A furry date
Actor Michael de Mesa goes on an afternoon date with Philippine Animal Welfare shelter pet Ruff.
MANILA, Philippines — On the week of Valentine’s (Feb. 12 to17), the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) held its “50 FURst Date.”
Rita Avila has a soft spot for special-need pets like Spot.
It was a week-long events that had pet lovers going on a date by treating PAWS shelter dogs and cats to a yummy meal and some warm cuddling.
I was told by PAWS social media campaigns officer Manila Santos that the the concept for this event came from the rise in popularity of dog cafes and cat cafes. “We already have adorable dogs and cats at PAWS,” Manila Santos said. “We just had to create a nice area where people could have a cup of coffee and some snacks while and the animals enjoy cookies and treats, too.”
The week-long fundraiser featured four themed dating booths namely, a romantic Parisian balcony, a cool hipster café, a cozy garden picnic and a PAWS café featuring photos of shelter animals.
Teen star Taki Saito and brother Shun fell in love with Groot.
Folks who came to share a date donated P300. This amount allowed the dates to go on a 15-minute date with an animal of their choice. They could select a dog or a cat from the list of adoptable shelter animals dubbed as “50 FURst Dates” on PAWS’ Instagram account (IG:pawsphilippines).
Julie Eigenmann gives Ruff a big hug.
Guests got to enjoy hot and cold beverages from Coffee Lab, as well as snacks from Miuccia Luxe Cakes and Swell Sweets while their “dates” feasted on treats from Whole Pet Kitchen served in special Italian pet bowls from Alessi.
For many, this was an excellent opportunity to interact and get to know PAWS’ furry adoptables.
Crispin, who was rescued from an abandoned house, was the most popular dog date, while Chino the one-eyed white cat was the favorite among the feline “daters.”
PAWS celebrity supporters also took time out from their busy schedules to support the event. Rita Avila, Taki Saito and Michael de Mesa spent a considerable amount of time with multiple cat and dog dates.
“It was a howling success as a fundraiser and as an event that raised awareness about shelter pet adoptions,” said Rich Ilustre, PAWS director. “We’ll definitely have more shelter-based events lined up later in the year.“
Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) executive director Anna Cabrera, PAWS directors Doris Cruz, Cristina Martinez and Rich Ilustre
“50 FURst Date” was made possible through the support of Dogs & More and The Philippine STAR Pet Life Section.
