The Philippine Animal Welfare Society or PAWS is a non-government, volunteer-based animal welfare organization that has been at the forefront of lobbying for animals to be included in disaster-relief and evacuation programs.
“Animals are important to many people – as companions, as sources of livelihood,” says May Felix-Razon, PAWS Disaster-Relief and Emergency Response Team Head. “Therefore, it makes sense that animals are included in disaster-relief efforts.”
On August 21, 2013, PAWS volunteers went to the SAWS Animal Shelter in Bacoor, Cavite to give relief to the 50 dogs and 20 cats there. Volunteers also helped clean the said shelter which was covered in mud after being badly hit by floods (water that overflowed from the nearby creek) at the height of Typhoon Maring.
On August 23 and 24, the team headed to Brgy Congbalay-Legaspi Binakayan, and Brgy Sama, Marquez Kawit, Cavite to provide human and animal relief to victims of the typhoon.
PAWS received dog food donations and human relief food items from its celebrity spokespersons: Carla Abellana, Heart Evangelista, Patricia Hizon and Joey Mead and has distributed these donations to both animals and humans in Salinas I, Bacoor, Cavite.
Even MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino also sent one sack of dog food and one sack of cat food for animals affected by disaster.
40 families with pets have been helped by PAWS on its first day of relief distribution. The volunteer group plans to continue its relief distribution in Cavite, Marikina and Roxas District, QC once they get additional donations of pet food and human relief items.
PAWS is asking the public for donations of the following (please note that PAWS distributes relief for both humans and animals) until Friday, August 30, 2013, 5:00 pm.
FOR HUMANS:
ready to eat ulam
Bread
Coffee
Usable clothes and towels
Biscuits/crackers
Drinking water
Hygiene kits (soap, shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste etc)
FOR ANIMALS:
Dog food (wet and dry)
Cat food (wet and dry)
Bowls
Leashes and collars
Donations in-kind may be dropped off at PAWS Animal Rehabilitation Center, Aurora Boulevard, Katipunan Valley, Loyola Heights, Quezon City. PARC is open Mondays to Saturdays from 10 am to 5 pm. Tel number is 4751688. Website is www.paws.org.ph.
For those who cannot drop off their donations in-kind, our bank account details are, as follows:
ACCOUNT NAME: The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS)
BANK ACCOUNTS
Bank of the Philippine Islands
BPI Peso Savings 3943-0086-11 / BPI Dollar Savings 3944-0021-61
Banco de Oro – Peso Savings Account 6250058159
Philippine National Bank – Peso Current Account 378-26380001-2
Kindly email a copy of the validated deposit slip to [email protected] and [email protected] and include your mailing address if you would like us to send an official receipt for your donation. Thank you.