22/05/2026
🥺❤️
A veterinary clinic in Cavite is tugging at the hearts of netizens after an elderly man arrived carrying his injured dog following a hit-and-run accident.
“Tatay” counted the coins he had brought while the veterinary team from Kings Road Veterinary Hospital and Clinics rushed to provide emergency treatment for his dog, Blackie.
Seeing the situation, the clinic eventually decided to waive the treatment fees. But despite no longer needing to pay, the elderly owner reportedly insisted on giving what little he had with him, including three mangoes, an umbrella, and a pamaypay, as a gesture of gratitude.
Pet ownership continues to grow in the country, driving higher demand for veterinary services, pet products, and animal healthcare. Industry groups have noted that veterinary clinics have faced rising operating costs in recent years due to increasing prices of imported medicines, laboratory equipment, vaccines, and specialized treatments.
Staff members plan to search nearby areas after duty hours in hopes of finding Tatay and Blackie, as messages offering help, donations, and prayers continue to pour in online.
The clinic said the contact number left by Tatay reportedly belonged to a nephew. When veterinary staff reached out, the nephew allegedly said the elderly man had not returned home for days, or possibly even weeks.
Small veterinary clinics that handle emergency animal treatment often balance compassion with operational costs, including medicines, laboratory work, equipment, staffing, and 24-hour care. Unlike large hospitals, many community-based clinics regularly encounter pet owners who struggle to afford urgent procedures, especially in lower-income areas.
Veterinarians have long pointed out that cases involving delayed consultations, partial payments, or waived fees are not uncommon, particularly when owners exhaust limited resources to save companion animals they consider part of the family.
Report by John Lloyd Aleta
