Scarlet's Note: Please excuse our Secretary, she got someone out of jail and can't keep the story to herself.


Secretary's Note:

It was two years ago when I first saw Bam ( not his real name). The Animal Doc was driving me to work, when we passed by Bam's house and spotted his small wire cage. That was where I saw him the following day and every single day that I went to work.

I felt sad for Bam. On Christmas 2008, I wrapped him a gift consisting of food bowl and treats, with a note wishing he could get out of his cage soon. I was elated when Bam actually used the food bowl, but he did not get his reprieve.

Christmas 2009, I again dropped him a gift. It was a leash and collar, with a note letting him know how sad I was to see him imprisoned, and that it was my Christmas wish for him to be freed from time to time and be taken out for walks.

I almost forgot about him, but when I went back to work this January, a surprise was waiting for me. Yes, Bam outside his cage! I was so excited that I called the Animal Doctor from work and begged him to take pictures ( Please excuse the blurry images) for my remembrance. And bring some treats, I squealed.

Goodbye Prison, I hope I never see you again!

Hello walkies! Lorenza, will you be my date?

But the Animal Doc is not so good with detective work and was caught by Bam's owner. He had to come clean and admit that we were the ones dropping gifts to their dog. Lucky for him, Bam's hooman did not call the police. She welcomed our gestures, though unsolicited. She also told us that she wont be keeping Bam inside his cage anymore.Tomorrow, the Animal Doc will go back to give Bam his vaccines, while I might take him out for a walkie myself

It has always been my habit to observe dogs when I'm on the road. Some images amuse me, but some can be ugly. I used to close my eyes because the only way that I could avoid tormenting myself with these images, is to pretend that they are not happening. But not anymore today. It gives me courage to confront animal suffering knowing that I could do something about it if I chose to.

Looking back to a year of sacrifices and hard work for animals in need, I want to thank the one person who truly deserves much of the credit: the Animal Doctor. By providing his facilities, expertise and services, as well as immense patience and understanding, he has empowered me to realize my Purpose in life. Now I see the full benefits of marrying a veterinarian. LOL.

P.S. Talking about gifts, big thanks to Charlie's Mom for sending gifts to our dogs. For the past two christmasses, they have not been getting any gifts from us because we told them its better to give than receive. Im sure Moy would stop whining and throwing words like "lame".




Thanks to Sweepy, Popsy Sumo and Bogart who sent us a lovely christmas story via email. Thanks for all our friends who sent us lovely cards and greetings last holiday. May 2010 be a wonderful year for all of us. :)

Billion dollar dogs

Do you remember them?

Some of you doggies correctly guessed that we rescued these puppies and brought them in our animal clinic for rehabilitation. Aside from being underweight and malnourished, they had amoebiasis and fungal skin infection. They were treated, dewormed, vaccinated, groomed, and given all the works at Greenwoods Pet Clinic.

Blaze, the only boy in the trio, had his boy bits removed by the Animal Doctor. Just like Moy-Moy hihihi. This is the second time that the Animal Doctor performed early age neutering and like the first, there was practically no down time! Blaze was up and about a few minutes after his minor operation, and his tiny incision did not bother him at all.

After Animal Doctor's job was done, the puppies were transferred to our house in Mimosa Street where they underwent another kind of "treatment". The puppies were very scared of hoomans. Just the sound of hooman voices made them tremble and scamper for dear life. They would hide all day and would not even care for a round of bitey face with me.


The Secretary suspected that the puppies have experienced cruelty from hoomans in the past, so she gathered all hoomans and four legged in our house and draw up a plan. Each of the hoomans had a task to perform such as feeding the puppies, getting them used to cuddles and strokes, bathing them. I Trudis must engage them in play daily.

Now, see the difference.

Even a mongrel can look and feel like a billion dollar dog.

Next time, I will tell you about their adoption.
PBA096s15n88

Vacation Stories Part II: Meet the Secretary's Pets

Some of you know that I have eight dogs living with my Mom in Iloilo ( learn about my city in Wikipedia). Four years ago, I left to pursue a career in Manila but had to stay indefinitely when I married the Animal Doctor. I am still plagued by separation anxiety, but my job pays for the good life my dogs are currently living. It takes a 45 minute plane ride on weekends every other month for me to see them, and so, I look forward to vacations where I can stay longer. Our time together is so precious, I can't even afford to sleep!

