THE BANTAY Hayop Davao (BHD) will send eight dogs and two cats for the Fashion Forward 2024 organized by Icon Elites Artists Management (IEAM) on July 28.
In an interview at the Kapehan sa Dabaw on July 22, BHD president and program coordinator Rovie Bullina said the animals were victims of abuse and abandonment. Fashion Forward 2024 aims to elevate the values of stray dogs and cats.
Bullina also said they observed an increased abandonment of dogs in the past years, especially after the pandemic.
“Yung cats and dogs natin sa Philippines they are ostracized lalo na pag aspin (street dog), lalo na pag puspin (pinoy cat) kase mas gusto talaga yung mga mamahalin, mga balbon, yung mga ganyan,” Bullina said.
Out of the 170 sheltered animals, only around 10 are qualified to join the Fashion Forward 2024 since some animals are easily frightened by the lights and sounds of the Fashion Forward. BHD is currently working on the total number of animals joining the event.
She added that the dogs and cats beneficiaries will also be provided vaccinations as well as adoption for people.
“As for the benefits, it’s not just financial for us. It is also advocacy, awareness na hindi ibig sabihin that it’s an aspin or it’s a puspin wala na siyang value. Nasa owner talaga yan, nasa tao talaga yan on how they take care of their pets and animals,” Bullina said.
IEAM president Pau Garcia hopes for the beneficiary animals to wear fashionable costumes for the event with the coordination of the designers for the animals’ attire. The fashion cause will showcase fashion styles of the 1900s to 2015 representing past and future designs.
“It would be exciting because we are finalizing and some of the dogs of Bantay Hayop Davao will do the runway along with models,” Garcia said.
