Walk the dog, save the planet

MANILA, Philippines - Dog owners and their canine friends recently trooped to the Ninoy Aquino Parks & Wildlife to join Bark for the Environment: A 1.5k and 3k “Walk Your Dog” event.

Organized by Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) and the Animal Welfare Coalition, the event was held as part of the Earth Day 2010 celebration.

Seen at the earth-friendly (and canine-friendly) event were dogs of different breeds, sizes, and shapes who, with their owners, walked for the planet and even expressed their commitment to the preservation and protection of the environment by placing their hand and paw prints on the commitment wall.

According to Voltaire Alferez of Earthday Network Phils., dog owners’ love for their pets shows that they are capable of caring for another life form such as our natural environment.

“We are for the environment. That’s why we decided to join this event. It’s also a good opportunity to take Ram out and see other dogs,” says Smart administration and materials management group head Pancho Dino.

“The event is fun. It’s also a good way to express concern for the environment. Be a responsible pet owner. Having a dog is like having a child so take care of your dog as you would your child,” says Luis Buenaflor of Animal Kingdom Foundation who was with his Labrador Retriever Forest.

“It was exciting. Plus, we learned a lot from the event. We should really take care of our pets whether they’re pure breeds or not,” says Cherry Pie Barabad. She came to the event with her family and their pet Chow Chow Poomba. The Barabads own 20 Shih Tzus as well.

For Grace Rodil, owner of a German Shepherd named Troy, it is important to always be concerned about the welfare of your dog and the people around you. Caring for Mother Earth is another must-do.