Dee-Dee Marie, who is turning ten years old, is my very first dog. I remember being scared of her on our first meeting, when her brothers and sisters started jumping up my legs ( silly me). The person who gave me Deedee had to pay P1,500 ( somewhere between 30-35$) to the breeder. I think Deedee is worth billions now- or even more-if I can even put a cash value to how much I love her.

Dexter Franklin Toblerone J, Jr, nine years old, was given to me by Deedee's veterinarian in Iloilo City. Deedee was terribly sick at that time, and the vet promised to give me a new dog if Deedee dies. Deedee recovered( miraculously, if I may say so. I think my non stop bawling scared her illness away), but I adopted Dex anyway. The vet kept him in a very small cage, and it was only after I brought Dex home and given him a bath, did I realize he was spitz and not a golden retriever pup.

Here is Luning Ann, aka Inday Lou, (Inday is an Ilonggo endearment for a sister or daughter) eight years old, looking sad and miserable on the day of my flight back to Manila. Lou was born out of Deedee and Dexter's mating. Of all my dogs, she is the sweetest, she follows me everywhere, even inside the bathroom when I take a shower. Lou has never been mated, and right now I am torn whether or not to have her spayed before she gets pyometra. My other vet ( not the Animal Doctor) here in Manila quoted P14,000( between $311-320) for the operation and I might go for it in January next year- hopefully I can deal with the jitters. He will use gas anesthesia so the risk will be minimized. And I will request to be sedated too.

Poput, seven years old, is Dex and Dee-Dee's son after their second mating. I learned my lesson and had Poput neutered when he was two months old. All of Deedee's offsprings had poor skin and coat when they were puppies, but look at Poput now with his glorious mane. Poput did something strange when he was 4 or 5 years old. I was seated on a stool in the middle of the garden watching the dogs play, when all of sudden, he ran to me, lifted his leg, and peed. Yes, directly at me. The vet interpreted it as a form of marking, maybe Poput was telling all the other dogs that I was his fire hydrant.

This apricot toy poodle is Cleo Marie Mae, aging between 7 to 9 years old. She used to live in the veterinary office where the Animal Doctor used to work. Her owner, some rich lady, split up with her boyfriend and decided to rid herself of the mementos of their relationship, including their surrogate child. Cleo came to live with me in my apartment in Manila in 2005, and for a while we had fun living an independent single lifestyle. In 2006, Cleo had enough of traveling and decided to retire in Iloilo.

Jennilyn, is somewhere between 4 of 5 years old. I adopted her from the same veterinary office where I got Cleo. Jennilyn was a product of another person's igorance ( her Mom had just survived distemper when the veterinary staff mated her with another dog ) and was kept in a cage entirely since birth. She was thin and had wobbly gait when she came to my apartment in 2006. In that same year, I decided to relocate my Manila dogs to Iloilo which was a far better environment.

Puppy, now three years old, is a cocker spaniel pup the Animal Doctor bought after Jumbo's (Deedee's son, he was airlifted to Manila in 2005 for treatment of Ehrlichiosis) death. Instead of being happy and grateful, I got so angry with the Animal Doctor because like most misguided people, he thought animals were toys that made nice gifts. I was still grieving and totally unprepared to meet the needs of a very young animal. In 2006, I relocated Cleo, Jennilyn, and Puppy to Iloilo.

This is Destiny Joe Aringkingking ( dont ask me about his last name, it just popped in my head) around 2 to 3 years old. He was given as a gift to our neighbors who did not know a thing about dogs. They let him roam in the street outside and basically just forgot that he was a living thing needing quality food and water. My tummy was bursting with a human baby at that time so I managed to ignore Destiny's pathetic cries at night by covering my ears with a pillow. I vowed to save him after I gave birth. Several months later, I barged into our neighbor's house and "confiscated" Destiny. I invoked the law which penalizes the neglect of animals. It was a good thing that the owners did not charge me of theft or tresspassing--maybe they learned how much I spent just to keep their dog alive.

