Although they provide companionship, emotional support, and stress-relieving, these key “family members” of some Filipino American households may not get talked about very often: OUR PETS! On this TFAL episode, we talk about pet ownership and welfare with two Filipino American veterinarians who are passionate about animals: Dr. Maria Solacito and Dr. Ronaldo “Joey” Vasquez. We discuss how to best care for our pets, what animal welfare practices are specific to Filipinos, and what kinds of Filipino food to feed your pets (hint: not a lot!).

Dr. Solacito has been the Senior Veterinarian for the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control. She currently serves on the California Veterinary Medical Board and served as President of the Southern California Filipino Veterinary Medical Association (SCFVMA) for 2016-18.

Dr. Joey is a veterinarian who provides affordable veterinary care in Los Angeles, running the North Figueroa Animal Hospital. He also works with organizations like the Humane Society and local rescues, providing veterinary services for the pets of the homeless and impoverished families.

Before our interview with these two veterinarians, the TFAL crew discusses our evolving views of animal welfare, what we learned from Bob Barker at the end of Price is Right, sabong (cockfighting), and we even talk a little bit about the derogatory term “Dogeater.” Find out who from the TFAL crew hates animals (joke lang!), who wants a corgi, who named their pet after a famous actor, and who had pet chickens growing up. Finally, we talk about why it’s so important for people to look at pet adoption when considering getting pets.

Listen or download the episode through the embedded player on this page, find us on Mixcloud or subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts here. And for folks on Spotify, you can take a listen to us here.

Do you have pets? How do you care for them? Any specific Filipino-related stories about having pets? Let us know by leaving a voicemail at (805) 394-TFAL or emailing us at thisfilipinoamericanlife@gmail.com!

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