For many pet owners, grooming means a bath, a haircut, and a clean pet at the end of the appointment.
At Pet Bowtique, the team looks at pet care differently.
The Cebu pet care space brings together partners with different areas of expertise. Pamela “Lala” Ursal leads grooming, Paulo Cheng handles retail, Benson Hansel Go oversees the pet hotel, and Yedda Chanel Go serves as Marketing Director and General Manager.
Their shared goal started from a personal need.
Yedda and her partners wanted a pet care space closer to home, one that gave pet parents more confidence when leaving their pets for grooming or boarding.
“We wanted to create a space here in Cebu where pet parents can feel confident leaving their pets with us,” Yedda says. “Pets are treated with the same care and attention we’d want for our own.”
That same standard extends past the grooming table. The pet hotel, overseen by Benson, was built on the same premise: a space run by people who wanted somewhere they’d trust with their own pets, not just a boarding facility that checks a box.
One area Pet Bowtique hopes to introduce further into Cebu’s pet care scene is show-level grooming.
The term might bring dog competitions to mind, but the service goes beyond preparing a pet for the show ring. For Pet Bowtique, show-level grooming means following proper grooming standards based on a pet’s breed, coat type, and individual needs.
“Different breeds have different coat types, structures, and grooming requirements,” Yedda explains. “It’s about doing the grooming properly.”
The process requires knowledge, training, and continuous learning. Groomers need to understand proper handling, bathing, drying, brushing, and finishing techniques. They also need to choose products based on a pet’s skin and coat.
Pet Bowtique’s Grooming Director, Lala, continues to train internationally. She is also Cebu’s only certified cat groomer under the late Waris Prachumwach of Thailand, whom she trained with directly for around a year. The salon operates under Chris Christensen Systems certification, and has also explored grooming training under the Philippine Canine Club, Inc.
Show-level grooming still occupies a small space in Cebu. The team sees the lack of providers as a result of the time, training, and effort needed to learn proper techniques.
Still, they believe every pet deserves grooming suited to its breed and coat type.
For pets preparing for actual competitions, the process becomes more demanding. Coat maintenance starts months before a show. Pet Bowtique works with some clients through consultations and follow-up appointments to help prepare their pets.
Yet the team also sees transformations outside the show ring.
Pet owners often bring in pets with matted coats, uneven haircuts, or grooming styles they want to correct. Seeing both the pet and owner leave happier remains one of the most rewarding parts of the job.
Beyond grooming, Pet Bowtique also offers boarding, retail products, and lifestyle experiences. The business has organized pop-ups and pet walks while supporting groups such as Happy Tails and IRO through donations, feeding strays, and helping rescued animals find homes.
For the four owners, grooming forms part of a larger approach to pet care.
A good haircut matters. So do healthy skin, a well-maintained coat, comfort, and early attention to possible concerns. That same thinking is why boarding and grooming live under one roof at Pet Bowtique; pet care, in their view, shouldn’t be split into separate, disconnected errands.
As Cebu’s pet care scene continues to grow, Pet Bowtique hopes to raise awareness around one simple idea. Grooming is not only about how your pet looks when they leave the salon. It also shapes how they feel.
Photography Kyrra Kho
