Femme-paw-ered!

Annalyn Aizpuru, founder, Island Rescue Organization



Responsible pet ownership. 

People say any woman can be a mother, but it takes someone to be a fur mom. I am an animal advocate, and this has been my life for 45 years.

Growing up in a household with animals all the time showed me that the mere act of treating them well and learning to coexist, has an impact on us growing to be responsible pet owners in the future. 

Every day I see strays that suffer. On occasion we hear news on social media and television about animal abuse because of an irresponsible pet owner. Humans are the root cause of this. That is why I have been an advocate of spay and neuter programs. Owning a pet is a lifetime commitment and responsibility that many people have yet to realize. As I am always saying, “Walang asong gala, walang pusang gala kung walang tao’ng pabaya.”

With this, I share with you the Five Freedoms of Animals as a basis for your journey towards Responsible Pet Ownership.

1. Freedom from hunger and thirst.

2. Freedom from discomfort.

3. Freedom from pain, injury, or disease.

4. Freedom to express normal behavior.

5. Freedom from fear and distress.

 

Polaine Congmon, mother, pet welfare activist 

Being an empowered woman yourself, what advice would you give women today to empower them to take their own stand?

Caitlin Japa once said: “Take away my sensitivity and you take away the very essence of who I am.”

Don’t be so sensitive. — Women hear this too often, but I feel that you should own your sensitivity and see it as a strength. Embrace your conscience and nurture your ability to empathize. Let the heaviness of the suffering in the world assault your senses.

You’re in pain? Good. Your hands are shaking? Even better. I think the best people have a ‘fire’ inside them. It is that passion for a cause, aligned with your values, that makes “being sensitive both a gift and a responsibility.”

My hope is that your identity, your dignity and yes, your sensitivity, lead you to grace and empower others.

 

Hilary Manansala, fempreneur, Charlie’s Cup

How did your dog inspire you in creating your business?

My dog makes me happy and so I only want the best for her. During the pandemic, there was nowhere to go wherein I could bring my dog with me for leisure. With that, my sister and I decided to build a pet friendly cafe. Months later, we were proudly able to create a place where hoomans and furriends can enjoy at the same time and make memories. 

 
Shane Velasco, founder, Koda & Co.

They say that a dog is a man’s best friend. How does your furriend help you get through challenges in life?

Yet, they also say things get better with a woman’s touch. I say, women are the best thing that’s happened to our furriends and vice versa. 

My pack has helped me sort through several phases of my life. They’ve helped me discover who I am as a person and helped me find my passion which is what you’re looking at today. Koda & Co. is a community built solely on the love shared by a woman and her dogs. 

 

Gabriella Carballo, Miss Cebu 2022, founder of The Green Wave Cebu

What does “the future is female” mean to you?

The future is female, in my opinion, equates to gratitude, appreciation, and utmost respect for the women who’ve come before us that have shaped our very beings, the women we are today who can set goals and finally have the right and means to meet them, and for the women of tomorrow who ultimately could know no such boundaries to any of their thoughts, dreams, or desires.

We get to that point by striving to be role models for young women today, letting them understand that to be a woman is to be endowed a purpose sat and built on the foundation of life itself.