MANILA, Philippines – Even without saying a word, pets already speak a language we all understand — the kind that tells us we’re not alone.
Whether it’s spotting a stray on the street or cuddling with a pet at home, a cat’s gentle purr or a dog’s wagging tail has a way of making our world feel lighter.
Before the rise of the automatic feeders or the talking buttons, cats and dogs first bonded with humans out of survival — wolves lingered near camps, cats stayed close to farms — and soon, they became part of our families. They supported our survival back then, and they’re still helping us heal now.
Studies show that spending time with pets increases oxytocin levels, promoting feelings of trust, empathy, and relaxation, and reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. In return, we also provide love, support, and care to our furry friends.
Around Metro Manila and nearby areas, there are many groups that rescue strays, find them loving homes, and welcome anyone willing to help. Here are a few shelters you might want to visit or support.
Pawssion Project
Founded in 2018 by Malou Perez, Pawssion Project Foundation is a nonprofit organization that has rescued more than 2,000 animals, rehomed over 600 dogs and cats, and housed 600 rescues in its Bacolod and Bulacan shelters.
Their shelters are open to visitors from Tuesdays to Sundays (10 am to 5 pm). Based on the website, the shelter asks volunteers to help clean the shelter, walk the dogs, feed them, and even do content creation to raise awareness, among other tasks.
If you can’t visit the shelters, your care can still go a long way by being a Pawssion Project supporter. And for those ready to adopt, there’s a P1,000 adoption fee that covers a portion of the animal’s spay/neuter, vaccination, and care.
The Cat House
The name might fool you — this shelter doesn’t just take in cats but dogs and barn animals, too. The Cat House, founded by Arizza Dungca, has rescued over 300 animals, providing them with food and medical care.
With no official funding, the shelter is run by a small family who transformed a farm warehouse into a sanctuary. According to an interview with Dungca, they have hundreds of cats and dozens of dogs, along with pigs, goats, a horse, a carabao, a turtle, and even ducks.
If you’d like to help, you can find details on how to send in-kind or monetary donations here.
Ampon Alaga
PETA’s Ampon Alaga breaks the cycle of overpopulated and abandoned pets by advocating for free spay/neuter services, rescuing strays, and finding them loving homes.
Adoption here is free, and they deliver your new companion if you’re based in Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan, Laguna, Cavite, or Batangas. But if you’re not yet ready for the commitment adoption entails, you may consider fostering, where you can offer space at home for a cat or a dog for just three months.
You can also walk their rescued dogs around Poblacion and Rockwell, Makati, from Mondays to Fridays and Sundays (8 am to 11:30 am) and Saturdays (7 am to 11:30 am). For available slots, just send them a message on Instagram.
If you currently have a pet that still hasn’t been spayed or neutered, they have a list of vet clinics offering low-cost services.
Stray Love PH
Stray Love PH was founded by Geraldine Therese Lim, giving strays, no matter how beaten or forgotten, a chance to heal.
Now, in Tanay, Rizal, they’ve built a home for more than 200 dogs — many of them once nothing but skin and bones, but now learning to feel safe again. The shelter welcomes visitors who’d like to see their progress or volunteer to help care for them.
To visit or sponsor a dog’s medication, just send them a message on Instagram. You can also see here how you can send in-kind or cash donations.
Hound Haven
Founded in 2015 by Maxin Arcebal and Chelsea Pecson, Hound Haven Philippines, Inc. focuses on retired working dogs from the military and private security. It’s the first rehabilitation center in the country for service dogs, located in Bulacan.
In the Philippines, there’s still no standard system for retiring or adopting service dogs, and this is something Hound Haven continues to advocate for. Until then, this small team remains the only institutionalized group fighting for the proper care and transition of these working heroes.
Their shelter is also now open for visitors. You can help out by fostering, adopting, or donating as every peso helps give back to the dogs who’ve spent their lives in service.
PAWS Philippines
Since 1954, PAWS (Philippine Animal Welfare Society) has been giving animals another chance at life. Their Quezon City shelter is now home to more than 300 dogs and cats rescued from neglect and abuse.
They’re also known for their low-cost spay and neuter services, TNVR drives, and Fetch & Fix program, where they provide free sterilization for their pets of homeless people.
Through Project C.A.L.M. (Comforting Animals through Literacy Movement), volunteers can also visit the shelter not just to see the rescues but to read stories to shy or scared animals, which can help them relax and feel a little less alone.
PAWS also does more than rescue. Their Dr. Dog program also brings therapy dogs to hospitals and schools, healing people as much as animals.
Their Volunteer Applications will open on January 1, 2026, where you can choose to care for the animals directly or take on behind-the-scenes work.
You can also open your home to a rescue after an interview and a shelter visit. Adopting comes with a small fee — P500 for cats and P1,000 for dogs — which goes straight to feeding and caring for the rescues still waiting for homes. And if you can’t adopt, you can always donate to support their work. – Rappler.com
Jaella Magno is a Rappler intern studying AB Literature major in Creative Writing at De La Salle University.