Nothing beats coming home to cuddle with our furry companions. But having a pet is not all fun and games, as caring for a living and breathing creature other than yourself entails a huge responsibility. This ranges from getting yourself and your pet vaccinated against rabies to making sure that they live their best lives. It’s a good thing that Robinsons Malls Happy Pets Club (HPC) is always behind initiatives on responsible pet ownership. In partnership with the local government unit of Quezon City, HPC is having back-to-back celebrations for pets and owners on September 27 at Robinsons Galleria and October 4 at Robinsons Novaliches.
Furparents can now conveniently have their pets checked for free during their mall visits. Pet Konsluta, a CSR pet program under Robinsons Malls Happy Pets Club, ensures all pet owners are given accessible and convenient ways to perform their furparent duties.
Robinsons is the first mall chain to launch an organized and holistic Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program for pets, through the HPC—a community of pet owners and lovers established in 2015. It has initiated four programs in 2021, including The Gift of Furever Home (pet adoption drive), Pet Bakuna (free vaccination), Pet Konsulta (free veterinary consultation), and Snip ‘en Snap (free spay and neuter). In 2023, Quezon City became HPC’s first LGU partner, giving QCitizens better access to health and welfare resources for pets.
Breaking Free From Rabies
The Department of Health, in May 2024, observed a 13% increase in rabies cases in the country versus recorded infections last year. Up to 92% of these are dog bites, with 6% from cat bites and the remaining percentage from other animals. To curb this spike and raise awareness about rabies infection in animals and humans, HPC is holding “Break Free From Rabies” a day before World Rabies Day—annually commemorated every September 28. It is happening from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on September 27 at Robinsons Galleria.
The whole-day event includes a series of educational talks on the importance of rabies vaccination, pet health and wellness, and responsible pet ownership. Other activities include free anti-rabies vaccination, free vet consultations, microchipping, deworming, and a pet adoption drive. For those with creative talent, Break Free From Rabies is also having a Chalk Art Contest. Well-known pet owners, including PVL athletes and proud furmoms Mars Alba, Thang Ponce and Royse Tubino, are joining in on the fun. Games and raffle prizes also await attendees.
Break Free From Rabies: A World Rabies Day Celebration is made possible through the partnership of Robinsons Malls, Quezon City LGU, City Veterinary Department, Animal Care and Disease Control Division – Quezon City, and Animal Kingdom Foundation.
Kindness Matters
A week later, on October 4, HPC is celebrating World Animal Day with another fun-filled day of pet-related activities. With the theme “Kindness Matters,” everyone is reminded to extend their compassion to all kinds of furry friends, from rescue cats and dogs in need of a ‘furever’ home to Aspins and Puspins in need of some love and kindness. This is once again part of Quezon City’s and Robinsons Malls’ efforts to raise awareness on animal welfare and extend free or affordable pet services to QCitizens. It’s happening at Robinsons Novaliches, starting at 10 a.m.
Pet adoption drive, free pet spay/neuter, free anti-rabies vaccination, and free vet consultation await attendees of Kindness Matters. Families can also drop by for a pet blessing, while kids and kids-at-heart can have fun creating animal art and chalk art calligraphy.
Again, as part of HPC’s advocacy of responsible pet ownership, there will be a series of talks on pet wellness and Aspin Appreciation. Kindness, after all, is making sure that cats and dogs of all types are healthy and well. ###
