Home away from home
THE SCOPE of hospitality in the Philippines has begun to extend to animals, supported by a market who believes pets deserve no less than the luxuries and the options people are accustomed to.
Doggieland Nursery and Pet Hotel (Doggieland) is a home-based enterprise in Pasig City founded on such a vision, and it has been redefining pet care since 1992. This was the year Jasmin Angeles, founder of the business and a pet lover herself, formally established Doggieland Pet Nursery, a facility designed to cater to pet owners who have newborn puppies and kittens but are incapable to address postnatal needs because of either lack of experience or lack of time. These needs include feeding and rearing difficulties caused by weakness, poor sucking reflex, prematurity, or birth defects such as cleft palates, among others.
“Doggieland Pet Nursery came about from my own personal need and experience,” Ms. Angeles said in an interview with “I had newborn puppies that had fatal problems and I realized that I couldn’t rely on veterinary care alone, since normally veterinarians don’t reside in their clinics and therefore can’t give [all their] time and attention to newborn puppies and kittens, especially those with health issues. I stepped in and gave the 24/7 care and attention that my pets required, thus saving their lives.”
Ms. Angeles said that she was eventually able to extend this kind of help to her friends who were seeking the same postnatal care for their pets. She went on to hone this skill further over the next several years, leading her and her team to gain the trust of practicing veterinarians who now recommend them to clients looking for this kind of service.
“Being an animal rights activist, I feel gratified being part of the miracle witnessing these babies living and growing up normally who otherwise would have died had we not stepped in,” she said. “More than a business, to me it is an advocacy to save the helpless.”
Last year, Ms. Angeles decided to expand her services and include board and lodging amenities for cats and dogs who need a place to stay while their owners are away. After revamping a few rooms in her own home and turning them into posh, comfortable spaces for pets, she launched Doggieland Pet Hotel.
“I feel there is a need to provide such services with high standards to meet, if not surpass, the requirements and standards of people who love and have high regards for their [sic] furbabies,” she explained.
While it’s challenging to comply with the unique needs of every pet they encounter, she said they are always able to provide the right kind of service by working closely with the owner and observing the pet’s behavior. Food and water intake, as well as urine and poop quality, are all monitored to make sure everything is in order and ensure every pet is treated as if it never left home.
“To me, the pet hotel is a breather... it is a chance for me to unwind from the stressful demands of saving lives at the nursery [because] I get to mingle and play with sound, healthy, and playful family pets. This is where I get the energy to fuel my advocacy,” she said.
Ms. Angeles said they are currently planning to improve their amenities by adding an outdoor play area, which will include a swimming pool, so the pets can exercise and socialize at the same time. They also plan to add more rooms in the future to accommodate more guests.
For the pet nursery, she said they are looking to expand and set up branches in nearby provinces to be able to help more puppies and kittens in need, since she said they receive calls from pet owners all over the country who seek the kind of service they provide.