All Lives Matter: A Conversation with an Advocate for Animal Rights
According to PAWSsion Project founder Malou Perez, in this time when the “Black Lives Matter” campaign is blowing up on social media, we are reminded that no one is really above anyone. We must understand that all lives matter, even lives of stray dogs and cats.
Malou Perez is the founder of PAWSsion Project, which is a Bacolod-based rescue group with shelters in Bulacan and Bacolod City, Philippines. When her pet dog, Casper, passed away, she made a vow that she would help all dogs that needed her help. That’s why PAWSsion project was created.
It began when she heard about 50 dogs that were supposed to be put down by gunshot. She then gathered like-minded people with passion for stray animals. She did not expect that her small project would grow at such an exponential rate today, let alone, be featured on Rappler, Manila Bulletin, ABS-CBN and Cosmopolitan Magazine.
Despite the Covid-19 crisis, she still continues her advocacy. Truly, nothing can stop this fur mommy from helping fur babies. Below is the highlight of my TEDx team’s conversation with her last June 2, 2020.
Tell us a bit more about PAWSsion Project.
PAWSsion project started in 2018 that was inspired by a Face Book post about 50 dogs on death row. I personally shared that post and then, two days later, a family friend who owned a farm offered her property to be used as a shelter for those dogs.Without second thoughts, I said yes. Three days later, we rescued those 50 dogs and provided them a home at our shelter. In less than two years, we now have two shelters in Victorias and Bulacan.
What insufficiency do you see in the government, the local laws and community practices that are failing our furry little friends?
A lot. I can go and on about this but first and foremost, it’s really about ignorance. Imagine your dog walking alone in the streets with its collar and maybe even its leash. Even with that apparent evidence of ownership, local authority has the right to take them to the dog pound. If unclaimed after a number of days, they also have the right to put your dog down.
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What’s worse is that we don’t monitor the way of killing the dogs. They call it euthanasia, but there are cases when there is not enough budget and the way of putting the dogs down is close to torture already.
Another saddening thing about this is that when my team and I were leaving with our rescued dogs from the pound, another truck of impounded dogs arrived. They were very healthy beautiful dogs. It was very heartbreaking. And the one who ordered the impounding of those dogs was a barangay/village captain.
We already have an animal welfare act, but the problem is the lenient implementation. I still know about dog-meat trade, which is horrible.
What is your message to the general public in relation to your advocacy for animal rights?
Please get the word out there. Educate yourselves and those around you because the roots of animal abuse or any problem in general are lack of information and inability to take action.
Adopt. If you can’t adopt, foster. If you can’t foster, sponsor. If you can’t sponsor, volunteer. If you can’t volunteer, donate. If you can’t donate, advocate.
Watch the full interview here.
