Happy Valentine’s Day, millennials!
Everybody yearns to come home to love. May it be excited squeals from your kids, a warm hug from your spouse, or a hearty meal lovingly prepared by your mom. Love, indeed, comes in different forms. And for some families, a special love comes in the form of furs and wagging tails… or a silent judging look from the cupboard.
More and more millennials are actually considering pets instead of kids. Living alone also feels less lonely when you have furry pals cuddling beside you as you sleep! Pets are just as good (and sometimes even better) as family members capable of providing emotional support, unconditional love, and a sense of “home”.
This is exactly what it feels like for me and for the pet parents in PLDT Home’s Valentine’s Day video. Definitely one of the types of love that we tend to overlook every February 14. I’m just so glad that pets were under the spotlight this time!
Not your typical love story
PLDT Home celebrates the unconditional love of families for their fur babies in a special video that features unique love stories of pet parents.
In the video, concert and events director Paolo Valenciano, managing director and editor-in-chief Gretchen Gatan, CEO and cycling instructor Kristina Sy, marketing manager Camille Tantoco, and musician and managing director JJ Pimpinio talk about how being pet parents changed their homes.
Paolo says of his shih tzu Trooper: “He is really part of our family. That’s why my daughter calls Trooper ‘kuya.’ He always makes sure that we’re okay. When I’m sad, he’d come to me and start kissing me. He knows our feelings.”
For Kristina, her dog Olie is the go-to stress reliever of her and her husband: “It may sound cliché, but the truth is they really do make you a happier person,” she said. “It’s weird because it means more responsibility, expenses, and headaches. But the joy he gives you every day—even when you just leave him for like 10 minutes, when you see him again it’s like he hasn’t seen you in five years. It’s very unconditional.”
Though unconventional, pet parents show unconditional love and meaningful connection with their fur babies in their own unique ways such as making sure that their home is safe and secured for their pets.
“If you want the dog to live a long and happy life, you have to treat them like a human being. I make sure that my daughter, Leah, and Trooper are always safe. I have a PLDT Home Fam Cam at home that lets me take care of them whenever and wherever I am,” Paolo shares.
Gretchen treats her cat Bella as her own baby: “When I got married, my husband and I had to look for a condo that is near our offices so that if something urgent happens with our pets at home, we can go to them right away. As a parent, I want to feel assured that my baby is okay. Home security is very important for us. We upgraded our PLDT Home Fibr connection and installed home monitoring cameras to ensure Bella is well-monitored at home.”
A sweet treat for furry pals
As an early Valentine’s Day treat, PLDT Home held a paw-some date for pets and their owners at Paw Club Philippines, SM Mall of Asia and Bark Central in Eastwood City last Saturday (February 8, 2020). Too bad we weren’t able to drop by ‘coz my Tuffy baby was just too big for a GrabCar! *sobs*
Nonetheless, we were told that it was a fun-filled afternoon of bonding and pampering for humans and pets alike as they participated in different activities such as caricature painting, do-it-yourself collar crafting, and pet grooming! We definitely have to make it there next time. In addition, award-winning veterinarian and trainer Dr. Abel Manalo also held a special dog training activity to teach obedience, protection and other disciplines.
Are you a pet parent, too? Show us your photos by tagging Manila Millennial on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!