Bulacan stray animal shelter faces closure, seeks help for new home

Sad news for the strays: local animal shelter The PAWSsion Project recently announced on Facebook that the shelter it operates in Bulacan will soon be forced to shut down.

According to the organization, the space it has been renting will be put up for sale by the owner in less than two months.

The update has forced the shelter to pause stray rescue efforts indefinitely.

In a heartfelt post uploaded on June 27, the Pawssion Project expressed its sadness upon receiving the notice about losing the shelter. The Bulacan facility has served as a home for rescued animals for the past four years.

“Yesterday, we just got the most heartbreaking news that the property is now under negotiation for sale… and we may have to move in a month or two. We’ve always known this day would come but we just did not expect to be blindsided like this,” the organization’s post read.

“Four years of building this home for the rescues and now we have to figure out how we could find a home for them soon. We are already posting now with high hopes that new doors will open for us and the rescues,” it added.

Accompanying the post were photos of the dogs and cats currently residing in the shelter.

Concerned Filipinos who came across the post inquired if the organization could purchase the land. A representative from Pawssion Project responded, explaining that they could not afford it as the asking price was PHP70 million.

On July 5, the organiation posted an update and thanked people for providing them leads on properties to purchase or lease.

In a separate Instagram post, Elena Cruz-Bantigue, a member of Pawssion, appealed for donations of land to accommodate their 300-plus rescued animals.

“We are in need of land for our 300-plus rescues at the Bulacan shelter. Ideally fenced, at least 3,000 square meters with no neighbors or far apart and within one-hour travel time from Manila,” Bantigue said.

“We’re praying for donated land, as we cannot afford property in Luzon and do not have enough time to raise funds, or partial donation/payment terms. We only have a month or two to vacate,” she added.