FROM EXOTIC PET KEEPER TO ANIMAL ALLY
Recently, however, Salvador has been giving away most of his creepy crawlies. Last year, his view on animals changed after watching the award-winning documentary Earthlings. This, along with the eye-opening film What the Health, prompted him to go vegan in late 2017 and extend his circle of compassion to all living things. “I believe that animals do not exist on earth for the use of humans,” he says.
Keeping exotic animals brought up an ethical dilemma for Salvador, which was why he decided to find them new homes. Since they are not endemic to the Philippines and were raised in captivity, they cannot be released into the wild. “It’s a slow process because I want to make sure they go to someone who won’t exploit them for money,” he explains. “Instead of keeping animals, it may be much better for me to use whatever knowledge I have gained about arachnids and insects to campaign for conservation and to perhaps simply enjoy them in their natural habitat.”
Earlier this year, he spoke about the importance of transferring captive wild animals to sanctuaries at The Official Animal Rights March in Manila. He also regularly advocates for the rights of animals regarded as food by participating in events such as the Cube of Truth and Metro Manila Animal Save vigils. “Because of years of brainwashing and mental conditioning where society has deemed it proper to use animals, there is clearly a disconnect. How can one justify loving a cat or dog while at the same time paying someone to slaughter a pig for food? It just doesn’t make sense.”