A photo of a puppy looking at a group of dogs with their owner captured the hearts of online users over the weekend.
Event photographer Anthony Piedad Jugo took the now-viral photo at the Cuartel Heritage Park in Oslob, Cebu.
“I wonder what the lucky ones felt? Because he’s alone, hungry, sad, scared, and wondering what it feels to be like them [other dogs],” Anthony wrote in a post.
“Reality hits so differently today. Unfair at its finest. That’s life,” he added.
Anthony told Philstar.com that he was working on a debut photoshoot when he noticed the puppy.
A few days after, he returned and saw the stray dog, which he decided to adopt and name “Hopper.”
Anthony said Hopper is currently receiving treatment and taking medication.
The photographer said that he did not intend to paint the dog owners in the background negatively. He shared that the owners have reached out to him and said that these owners also adopted aspins or stray dogs.
“This post is not to make someone feel bad but to raise awareness that this is happening not only in animals but in us humans. How cruel life can be sometimes…Some are facing their own silent battles and struggles to live while others are enjoying the favors of life. That’s how it is,” Anthony said.
Call to adopt animals
Following Anthony’s post, some social media users called on fellow Filipinos to adopt animals.
“A beautifully poignant photo. Hoping it can touch a lot more people and move them to adopt Aspins and Puspins,” a social media user said, referring to stray cats and dogs.
“Every dog deserves a family,” an online user said.
“ADOPT DON’T SHOP. BE KIND TO EVERY KIND,” another online user said.
“Awareness was raised through this. Stray cats and dogs suffer much in the streets. They also deserve a loving home. They deserve to get adopted,” a Facebook user said.
Some of the organizations where you can adopt pets are the Philippine Animal Welfare Society, Pawssion Project, Strays Worth Saving, and the Philippine Animal Rescue Team.
