Hagrid, the gentle giant
He was found in an advanced state of malnourishment along Katipunan Avenue.
The massive dog hardly had any fur left on him and flies feasted on his stinking body. He had sagging skin and discharge coming from his eyes. Someone had left him there to die. What other reason could there be for someone to leave a sick English mastiff on the sidewalk of Katipunan?
Hagrid was weak from hunger, he could barely stand up when a PAWS officer saw him
The PAWS officer who stopped to ask passers-by about the dog was informed that a jeepney driver "owned" it.
The same driver quickly denied ownership and said that the dog was given to him by an unknown man when PAWS started asking him questions.
The Shelter took in the gentle giant and PAWS Adoption Head, Liza,a Harry Potter fan, aptly named him "Hagrid".
For months, Hagrid stayed in the dog quarantine area, always wagging his tail and greeting visitors with crinkled noses : the sticky discharge from his mangy skin would fill his kennel space with a smell that could drive a skunk away.
To test a new volunteer's mettle in cleaning kennels was to assign him or her to scrub THE KENNEL and to give THE DOG a bath.
Many baths later, after completing tests and vaccinations, our shelter vet said that it was safe for Hagrid to be mixed with the other dogs of Dog Run 1.
So late March 2009, Hagrid timidly stepped into an enclosure where ten average-sized native dogs quickly huddled away from him in one corner of the Run.
It was a day of 'new things' for these shelter dogs - a portable kiddie pool had just been brought in so that they can cool off in the hot weather..and now, this giant hulk being made to join them!
"They rescued a pony and brought him in with us!" or so we thought we heard the dogs say.
For a few awkward minutes, Hagrid ran around the pool trying to make friends with the frightened PAWS shelter dogs. Parvati, the brave (white) one, was the first to assess that Hagrid was nothing more than an oversized puppy.
Once that was established, everything went back to normal in Dog Run 1. =)
But inwardly, shelter staff and volunteers feared whether the curse of "big dogs" would continue and whether we would indeed be able to find Hagrid a good home.
Large breeds are among the most difficult to place, requiring owners with plenty of yard space, time and a fair bit of experience with dogs. Memories of Buck, the shelter's Great Dane, who died unadopted in the shelter, were still clear in volunteers' minds
Our fears evaporated when Doris Cruz started walking Hagrid in April 2009.
It seemed as if it was love at first sight. Our long-time shelter patron and dog-rescuer, Doris, and our gentle giant, Hagrid - definitely a match made in heaven!
On June 1, 2009, Doris Cruz took Hagrid home. She sent us the photo below yesterday.
Is it our imagination or is that the biggest doggie smile ever?
Everyday, PAWS rescues and rehabilitates dogs like Hagrid until they are ready to be put up for adoption.
Work like these need your support. Please donate. It will go a long way in helping homeless dogs and cats hoping for a second chance at a good life.
Our life-saving work needs your support. Please donate. It will go a long way in helping homeless dogs and cats hoping for a second chance at a good life.
P 300 or US$ 7 (Staff & Volunteer Support)
will help sustain office and maintenance personnel that keep the shelter running
P 500 or US$ 12 (Utilities & Maintenance)
will help pay the rent, water, communication and electricity bills
P 1,000 or US$ 23 (Immediate Shelter Needs)
will help feed a shelter dog for one month or fully vaccinate a shelter dog or cat against diseases
P 3,000 or US$ 68 (Spay-Neuter Fund)
will help spay a female cat or dog preventing hundreds of unwanted kittens and puppies from being born
P 5,000 or US$ 113 (Medical Fund)
will help in the long-term veterinary treatment of an abused dog or cat, or any other animal in need of special care at our shelter