Macau’s first large-scale pet carnival, “Friends Fest,” concluded yesterday at Grand Coloane Resort, bringing together pet owners, whole families, and animal lovers for a weekend of games, workshops, and charitable activities that sought to promote responsible pet ownership.
Held on Saturday and yesterday, the event transformed the resort grounds into a gathering space featuring four themed zones – the Market Place, Workshops, Paws & Picnic, and Contests. The pet lovers visited stalls that sold local crafts and pet accessories, joined creative sessions such as DIY-dog leashes and healthy dog macaron workshops, and attended presentations on stress-free walking and dining etiquette for pets.
The event was co-organised by Conde Group and Grand Coloane Resort, with the goal of fostering a stronger pet-friendly culture across the city.
The event featured two special charities, with all proceeds donated to Anima Macau and the Macau Association for Stray Dogs and Animal Welfare (MASDAW), with the objective of helping fund animal sterilisation, medical care, and animal welfare programmes.
Meanwhile, at one of the vendor stalls, speaking to the Post, veterinarian Alexandra Ascenso from veterinary clinic “TaipaVet” said her goal at the event was “to help promote awareness that animals should be welcome in all public spaces,” adding that “over the past decades, we’ve seen a shift in mentality. Before, animals were often avoided in public areas, but now more people are willing to accept them in restaurants and other spaces. We are still a long way from the ideal, but this event shows that animals can behave and be part of our daily lives with families.”
By combining education, charity, and entertainment, “Friends Fest” aimed to highlight the city’s evolving pet culture and the growing call for inclusion of pets in shared public spaces, a pre-event statement by Conde Group said.
Animal lovers interact with pets during the two-day “Friends Fest” at Grand Coloane Resort yesterday. – Photos: Khalel Vallo
A pet tortoise enjoys a walk around Grand Coloane Resort during yesterday’s “Friends Fest”.
