The Quiet Heroes: Meet the Volunteers Behind AKF

There is a specific kind of silence that happens during the two-hour drive to Capas, Tarlac. It’s the sound of a volunteer’s heart preparing for the day. For me, that drive isn't a chore; it’s a transition. As the city fades away, my mind shifts from my own responsibilities—my job, my home, and my 24 rescued dogs and cats—to the hundreds of souls at the Animal Kingdom Foundation who have no one else.

People ask, "How do you have the time?" The truth is, we don't "have" it. We steal it from our sleep, our rest, and our families. But when it comes to saving a life, we find we have all the time in the world. We sacrifice because we have chosen to be the voice for those who can only whimper in the dark.

The Weight of the Mission: “Kung Hindi Tayo, Sino?”

I live by a motto that was passed down to me by my Ate Yet, a senior volunteer at AKF. She once looked at the work ahead of us and said:

"Kung hindi tayo ang gagawa, sino ang gagawa para sa kanila?" > (If we don’t do it, who will?)

Those words haunt me and heal me all at once. They are what keep me steady during Dog Meat Trade (DMT) operations, where we literally risk our lives. There is a terrifying adrenaline in intercepting a truck, hearing the muffled cries from inside the crates, and knowing that if we fail, their story ends in a slaughterhouse. But when that cage door opens, and a dog realizes—for the first time in its life—that a human hand can offer safety instead of pain... that is why we risk everything.

In the Trenches: The Capas Connection

Every time I arrive at the sanctuary, the exhaustion of the drive vanishes. Whether it’s the physical strain of scrubbing kennels or the patience required for socializing a dog so traumatized it won't stop shaking, every minute matters. Bathing a rescue isn't just about hygiene; it’s an act of restoration. As the mud and the scent of the streets wash away, you see the "real" dog emerge. You see hope start to flicker in their eyes.

Spreading the Light: Education as a Weapon

I’ve realized that while rescue saves a life, education saves a generation. This is why I take the mission to the streets—to schools, barangays, and community centers—offering Pet Education for free.

There is a profound emotion in watching a room full of children learn about Responsible Pet Ownership or seeing a barangay leader realize the importance of Animal Welfare Laws and Rabies Awareness. We are fighting a war against indifference. That is why I wrote "Ang Kwento ni Brownie, Meowmy at Whitey: A Story of Rescue and Adoption." 

I wanted to give children a hero who looks like the dogs they see on the street—to show them that "Aspin" and "Puspin" are titles of honor, not labels of neglect.

The Quiet Reward

I don't do this for the "thank yous." Most of the lives I save will never know my name. There is no trophy for the stray feeding at midnight or the veterinary missions in the heat of the sun.

The reward is found in the quiet:

• The quiet sigh of a dog falling asleep in a clean bed.

• The quiet trust of a stray who finally stops running and lets you approach.

• The quiet peace in my own heart knowing that because I showed up, the world is a little less cruel today.

  
  

We are the Quiet Heroes. We are tired, we are often overwhelmed, but we will never stop. Because if we don’t do it, who will?

- By Glomarie Lising, AKF Volunteer