The Animal Kingdom Foundation (AKF) has hurdled many challenges during the pandemic, and even saved many animals in need. This is mainly due to the support of animal lovers who donated funds and resources, compassionate volunteers, and its hardworking staff.
Damaging Typhoons
There was flooding at the rescue center brought by Super Typhoon Goni last November 1, a Sunday, and, thank God, it did not cause us major damage but the one that followed, Typhoon Vamco, was more devastating as it fell a lot of our mango trees causing destruction to kennels, storage rooms, building offices and power lines.
As if the pandemic is not enough, dog pounds and small shelters within the island of Luzon were submerged in muddy flood prompting AKF to stage a relief drive. We called on our volunteers to respond and help they did.
It was March when the restrictions were announced and it is already December and still AKF cannot stage fundraising activities. It is a strange moment in our lives and highly concerning because we now have nearly 200 dogs, with a dozen rescued cats, relying on us. But our top priority will always be the welfare of our rescues, trust us that they will be taken cared of while we find them new loving families.
Our appeal for help online provided us relief at some point but we just did not think it will still be this way 8 months later.
Fingding love online : A virtual dog adoption drive
During the lockdown, we utilized the internet to promote our rehoming program and delivered 52 adopted dogs and 3 cats from March to August. The whole island of Central Luzon came to our aid and welcomed new pets to their homes.
One fortunate dog that was adopted by a lucky family is Kona. Kona was among a group of dogs rescued from a dog meat trader in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija last year.
AKF is thankful to families who have been opening their hearts and homes for these wonderful rescued dogs.
Feed as one: Feeding the strays during the lockdown
In the short months of March until August, we were able to rescue 17 dogs during the lockdown and have ventured into stray animal feeding from April until June providing food and water to more than 3, 000 strays and wandering cats and dogs. People have lost their jobs, restaurants have closed and their pets suffer the consequences.
We are now realizing the effect of this pandemic as we continue into the unknown; monetary donations are totally diminishing, fundraising events are now unthinkable, corporate partnerships seems impossible and our volun-tourist project utilizing Airbnb has not had a decent number of guests as our income generation project.
Four dogs rescues from a dog meat trader
Through it all, we did not stop rescuing slaughter-bound dogs. September saw us staging three rescue operations and filing a couple of cases against the dog traders.
One case is that of a dog trader peddling cooked dog meat dish using a motorcycle with a cab in the town of San Marcelino, Zambales. The dog trader has been slaughtering 2-3 dogs per day and cooking the meat to be sold to avid dog meat eaters. He is now behind bars and cases were already filed against him.
Despite the pandemic, a few peddlers of dog meat dish have been actively selling the dish in the guise of selling packed lunches. The restaurants up in the north that sre known to intermittently sell dog merat dish may have stopped operating due to the lockdown but AKF fully knows that some individuals might resort to peddling dog meat dishes and we made sure that the media is able to cover the above-mentioned arrest to warn potential animal welfare violators.
Over 50 abandoned dogs rescued in a fishing village
Meanwhile, we literally saved a whole village of dogs, in an islet, who were abandoned by their owners because a huge part of the town is developed as a new Manila airport. The once islet inhabitants, some 700 families of mostly fisher folks, are either in a new relocation area or have gone back to their provinces. More than 50 dogs are with us now.
Also, there are animals in dire straits in the southern and upper-northern part of Luzon that need immediate help due to the ravaging typhoons. AKF will extend help to these hapless animals no matter what. It is a challenging year and in the coming months, we imagine, but AKF will not abandon the animals as long as we are able to provide them help. Please help us help these hapless animals. Do not hesitate to donate. Your help is very important.
