Gretel Eleazar is dedicated to helping stray animals in Cebu. | contributed photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines— Seeing stray animals on the streets is nothing new for the people of Cebu.
Rescuing stray animals from the streets is.
This is the goal of 41-year-old Gretel Eleazar from Mandaue City when she decided to create the Facebook group, Saving Strays Cebu, in 2015.
Saving Strays Cebu is a Facebook page where people can report about a stray in their area that needs help. It is also a page that aims to raise funds to help those rescued animals stay healthy under the care of Eleazar.
“This really pure passion,” she says about her decision to start the advocacy. “What I always promote is there is always something you can do to help. Community participation and social responsibility as what we advocate,” she adds.
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For five years, Saving Strays Cebu has been the go-to Facebook page for all those willing to help and donate for animals who have no homes.
Eleazar, being a pet lover herself, said that creating the page is her way of helping and inspiring others to be sensitive to those animals who have no family of their own.
“As an animal lover, I feel the need to care not just for my own pet companions but also for those animals who are not fortunate to have a family taking care of them,” she says.
So far, Saving Strays Cebu has helped hundreds of stray cats and dogs from the streets. But we can do more.
“If you see an animal in need of help, you have to act first. Then SSC can step in to link the community to help one another,” Eleazar said. / bmjo