When Anne Marie Adducci visited the Philippines in August 2018, she wasn’t pursuing a relaxing getaway, nor was she seeking tropical drinks on the water. Adducci, a Hoboken resident, was participating in a new retreat fusing yoga and street dog rescues on Siargao Island in the Phillippines. Keep reading to learn all about her trip to Siargao Island and the first-ever puppy + yoga retreat.
When Anne Marie Met Buko
The Glow Yoga Retreat, hosted by Instagram-famous yoga instructor Kayla Nielsen, paired Nielsen’s popular yoga experiences with her Siargao Island street dog outreach program, Kindred Connection. Adducci was the first participant in this new joint program. As a dog lover and yoga enthusiast, Adducci knew she’d enjoy the experience. But what she didn’t realize is that within three days of arriving, she’d fall in love with a tiny white puppy.
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“From the moment I arrived, I knew I wanted to take my incredible experience one step further; then I met Buko,” Adducci said.
“The instant I picked up this little puppy, he nuzzled his nose under my arm and fell asleep. We quickly bonded, so I arranged flights back for early December to complete the first-ever U.S. adoption from the island of Siargao.”
While Buko was her “boy,” Adducci knew she couldn’t leave his siblings behind. She spent months working with locals to coordinate the journey of a lifetime: getting three puppies from the Philippines to JFK — and eventually, to Hoboken.
Their Journey to Hoboken
“Honestly, it was madness the first couple of weeks as I was planning everything,” she said.
“I was stressed about how to get the puppies, their cages, and supplies from one mode of transport to the next, but the people of the Philippines are unbelievably kind. There was always someone there to help.”
Adducci, Buko {which means coconut in Tagalog, the language of the Philippines} and his siblings, Tala {bright star} and Reyna {queen} journeyed across the world by overnight ferries and long-haul flights. While Adducci went into the voyage nervous, she couldn’t have been prouder of these pups.
“They did so great on the flight,” she said. “The ferry was a little trickier. Buko started crying overnight, so I bent the rules and got him out of his crate to calm him down. He quickly calmed down and spent the first of many nights sleeping in my arms.”
After an around-the-world journey that finally brought them to Hoboken, the adorable trio couldn’t get over their love for their new beds and home. While locals had taken the best care they could of these street pups on Siargao Island, the four-legged friends typically slept on wooden floors or rocks. Cozy, plush beds — not to mention raw hides — were an entirely new luxury for them.
Where They Are Now
Tala and Reyna have both been successfully adopted by families in Hoboken {Editor’s note: heart = bursting!}, and Buko — who’s becoming Instagram famous in his own right {@bukosbigadventure} —is also enjoying life in the Mile Square City.
^Buko, almost full grown — with his mama in the Mile Square
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“Oh, Buko just loves Hoboken!” Adducci said, noting that it’s so lucky that his siblings are living in the Mile Square with their new families, as well.
“I especially enjoy taking him to Cork City. He’s so well behaved.”
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Unfortunately, Buko, Rayna, and Tala barely scratch the surface of street dogs needing help on Siargao Island. Those interested in helping dogs like Buko can donate to Kindred Connection or join a Glow Yoga Retreat on Siargao Island.
Adducci also started her own Go Fund Me page, which is still accepting donations.
Are you planning to adopt a pup of your own? Let us know in the comments!
