A howling, purring and yapping success
MANILA, Philippines - With a record-breaking 74 pets and 870 kids in attendance, “Scaredy Cats and Dogs: Year 9,” the annual pet and kid Halloween costume competition of The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) and Eastwood City, was a certified hit.
PAWS’ celebrity supporters Agot Isidro, Zia Quizon and Carla Abellana were the judges in the pet division and were in total awe of the elaborate costumes.
Clearly, the owners had so much fun dressing up their dogs and cats for Halloween as dozens of pets paraded and showed off their innovative costumes onstage.
“The mananang-dog entry was unique and funny,” said Agot Isidro when describing the Mexican hairless dog Frida who donned miniature bat-like wings and a clove of garlic around her neck to portray a manananggal, a mythical creature who preys on human fetuses, while his owner Carlo Tabije was dressed as her victim, a pregnant woman.
Still, with many of the dog owners pulling out all the stops to try to win the top awards, Tabije and Frida’s costumes merited only honorable mentions and became part of the Pumpkin Patch awardees.
Prince the pomeranian, bagged the “Scream of the Crop” award or the scariest costume, as he calmly sat on a “chopping board” with a fake knife seemingly cutting him into two. He carried a wooden sign, which said “Stop Animal Cruelty” as he wanted to educate people to be kind to animals.
Host Chico Garcia, Patricia Hizon and DJ Cerah were all praises for the judges’ choice for the “Best Ghoulish Partners” which went to Fatchai and Fatchoi as Fred & Wilma Flintstone and their owners Piwi Comia & Tina Comia who escorted them wearing a Barney & Betty Rubble costume.
Aspin Poypoy as a rebel dog in a fatigue outfit, white shirt wrapped around his face and a toy machine gun slung over his shoulder, romped away with the “Halim-aw-aw Award” or best native dog in costume.
“Not too many people know this, not even the judges, but Kazuhiko, the winner of the ‘Hali-meow Award’ or best native cat in costume, was a former PAWS shelter cat,” said PAWS executive director Anna Cabrera, “He used to be the longest staying cat at the shelter so we were very happy when his new family brought him home.”
Cabrera says seeing the fat and pampered Kazuhiko dressed as a pumpkin with his adoptive guardian, Rosa Yong, was heartwarming. Kazuhiko was also chosen as the “Friskies Cat Su-Purr-star.”
Monty, a ten-month old Persian kitten (owned by Ellen Cuartejano) dressed as a bee got the “Friskies Kitten Su-Purr-star” award handed out by Friskies’ Tootsie Syjuco.
Julia, a mixed-breed dog who came as a Rio carnival queen is a consistent winner in previous PAWS’ previous fund raisers but this is the first time that she bagged the top prize of “Transylvanian Star.” Her elaborately embellished costume and cart, including the way she wore her feathered headgear like a professional model, earned the judges’ unanimous nod as the best-dressed pet of the event.
Another crowd favorite, Shih Tzu Li wore a toy crocodile, creatively fastened to her hind legs, which gave the appearance that the reptile was seemingly devouring Li’s hind legs. The entry, aptly dubbed as “Lolong’s Revenge” clinched the “Crypt-Keeper’s Choice” award for being the most original costume.
Bridget, another Shih Tzu who sported matching black wings as her owner’s, come to the event dressed as the PAWS Warriors, getting the judges’ nod for most creative costume or the “Phantom’s Pick” award.
Trudis, a Shih Tzu with a fake hump on her back was also the darling of the audience as she strutted smartly around the Central Plaza while dragging a miniature coffin on wheels.
Chihuahuas, on the other hand, dominated the H-Alpo-ween awards given to those who caught the attention of Alpo’s Carl Constantino.
All the canines enjoyed playing games and getting free samples in the Alpo Happy House & Garden & Frontline Plus Booth while the felines got to shoot their very own Halloween videos in the Friskies tent.
The audience was also treated to spectacular performances by the Neutron Acrobats, Chardy Ang and his dogs from BetterDog, Marvin the Magician and Talentadong Pinoy Hall of Famer, Wanlu.
“Scaredy Cats and Dogs:Year 9” was sponsored by Alpo, Friskies and Frontline Plus. Special thanks to McDonald’s, Bannister Academy, Choi Palace, BetterDog, Swell Sweets, Eastwood Cinemas, PikNik and The Philippine STAR Pet Life Section.
