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In 2005, Dr. Neil Norman Cruz, DVM together with close friends Dax, Gilbert and Anthony were having coffee one evening in Makati. The coffee shop happened to be surrounded by condominiums with homeowners passing by as they walked their dogs. This sparked a conversation about pets, pet owners, their lifestyle and environment. It so happened that all four were involved with the animal industry, one way or the other. The simple coffee talk turned out to be the beginning of a search for the ideal pet that people with unique lifestyles would enjoy. |
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After months of extensive research, Dr. Cruz or Neil, as he is often referred to, came across a new breed of cat that he thought would be ideal for people who have already made a name for themselves and lived comfortably in a small pad or unit. To his mind, these people would enjoy a pet that didn’t require too much attention from their owners, whose busy schedules may permit limited interaction. |
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It took a little over a year before a reputable breeder who was willing to let go of some of her kings and queens, agreed to arrange for shipping of the breed to Manila. Having the cats arrive in Manila was no easy task. The breeder lived in a rural area, and didn’t know how to drive. Moreover, the airport that accommodated live animals as cargo was located hours away. Compounding this was the heat - a major problem which bogged local airlines not allowing live cargo until temperatures were right on all the intended routes. And to add a bit of bad icing on the cake, there was no straight flight to Manila. The shortest route would entail an overnight stop-over in another Asian country where no personnel could care for the laying-over of cats until the next morning. |
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The whole hoolabaloo amounted to some six months of delay, and cost an arm and a leg with all the expenses piling up. Yet, Neil was never deterred by all these. What he envisioned was his great contribution of introducing the cats to the Asian community, most especially the precious community of cats in the Philippines. |
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At last, this venture came to full realization in December of 2007. In time for the Christmas season, the cats finally arrived in Manila, much to Neil’s relief. |