2 dogs who frequented a gas station in Calapan become its official ‘ambassadogs’ and security guards
Dogs are always out to prove the “good bois” they truly are, and two of them are getting a lot of virtual pats on the head after a gas station in Calapan City adopted them as its official happiness boosters and security guards.
Meet Prince and Bodyguard, Petron Lumangbayan’s lovable ‘ambassadogs.’
Since the dealership was opened in 2018, the two mutts would run there every morning to get free food, play with the customers and staff, and even guard its convenience store at night.
It is located on a lot that the gas station proprietors, Edwin and Lisa Acob, shared with another business specializing in armored vans. According to Lisa, it was their neighbor who initially owned Prince and Bodyguard.
“Since one lot lang kami, the dogs would come here every day and I noticed that they would make our staff and eventually our son Jed and daughter Andrea happy,” Lisa told PhilSTAR L!fe.
“We started feeding them every day since parang lagi silang hungry. So ‘yung daughter ko, gave food allowance every day for our staff to buy food,” she added.
Between the two dogs, it was Prince who first found his real home in the gas station.
“He loves to mingle with the customers and talagang lumalapit siya and nagpapahawak,” Lisa said. “So, nakakatuwa kasi tuwang-tuwa din ‘yung mga customers na hawakan siya.”
She continued, “Dito sa Petron, lahat love siya—nilalambing, nilalaro, kumakain ng maayos, naliligo. He would sleep inside the office, naka-aircon the whole day until closing time. Ayaw na niya umuwi.”
When the time came that Prince and his real owner had to leave for another place, Lisa and Edwin went all out to keep the fido in the place he is happiest.
“Until one day last year, mga October or November, aalis na daw ‘yung owner kasama si Prince. Lilipat na, lalayo na. Ayaw ko pumayag, sabi ko akin nalang,” Lisa recalled. “After a few weeks pumayag na samin na si Prince. And I was very happy. Actually, lahat kami, the whole family, pati staff.”
Bodyguard seemed to have noticed Prince getting a lot of tender loving care from his now-forever home, so he decided to follow his bud for good there, Lisa said.
“And just last November, bumalik si Bodyguard. Slowly nagpapahawak na din siya. He would eat same time with Prince until okay na din siya, nagpapalambing na din,” she recounted to PhilSTAR L!fe. “So we put collars to identify na may owners na sila—and kami ‘yun.”
Not only that, the Acobs rewarded the canines’ dependability at the station by giving them their own employee IDs. It was a move inspired by the stray dog named Tucson Prime, who recently went viral after a Hyundai dealership in Brazil adopted him as a car consultant and gave him his own employee name badge.
“Then, I saw the post sa Hyundai and ginaya ko ‘yung ID and made them ambassadogs of Petron Lumangbayan,” Liza said.
“During the day they eat and play and sleep in the office or Petron Shop until the night. But after closing at 10 p.m., it’s as if they know that they need to watch over the station with our security guard who takes care of them whenever we go home,” she added.
It is clear that Prince and Bodyguard wouldn’t have it any other way, especially now that they have become internet stars shortly after Animal Kingdom Foundation shared their story on Facebook.
“Very happy sila playing around and nagbabantay. Happy kaming lahat to have them… May nagpapa-selfie pa sometimes, especially after makita ‘yung post na may ID sila,” Lisa reckoned. “Now, spoiled ambassadogs na sila.”
Photos from Lisa Acob.