It took a loving dog named after the Norse god of tricks to get 3D artist Hannah Cuenco out of her depression and find joy in life again. Like many hardworking professionals, she was one of the casualties of the pandemic, suddenly and almost without warning laid off late last year because her then company, similar to others, faced a financial crisis. To help her cope, her father accepted a newborn puppy from his childhood friend whose dog had just given birth. Hannah named the new arrival in their home Loki as a reminder to herself to just push past her challenges and live.
As Hannah puts it, “Loki the movie character was able to evade death so many times. I imagined my puppy Loki would have a lot of tricks up his sleeve as he grows and spends more time with me.”
That was when the magic of the endearing Maltese worked his way into the heart of Hannah and her dad, Manny.
“Before he came to our lives, because I was laid off, I’d lounge around in bed after waking up. Now I look forward to waking up, going to him, and making his food.”
“Just looking at Loki’s cute face removes the stress,” Hannah shares. “Before he came to our lives, because I was laid off, I’d lounge around in bed after waking up. Now I look forward to waking up, going to him, and making his food.”
Loki also helped bring back Hannah’s mojo: now she has kicked away the feelings of hopelessness and is back working as a freelance artist.
“Loki gave me a motivation to work again,” Hannah acknowledges. “If he weren’t here, I’d slack off and maybe not look for work. I may not have the courage to go through the online job hunting which I am doing now. I really am making the effort to apply and do online interviews.”
Before Loki’s arrival, Manny and Hannah would have the usual father-daughter disagreements. Now that he is in the center of their lives, “my dad and I also have become closer and a team because he is now a Paw GrandDad.”
Another magic that Loki wove was pulling father and daughter to bond with each other. With the rest of Hannah’s family living in the US, she and Manny are living in a dormitory that separates the living quarters of the men and the women. Because Loki is male, he sleeps in Manny’s space. The daily act of fetching the puppy from the gentlemen’s side of the dormitory increases the moments that the 26-year-old girl sees, speaks, and interacts with her old man.
Before Loki’s arrival, Manny and Hannah would have the usual father-daughter disagreements. Now that he is in the center of their lives, “my dad and I also have become closer and a team because he is now a Paw GrandDad.”
She did have a “pat-play-feed” relationship with the eight dogs that her friends own in the compound where she is staying, but had always wanted more.
Having Loki was also a dream come true for the duo: Manny has always been a dog lover, and Hannah has always wanted to take care of her own. She did have a “pat-play-feed” relationship with the eight dogs that her friends own in the compound where she is staying, but had always wanted more. Loki’s arrival soon transformed her from being a neighborly dog’s aunt to a PawParent. As the Maltese is just four months old, mother and furry son spend their waking hours training, eating, and playing tug-of-war with his toys.
Ironically, prior to her adoption of Loki, Hannah’s knowledge of the MCU characters was very limited. Back then, the only hero she could name off the top of her head was the web-slinging Spiderman. That changed when she caught a screening of the film “Avengers: Infinity War” during a Point-to-Point bus ride. The ultimate sacrifice of Tom Hiddleston’s Loki to save his brother Thor from the tyrannical Thanos touched something inside of Hannah. It also made her realize that, though Loki used to be a villain, he was not beyond redemption. “There is good in everyone,” Hannah remembers thinking. Not surprisingly, she began binging on the MCU films soon after.
“I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to provide for Loki,” she reveals. “But all those doubts have disappeared. I no longer care if my savings is not that huge. I strive and work hard to improve my art portfolio so I can apply for the better-paying jobs. I want to buy Loki the best food and take care of him as best as I can.”
Her choice of name was further justified when she finally watched the new Loki online series. Spoiler alert: the mischievous god was arrested by a higher power and punished for his past scenes. Still, the series shows that Loki, despite being sent to the void and beaten by a monster, was and will always “be a survivor, no matter what,” points out Hannah.
Hannah has shown herself to be equally strong, and caring for Loki the puppy has helped her overcome her fears and instead look forward to a brighter tomorrow. “I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to provide for Loki,” she reveals. “But all those doubts have disappeared. I no longer care if my savings is not that huge. I strive and work hard to improve my art portfolio so I can apply for the better-paying jobs. I want to buy Loki the best food and take care of him as best as I can.”
“Loki was able to soften the sharp edges in my heart that I didn’t know existed,” Hannah adds. “My relationship with my dad also became softer because we both love Loki so much and just want the best for him.”
“Loki was able to soften the sharp edges in my heart that I didn’t know existed,” Hannah adds. “My relationship with my dad also became softer because we both love Loki so much and just want the best for him.”
Hannah also wants Loki to enjoy the same kind of freedom she is now experiencing, although it would be more physical than emotional. Once the lockdowns are over, she will bring him to Batanes. “I’ve always wanted to go there,” she muses. “There are no crowds but a lot of greens and grass. I can imagine Loki just running all over the place.”
Gallery by The Pet Visuals: Loki
Philippines’ Next Top Pawdel
If you think you also have a heartwarming story that can be told through the lens of the camera – a story of unspoken love by your dog or cat — please join the Philippines’ Next Top Pawdel. Our pictures will not just bring out the beauty of your pet, or reveal what’s inside their unspeaking heart. It will also talk about your connection with them, your relationship, your love affair.
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- One (1) pet is equivalent to one single entry.
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