Staff Stories: In My Family, Pets Are Family! ☀️ Filipino-American History Month
October 20th, 2026
By Simone Bundang, Marketing Manager –
As a child, I begged my parents for my very own pup. It wasn’t until I was in college that I ended up experiencing the immense joy of having a doggy friend, Reggie, integrated into my family along with the responsibilities and cost of caring for him. I’ve had a love for all kinds of animals for as long as I can remember. Some of my fondest childhood memories were caring for class pets, including a rescued lab rat and a rainbow boa constrictor in grade school, visits to the San Diego Zoo to see pandas with my family, and hanging out with the variety of pets of my numerous relatives.
In hindsight, I can see why my parents were so reluctant to have larger pets beyond an aquarium of goldfish. After immigrating from the Philippines, they worked tirelessly on multiple jobs to establish themselves in the United States to provide a better life for my sister and me like many immigrants from developing countries. Having another mouth to feed besides themselves, my sister and me, and the family they came with – no matter how cute and fuzzy – was not another responsibility they could handle. They may have said no to dogs, but they gave me the tools to take care of one when the time came: the value of a good education, the importance of hard work, and the appreciation of a loving family.
I worried my family didn’t really care for pets and animals like I did, but they loved my first dog, Reggie, immediately after I brought him home after college. As a child of immigrants, sometimes I feel the role of parent and child are switched, as my parents and I navigated what it’s like to live in a new culture together. Perhaps because I was the one responsible for all of Reggie’s needs and costs, they were able to experience all the enjoyable things of caring for a pet like giving Reggie treats, going on walks, and giving him all the pets and cuddles he wanted, without worrying about another financial burden or commitment. 
They very much loved him as a grandchild, and even when Reggie was naughty, I think my dad was always a bit too forgiving.
Each member of my family was able to grow their own personal love for animals through Reggie. Saying goodbye to my soul dog due to illness was one of the saddest periods of my life. But I learned over time, that he inspired my family to take care of the animals in need around us. My parents moved back to their hometown in the Philippines, adopted local feral cats, and often care for stray dogs that come through their neighborhood. When they come back to visit the U.S., I enjoy watching them dote on my cats, Mischa and Freyja. In my family, pets are family!
