❤️‍Help Free Two Neglected Dogs in the Philippines

Hi everyone,

I want to start by thanking Reddit’s r/rescuedogs for giving me the courage to finally create this fundraiser. Your encouragement means the world.

There are two dogs in the Philippines who have spent years locked in small cages, used only as “alarm dogs" when they see people approaching the house. One dog occupies the front of the house, and the other dog is situated at the backyard—both dogs are looking at the gates. They’ve known only neglect; no proper food, no clean water, no freedom beyond their cages.

While vacationing in Iloilo, Philippines, I spent every spare moment helping these dogs, who were being neglected by relatives. We aren’t very close, and I cannot fully trust them to care for the dogs properly. They don't exactly have the most respect for me. My only option is to take action to get the dogs out of those cages and into a safe, loving environment where they can roam around more freely and have better access to food/water.

These dogs have also been deeply personal to me. I struggle with depression, and on many days I would otherwise stay in bed all day. But caring for these dogs forced me to get up, to move, and to act. They gave me something to do while 'vacationing' in the Philippines (i.e., it wasn't really vacation but to have people watch over me). Walking to them alone under the scorching sun, facing triggers from my PTSD, was terrifying—but being with them gave me strength. Their gentle presence reminded me that even small acts of love can change lives—both theirs and mine.

Meet the Dogs

Oreo – calm, tender, loves to be touched

Pow Pow – playful, silly, full of joy

These gentle brothers are medium-haired, medium-sized aspin dogs with some German Shepherd blood from their father. They’ve waited five long years for someone to truly care for them.

The Rescue Plan

When I approached their owner (An American-Filipino) about giving them a better life, he agreed—but he is asking $2,000 USD to transfer ownership.

I will also have him sign a contract ensuring he cannot keep dogs again unless they are properly cared for and allowed freedom in a home.

Once the funds are raised, the dogs will be moved to Paraiso Di Kamay, a trusted shelter that has agreed to help. There, they will finally have:

The shelter wants me to provide some money upfront for cages, transportation, and vet care, which is why an additional $1,000 USD is needed. They will not allow the dogs in without the vaccinations. Otherwise, all local shelters in general are already stretched too thin to intervene, and they tell me that caging dogs is often considered normal in the country. With limited animal laws in the Philippines, U feel like these two dogs’ chance at freedom depends entirely on me. Believe me, I've contacted all the local shelters (and some that aren't local & even not in the Philippines) & also numerous police stations, and they either ignore me or tell me that they can't step in. One shelter even mentioned "at least the dogs have a home".

Dream Long-Term Goal: Bringing Them to Australia

My ultimate dream goal would be $21,000 USD, which would allow me to bring them to Australia to live with me... but importing dogs internationally is complicated and expensive. To do so safely, they will need the following. Honestly, it's just a dream, but the $3,000 USD goal would be the most realistic right now...

Why Your Support Matters

Oreo and Pow Pow are not just animals—they are two lives that have been trapped, lonely, and forgotten for years. Despite their suffering, they remain gentle, loving, and full of joy. They have even accidentally scratched me with excitement over food, which reassures me that they are safe and healthy; no rabies. At first, I was afraid to approach them because they were wild, caged dogs... but they don't bite at all. They're so sweet, so gentle and really seem to crave human affection. Oreo always seemed anxious while out of his cage, coming back to check if I was still watching him. He'd even poke his face on my body to be pet. PowPow still showed loyalty and excitement to his current owner, although he sees the owner less than the people who actually give him food.

They are currently with relatives who will not provide the consistent care they need, so these dogs’ chance at freedom depends entirely on our support. The owner just makes his mother take care of the dogs for him, but the mother doesn't like wild dogs so she only instructs the maids to give the bare minimum (i.e., any leftover food scraps after dinner, remove their poop, and to give them a bath once in a while to look presentable for guests walking by)

Every donation, no matter how small, makes a real difference. If you cannot donate, sharing this fundraiser would mean the world to me and these two innocent lives.

If it's easier, here is My Ko-fi. Please ensure to mention that it's for the dogs. https://ko-fi.com/ateliermarianne

I will provide regular updates with photos and progress reports, so you can see exactly how your support transforms their lives.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading this and for caring about Oreo and Pow Pow, two brothers who have waited far too long for a chance at a real, loving life.