Netizens help Consolacion widow care for her pets

Nanay Natie and her pet dog, Moymoy. | Contributed Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines— Netizens heard her appeal for help.

Nanay Natie received donations of food both for herself and the 10 pets that she is taking care of.

Representatives of Hope for Strays, a group that solicits donations for stray animals, sent the donation to Nanay Natie’s place in Barangay Danlag in Consolacion town at around 3 p.m. on Tuesday, June 23, 2020.

Gea Ybarita, Hope for Stray administrator, said the 63-year-old puto (rice cake) vendor was very, very happy when she saw what they brought for her.

“She was holding back her tears seeing the grocery items for her and her pets. It was just a short visit since she has to go somewhere to process some things,” said Ybarita.

Read: Rescued animals FB group helps rice cake vendor take care of pets

Hope for Stray posted Nanay Natie’s story on their Facebook page on June 20 to help her appeal for help from netizen.

Ybarita said they found the old woman’s story inspiring because of her display of love and affection for her pets that she also treats like the children that she never had.

The widow, who earns from selling puto and sikwati, shares her small hut in Barangay  Danlag with her pet dogs and cats.

Since her husband died in January 2019, Nanay Natie sleeps and eats with her pets.

“Her kind heart to provide for these animals is what made us want to help her, bisan sa pag pamaligya lang og puto ug sikwate na kuha pa niya mag buhi og mga iro ug iring (even if she only earns from selling puto and sikwati she still found it in her heart to raise stray dogs and cats),” she added.

Ybarita said that the goods that they sent to Nanay Natie’s home on Tuesday won’t be their first and last.  She said that they will continue to solicit online help for the woman and her pets. / dcb