When a woman named Gretel Eleazar went on a shopping trip to her local mall, she noticed a security guard who works at the mall. He was patrolling the mall, but then he stopped to pet a very scruffy looking dog. The mall, located in Cebu City, Philippines is known to be pet friendly. But stray dogs are not permitted to be inside the mall and this was most certainly a homeless dog. To see the security dog acting so lovingly toward the stray was so touching to Gretel so she walked over to the guard to learn more about what was happening. The guard, whose name is Danilo Reyeg, told Gretel that he has always had a soft spot for stray dogs, particularly one whose name is Franci.
He told Gretel that he started to feed stray dogs that roam the mall but just one dog got close to him. That was the dog whose name is Franci and the pair have been inseparable and the dog follows him as he walks around the mall. Franci is now his friend and she still lives at the mall. Danilo and another security guard, a man named Quinner Casana, take turns feeding her and making sure she is cared for. Franci has been by Danilo’s side for months now and is very well behaved. He even taught her commands like sit and she is always on her best behavior. Earlier this year, Franci gave birth to a litter of puppies outside the mall.
Danilo and Quinner made sure she and the puppies were safe and had plenty of food to eat. As the puppies got older, the men were worried about the little pups. So, they gave the puppies to friends who like puppies—and they were adopted into their homes. Danilo has partnered with the Saving Strays Cebu organization to ensure all the strays, including Franci, have access to medical care.