Destiny, after I groomed him on the day of his rescue. He was severely matted and infested with ticks.

As of this date, I have not heard of any person criminally charged of neglecting their pets, although Republic Act 8485 ( The Animal Welfare Act) penalizes this.

Jack Flash is an askal ( asong kalye or stray dog) pup that came to our house in 2002. My Mom agreed to let him in after I assured her that the puppy was only looking for transient residence and will be on his own as soon as he hits adolescence. Well, it never happend. I mean, Jack grew up but my Mom had to spend thousands for the reconstruction of our fence to keep Jack inside.


This is our honorary dog, he is a topiary in the shape of a dog. Sometimes he grows little flowers all over his body and I find those really cute.


This is Pepe, the gold fish I bought to teach my son Miggy about responsibility. Pepe died on Miggy's second birthday. Rest in Peace, Pepe.


We have two other dogs, six cats and two rabbits that have crossed the Rainbow Bridge, but I will never forget them.

We, who choose to surround ourselves with lives
even more temporary than our own,
Live within a fragile circle, easily and often breached.
Unable to accept its awful gaps,
We still would live no other way.
We cherish memory as the only certain immortality,
never fully understanding the necessary plan."

Irving Townsend, from "The Once Again Prince

Quite a Scare

At 6:15 this morning, while getting ready to leave for work, I saw Trudis and Jappy horsing around in our front yard.

At 6:30, I went out of the house and noticed that the dogs' poop were plenty than usual.

At 6:31, I opened and closed the gate of our yard, was about to turn my back and leave when Trudis began retching and eventually vomited undigested food. She was not herself. I could see that she was wobbling. I cried out for the Human Son's Nana, and asked her to check Trudis' gums and tongue. They were paper white! Nana carried Trudis and we ran to the Clinic which is just a few meters away. We left H.S sleeping all by himself in our house, good thing halfway to the Clinic, we saw the Animal Doctor ( he had earlier gone to the Clinic to check on his patients) walking back to the house. He took over from there so Nana was able to return to the house and watch poor H.S.

At 6:35, Trudis was given intravenous fluid, Atropine, Vitamin K, heart tonics and whatnots - I was in pure panic mode and drove the Animal Doctor nuts ( We had a bad argument last night and now I am forced to be nice to him :P ). He cannot confirm diagnosis yet. Trudis could have ingested something- but there are only leaves, worms, snails and leeches in our front yard. Could any of these be the culprit? The Animal Doctor also drew blood for examination so he will know what's going on inside Trudis' body.

At 6:45, Trudis' gum color turned pink again and she looked somewhat okay. The Animal Doctor convinced me to call for a taxi and so I wasnt late for work today.

My knees are still shaking though. I had similar incidents like this with my other dogs in the past. It seems like our minds are connected, and I am able to be there for them when they need me most.

I pray that there is nothing seriously wrong with Trudis.

Separation Anxiety

A Tale of Seven Tails

Last weekend, the Animal Doctor and I took some time off to be with our human son (H.S) in Iloilo, a small city in the region of Western Visayas, Philippines.

While HS was having his midmorning nap, I sneaked outside to investigate a suspicious looking hole I saw earlier at a vacant lot outside of our house.

"Oh nooo! Not again?! Apparently, one of the stray dogs in our street had given birth to a litter of seven puppies.

While the adult strays have adapted well to a life on the edge, dining al fresco in the garbage bins and getting free lodging accommodations underneath parked vehicles, the puppies were too young to be exposed to such precarious living conditions.

I had temporarily created an enclosure to prevent the puppies from wandering off the street and getting crushed by speeding vehicles. But my mind was racing. The Animal Doctor and I were taking the first flight back to Manila in less than twenty four hours. If I had some brilliant strategy that will forever change the lives of these puppies, I better come out with it quick!

How about my Mother? She is probably the last person who will ever neglect an animal. She supported my pets ( including the ones i picked up from the street) back when I was not yet earning my own keep. But I had a gut feeling that she was prepared to freak out the moment I propose to add seven more puppies to our already nine-dog household. Since HS came along, my Mom has been telling me to focus on myself and my family, and for once, FORGET about dogs!

