The power of animal-loving consumers

In November 2019, Tobago-based animal rescue NGO Venus Doggess of Love facilitated a free feline spay/neuter clinic. Mt Irvine Bay Resort gave us a guest cabin that was available for use as our temporary vet clinic and housed and fed the vet team (from Trinidad) for the weekend of the project.

That weekend a pregnant dog that had moved onto the hotel grounds gave birth to 11 puppies. Not only did the resort agree to my request to let the dog stay there safely until the pups were weaned and adopted, but members of staff devotedly fed her and her offspring for the duration of their stay, until they were rehomed successfully, locally and abroad.

A homeless male dog that had also turned up at the hotel around that time became a favourite with maintenance staff, who fed him daily, naming him Ringo. The resort eventually adopted Ringo as its hotel mascot/pet, sealing the deal with a collar and name tag.

Having read several accounts I had written on social and traditional media about the hotel’s compassion for animals, various animal lovers, on trips to Tobago, subsequently opted to stay at the resort. In turn, some shared their own photos and animal-related accounts on social media, thereby further spreading awareness of the hotel’s corporate compassion.

This is but one example of how basic consideration for animals, once it is genuine, can and will draw an important segment of the local market to one’s business. Those who care about the dogs, cats and wildlife of Trinidad and Tobago are many in number and are a force to be reckoned with, when putting loyalty and hard-earned dollars behind conscious companies.

Il Portico, the pizza place on the way to Pigeon Point, is a new favourite of mine not only because of its delicious pizza, desserts and service, but mainly because of the owners’ love for and devotion to two homeless dogs (Officer Tibbles and his girlfriend) who live in the carpark. The dogs are fortunate to have the care of these two entrepreneurs and their staff, as well as several animal-loving customers.

One animal-loving consumer identified Optometrists Today as a company worthy of support because of its recent video advertisement starring a series of rescue dogs wearing glasses.

“I was a customer before I saw the ad,” she stated, “but I’m completely sold on them now!”

Similar sentiments were shared by many other animal lovers.

Businesses with animals on site (eg a dog or cat to welcome customers) are also magnets for animal lovers.

For years, Shore Things Café in Lambeau had a resident cat called "Cat" who would weave amidst tables like a waitress, befriending guests and adding warm feline charm to the establishment. Sadly, she disappeared one day and was never seen again.

However, a new "mascot" has graced the restaurant in the form of a cute black pup named Jet. She turns up daily to greet guests, relaxes on the front steps with legs elegantly crossed and eats and drinks from special bowls laid out just for her. Many a customer has wanted to adopt this sweet animal, but she seems to belong to someone in the area.

The owners of Fishpot Restaurant in Pleasant Prospect rescue, spay/neuter and rehome homeless animals in the environs regularly. They have also supported spay/neuter programmes (facilitated by Venus Doggess of Love and also TTSPCA) by donating lunches to volunteers. Midnight and Boots (the cats rescued by and resident at Fishpot) and Belinda, the chicken that roosts in the tree near to the deck, add extra incentive for animal-loving clients.

Many (if not most) foreign visitors are animal lovers. For them, Kariwak restaurant is a delight, with its tame and entertaining bananaquits, tanagers and other birds joining them at their table for meals.

However, not all businesses find favour with the legion of animal-loving TT citizens. One consumer, sharing images of various brands of edible products (biscuits, dates, milk, chips, juices), proclaimed via social media: “I boycotted these products today by choice, due to their association to persons promoting and distributing fireworks. My consumer dollar will work to protect all those human and non-human lives that are so severely impacted by fireworks. Everyone should make a statement every time they go to the supermarket or wherever and make a conscious decision not to spend their consumer dollar on products that are associated to persons or activities that do harm.”

What consumer choices and statements are you making, fellow animal lovers?