The forgotten dogs of Shell Island

All photos by Jacqueline Hernandez

Beneath the towering span of the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) in Cebu, Philippines, on a small stretch of land locally known as Shell Island, dozens of abandoned dogs struggle to survive, largely unnoticed by those passing above.

On April 22, I joined the team of Janice Palermo, known as Solo Rescuer, on a rescue mission to the island to save as many dogs as possible.

From Barangay Ermita, Janice and her team of three rented a small pump boat, loaded cages, dog food, and water, and sailed toward the island. As we approached the shore, dozens of dogs came into view, watching and waiting. You could see it in their eyes. They knew food was coming.

SHELL Island sits beneath the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway, home to dozens of abandoned dogs left to survive on their own.

On the island, we met Dondon Demicillio, 68, the caretaker, a former pump boat service provider during the construction of CCLEX.

For almost seven years, he has been feeding the dogs out of compassion.

Every day is a struggle. He pays ₱50 for leftover food from a fast food chain. He also pays for transport to the island just to bring food and water to dogs that are not even his.

No salary. No support. Just compassion.

Dondon poured the scraps onto an old refrigerator door that serves as their feeding tray. The dogs rushed in. The sound alone showed how hungry they were. Many were skin and bones, covered in dirt. Their condition reflects years of neglect and survival.

DONDON Roque Demicillio, 68, feeds dozens of abandoned dogs on Shell Island, a routine he has sustained for years out of compassion. He feeds the dogs leftover scraps he buys for ₱50 from a fast food chain.

After feeding, the rescue began.

One by one, the rescuers secured the mother dogs first, then the puppies. Some dogs were too frightened. They ran as fast as they could to avoid being caught. Others even jumped into the water to escape.

Because of this, only a few adult dogs could be rescued.

RESCUERS use nets to safely capture dogs that are too frightened to approach.

In the end, only five adults and 16 puppies were brought to safety. The rest — shaped by abandonment and hardship — scattered, wary of humans.

According to Dondon, many puppies do not survive.

Some mother dogs give birth along the rocky shoreline. When high tide comes, the waves swallow them.

“They drown,” he said. He estimates that around 60 puppies have already died.

JANICE carefully collects puppies during the rescue. Many of them were born in harsh conditions on Shell Island.

The dogs, he explained, were never meant to live there.

Many were left behind by workers during the construction of the bridge. Others were brought in by people from the city, owners who could no longer manage the responsibility and so chose to leave them behind.

Over time, the island became a dumping ground.

Around 25 adult dogs remain on Shell Island.

Left on their own, many scavenge for whatever they can find. Food is scarce. Some fight over scraps. Others are left with nothing.

A DOG jumps into the water to escape as rescuers attempt to capture it on Shell Island.

Rescuers like Janice intend to return, but the work is slow and difficult. Some dogs are too frightened to approach, while others are too weak to survive long.

We arrived back in Barangay Ermita carrying the puppies and a few adult dogs, fragile and exhausted but finally safe from the island they had only known as a place of survival.

Janice will bring the rescued dogs to her shelter in Carcar City. She has been doing rescue work for three years now, with nearly 200 dogs already under her protection. There, the newly rescued dogs will be given a second chance, fed, treated, and eventually spayed and neutered.

A MOTHER dog reunites with her puppies after the rescue.

But even her shelter is under strain. Still, the work continues.

What remains clear is how the dogs ended up there, abandoned over time by their humans.

For now, their survival depends on a small number of individuals who continue to care.

On Shell Island, many lives are still waiting for a second chance.

RESCUERS begin the journey back, carrying the dogs away from Shell Island.

– Rappler.com