Ormoc family walks the talk for the environment

ORMOC City—Their love for nature is shown by the trees and landscaped garden that surround their home in this city.

But the Hopkirk family doesn’t merely talk about their love for the environment. They also walk the talk.

They have lost count on the number of animals that they have bought from peddlers and then later set free in the wild.

The latest was the 15-kilogram male hawksbill that Leyte Donaire-Hopkirk bought from a merchant last month and was later freed to the sea. If Leyte didn’t buy the 3-year-old sea turtle, it would surely end up in a kitchen pot.

Leyte’s love for animals is shared by her husband, Dough, a 58-year-old New Zealander who works as an auto mechanic in an oil rig in Russia; and her three daughters—Lovinea Rosa (Love), 28; Trisha, 26; and Darlene, 24.

“We are not advocating that these sorts of animals should be kept in captivity. We bought most of them to set them free,” she added.

Love said they even have an animal cemetery in their yard where they buried their pet chickens, mare cats, owl, doves, monkey, birds, snakes and dogs.

Love and Darlene recalled that while growing up, their parents have been adopting animals.

According to Love, people have been coming to them to sell different kinds of animals because the family would rather buy them than see them abused. The family doesn’t keep them. Instead, they set them free.

It is not surprising that the family is passionate with the animals.

Dough’s great grandfather—Dr. Cyril Spottiswoode Moy Hopkirk—was a world-renowned veterinarian whose research focused on diseases that affected the dairy sector during his time.

Dr. Hopkirk was officer in charge of the Wallaceville Animal Research Center in New Zealand for 21 years, from 1923 to 1945.

The Hopkirk Research Institute, the building of which started at Massey University in April 2005, was named after Dr. Hopkirk.

After he resigned from Wallaceville, Dr. Hopkirk was senior veterinarian of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration.

Now, Dough’s children have shown the same compassion as Dr. Hopkirk’s.

Love, who planned to specialize in environmental law when she passes the bar next year, has joined the newly organized Ormocanon Butanding, an environmental group whose advocacy to promote and protect the whale sharks, locally known as butandings, in Ormoc.

Darlene is part of the Island Rescue Organization, a nonprofit animal rescue organization based in Cebu and is affiliated with Friends for the Protection of Animals, a US-based nonprofit organization.

Trisha had pursued early childhood education and now works as a teacher in New Zealand.

Love recalled that they were all happy to see the Hawksbill sea turtle returned to the sea.

“It gives me and my family pleasure to see such a beautiful creature released back into the ocean,” Love said.

“We are stewards of our Lord, it is our responsibility to take care of these animals. They are not food. They are supposed to be swimming in the ocean.”