I also liked that the grooming area is housed in a place that is fully visible to the humans waiting for their pets. This is always a good thing because humans who wait for their pooches can be assured that no harm will come their pet’s way.

Beside the grooming counter is the vet clinic where customers can bring their dog or cat to have a check-up.

“I make sure that all Pet Express shops are located close to the road of any location they are in,” adds Janine. “This way the dogs or cats don’t have to go through the mall to get to the store for grooming.”

And, yes, the number of clients for grooming has been growing, as there are more pet parents who have become responsible with the way they care for their pets.

Janine says that what she envisions for Pet Express is for it to be just like SM, a store where everything that is essential and of the best quality is available.

But beyond making sure that Pet Express has the best food, vitamins, grooming, vet and accessories for dogs and cats, Janine also wants Pet Express to continue to nurture responsible pet owners. It offers events where humans and their pets can bond.

“There are not a lot of places and activities that humans can bring their dogs to,” quips Janine. “Here at Pet Express we make sure that we have a few.”

There is the dog run, which was first held in 2010. Janine shares that there were 300 dogs that joined that event. The following year, in 2011, 500 dogs joined the event. And this year, there were 800 dogs that joined the event. Of course, next year, Janine is going for 1,000 dogs.

“I have noticed that many pet owners want to be able to help in animal welfare causes but they don’t know how to,” shares Janine. “This is why events like our dog run is good because the funds we raise go to animal welfare groups and in this way people are able to help.”

Janine believes that as she helps build Pet Express and the concern for animal welfare, these have to be done in a slow but sure manner.

“Every year we think of ways to be able to better serve our clients and the needs of their pets,” she says. “At the same time we think of events that will help build an awareness for the need to care for our pets better.

It is great that SM City North EDSA is a pet-friendly mall. Clients who take their pets for grooming or to the vet at Pet Express in SM City North EDSA know that they can also take their pets into the mall should they want to have a snack before they go home.

Pet Express is at the ground floor, Northlink, SM City North Edsa. For information, call 921-9442.

Furry tails: All things furry

I remember interviewing Danny Tan, owner of Furry Tails when the store first opened Under the Sea & Other Creatures. It was also at SM City North EDSA where the interview was held and I recall that the store had an interesting mix of dogs, cats and other little furry animals.

The store has since been renamed Furry Tails. It is still owned by Tan, a well- respected and multi-awarded international composer, arranger, musical director, record and concert producer, and TV personality.

Danny says that he envisions Furry Tails as a pet store, pet salon and spa, and a pet wellness center. As in any change, this one came about as a way of better serving the store’s growing clientele.

“It was in in June 2011 that Under the Sea & Other Creatures, due to the expansion of its business activities, changed its name to Furry Tails,” says Danny in the brief that he e-mailed. “Furry Tails is where your pet’s dreams come true.”

With the new store design, its uniquely conceptualized pet salon and spa, Furry Tails currently offers world-class services with state-of-the-art hydraulic grooming tables and equipment, and sterilizers for scissors, clipper blades and other grooming tools. 

On a visit to Furry Tails at SM City North EDSA, I was pleasantly surprised to see how busy it was on a weekend. Quite a few clients were waiting for their pets that were being groomed. There were also a lot of people walking into the store and checking out the wide variety of merchandise the store has to offer.

Furry Tails sees the need to address the current trend of pampering dogs as truly special members of the Filipino family. Because of this, it has added to its basic grooming services a variety of personalized and creative grooming styles, pet aqua massage, pet massage, pet aromatherapy, Thalassotherapy (mud therapy), pet hair treatments, pet hair coloring, pedicure and other innovative and creative service packages.

In order to stay on top of the needs of his ever-growing market, Tan adds that Furry Tails’ pet boutique carries a wide variety of dog supplies such as clothes and costumes, travel bags, backpacks, sling bags, strollers, trolleys, tents, potty trainers, beds, grooming and fashion accessories, feeding accessories, shampoos and conditioners, colognes, anti flea treatments, and delicious treats.

Furry Tails also has a few mascots to boot. There is Lhulu Shih Tzu, who portrays the role of a superstar singer. Her friends include other characters such as MC Hamster, Tommy Holedigger (a rabbit street dancer), Shaq-A-Tiel (a Cockatiel), Bubbles Fisher (a Goldfish), Cleo-Cat-Ra (a cat), Fifo & Fifi (two mice as back-up singers of Lhulu).

As a trailblazer in the pet industry and a pet store that truly cares for the pets on sale, puppies for sale are housed and displayed in dog condos which are fully furnished with a water feeder for constant supply of drinking water and dog toys. This is a welcome change from the use of dog cages to entice customers to bring home a puppy already accustomed to a pampered pet’s life.

Furry Tails is at the second level, City Center, SM North City North EDSA. For information, call 376-9363.

Bio research: Fish come first

Who doesn’t know of Bio Research?

Fish and more: “Bio Research at SM City North EDSA is the place where fish enthusiasts and hobbyists can find everything they are looking for,” says Cherry Lorena, store manager.

This pet store has been around for the past 40 years. It is what many people refer to as the pioneer of pet shops. As a child, I would visit the store each time I got an opportunity. I was always fascinated with the variety of fish and the wonderful aquariums at the store. It was also a treat to watch the various fish swim by the cute, colorful stones, aerators and really cool divers andmermaids seated on top of treasure chests that decorated these aquariums.

My older brothers were into fish, so Bio Research was a regular stop for us.

“The store began as a hobby of Wilson Ang, who started the business. Today, Charlene Ang-Go owns and runs Bio Research. Ang is now involved in the breeding and importation of pigeons, ” says Cherry Lorena, branch manager, SM City North EDSA. “He was into fish at the time, a hobby that he continues to have to this very day.”

This explains why Bio Research is largely a pet store that caters to fish hobbyists. The hobbyists are a growing group, adds Cherry.

The store has expanded through the years and it also has dog food and some accessories, some for cats and even for birds.

“Normally, when parents pick a first pet for child they get a hamster, fish or a rabbit,” says Cherry. “They like to get smaller pets because it is a good start to teaching young kids about being responsible.”

Today, the ratio of items in Bio Research is still largely geared towards fish enthusiasts. Matter of fact, Bio Research makes its own aquariums and they are also into building fishponds in homes.

At the store they sell mice, hamsters, birds, dogs and lots of fish.

It is in this manner that Bio Research makes sure that their dogs are of good quality.

Cherry assures me that there are a lot of kids that are really into fish. She says that if their parents like fish, then chances are the kids will like fish, too.

“It is different when you own a dog, you have to walk it, bathe it and make sure it is clean,” adds Cherry. “People who love fish don’t have that responsibility. They like that fish are low maintenance and yet watching them makes them feel good.”

So while Bio Research at SM City North EDSA has a small corner where it displays dog food and their accessories, the area for the fish is much bigger — a clear sign that Bio Research is the place to go when one is interested in starting a fish hobby.

Bio Research has kept its reputation as the clean and good pet store for the past 40 years — something that Cherry says is the result of hard work and the quality of products and the animals that they have sold to their customers through the years.

“It is not uncommon for the children of our older customers to also buy their pets from us,” quips Cherry. “They trust us because their parents have trusted us through the years, too.”

Bio Research is at the upper ground floor, City Center, SM City North EDSA. For information, call 920-9162.