By night time, when it was almost clear to me that the puppies will grow up into strays themselves, I saw our portable kennel gathering dust in the garage... I knew what I had to do. The thought had been dancing at the back of my mind since morning.

That night while I was packing my things, my Mom volunteered to drive me to the airport. Oh-Oh. "No, no, I'll just take a cab", I hastily told her.

In the morning, while I was finishing my coffee and getting ready to leave, she again insisted to drive me at least to the gate of our subdivision where I could flag for a taxi. At this point, I was near wilting. I did not want my Mother to discover what I was bringing to the Airport other than my traveling bag. "Oh please, don't bother. Besides its still dark outside, go back to bed." I pleaded.

But she tailed me up to the gate of our house and caught our helper in the very act of lifting the portable kennel carrying seven live squirming puppies inside the taxi. I saw my mother's jaw dropped but before any sound could escape her throat, I waved goodbye. "I just had to do this." was what i told her in earnest.

With the Animal Doctor's help, I was able to pass through airport security and quarantine without any glitch. I had expected the worst, considering airports' rigid policies concerning the transport of live animals.

At 8:00 AM, our plane touched down in Manila. The first thing I did upon disembarking was to check on the pups while their portable kennel was being unloaded from the cargo hold of the plane. Except being smeared in poop, the pups were alright and ready for their big adventure.

Manila here we come!

Right now, we are taking care of the puppies, but our ultimate goal is to find suitable and qualified foster parents for them. Mag aso ay hindi biro. Having a pet is a big responsibility. Considering that even expensive purebreds can be victims of neglect or abandonment by some humans, a mongrel should only be reared by someone with a deep sense of compassion and respect for all animals, regardless of breed, physical attributes or market value. These people do not acquire pets solely for the fulfillment of certain needs (like companionship or security) but also because of a desire, commitment, or dedication to uplift the life of an animal, to free it from pain and suffering.

Please, take a look at these pups and see if you can have a teeny-weeny space for one of them in your heart.

" I can be your baby..."

"I'll scare the robbers away with my big bark! "

" I can warm your lap..."

" I can hold your hand when you're sad..."

"At the end of the day, when you're tired and achy, I'll give you my brightest smile.
I will be your best friend for all time"

"I'll give you a job, spoil me"

"Will you take me to your home?"



If you think you are the One, please contact us:

Clinic Phone:
02 5711130

Mobile Phone:
+63 9282518554 ( The Secretary)
+63 9209163248 ( The Animal Doctor)

Email:
lilli24ph(at)yahoo(dot)com
geoff(underscore)dvm6219(at)yahoo(dot)com
myveterinarian(at)gmail(dot)com

Asong Pinoy A-Visiting

Wow, we had asong pinoy visiting our clinic today!

These are Maximus, Lightning and Thunder Briones. They came for deworming, vaccination and check up. Maximus ( middle) got a new collar. Unlike Moy-Moy, they are not true blue native dogs as they were sired by a labrador.

These are Monay ( with brown spots) and Angel ( light brown) San Juan. They came for a medical check up. Their tummies are no good, they've been having watery poopies and have not been eating much for the last two days.

These dogs are very lucky to have caring and responsible humans, because not a lot of Aspins ( asong pinoy) are as lucky. Aside from chronic neglect, they also suffer torture and violence from the hands of humans engaged in dog meat trade which is a lucrative underground business in the Philippines.

Dogs by the thousands are hog tied, with rusty sardine cans stuck up their snout, and dumped in vans and trucks that transport them to Benguet and nearby provinces where they are slaughtered. In such a deplorable and appalling state, some of the dogs die of asphyxiation during transit.

The law that prohibits the slaughter of dogs does not expressly prohibit eating its meat, so people can technically buy dog meat and cook it as pulutan or serve it as an exotic dish in their restaurants without violating the law.

The recently enacted Rabies Act of 2007 prohibits and penalizes the trade of dog meat. But still, not the act of eating. For as long as consumption of dog meat is not penalized, there will always be a motivation for dog meat traders to be on top of their game.

Note: Images of rescued dogs were obtained from a website we visited long time ago, called Its their Destiny