What is it about fluffy and velvety puppies that tugs at the heartstrings so much that they eventually earned the nickname 'a man's best friend'? Ervi and Hendra, a Jakarta-based married couple and the founders of a dog-friendly premise called Dogs Ministry offered a firm, yet thoughtful answer.

"There is already [scientific] research about this; out of all animals, the ones that can bond with humans the most closely are dogs," Ervi, on behalf of the couple, explained to The Jakarta Post on May 7. "They can forge such a covenant [with humans] to the point to which they would [even] be willing to sacrifice themselves for their owners."

Her answer, though, was not at all influenced by sentimentality. At Dogs Ministry, Ervi and Hendra have witnessed how the bond between dogs and their owners could inspire a loving faculty, so much so that it can also provide much-needed joy and salve for both the man and their best friend. Located in the Pluit ward of North Jakarta, Dogs Ministry has grown to become a popular spot among children, dog lovers and anyone in the city who could use a few hours of fluffy cuddliness.

Humans and hooch

The abstraction of what would eventually be manifested as Dogs Ministry, Ervi divulged, began from a "sense of necessity". Already a consummate pet person, Ervi, along with her husband, went so far as to establish a private property specifically for the purpose of housing their numerous puppies and other pet animals. The canines, in particular, were a hit among the children in the couple's neighborhood.

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