Tune in to Okto - Monday 11th Jan, 9.30pm.

Dear friends of Noah's Ark,

Most of us are familiar with Raymund Wee and know him as the Founder of Noah's Ark. Have you wondered though why he has devoted his life, and continues to do so for the animals? Here's your opportunity to get a deeper insight into this man who has given a big part of his life into making Noah's Ark one of the largest private animal sanctuaries today.

Raymund will be featured in "Different Faces", a programme on the Okto channel on TV, this Monday 11 January, from 9:30pm. "Different Faces" is a series featuring inspirational stories revolving around people from different walks of life. It aims to portray the power within each of us to affect positive changes in the lives of the people close to us and within our community.


See: http://oktonite.sg/highlight/index.htm#1

In the case of Raymund, you will find out more about how his steadfast passion in leaving a legacy of love for the animals has brought about positive change, not just to the people in our community but importantly, to the animals who need it most.

And if you have yet to visit Noah's Ark, this programme will give you a glimpse into this sanctuary that is home to more than 1,000 animals, and that Raymund calls "home". We hope through the programme, you will have greater conviction about the work that Raymund and all the volunteers do, with passion and commitment, to ensure that Noah's Ark continues to thrive.

Details are as follows:

Date/Day: Monday 11th January - Okto Channel
Program name: Different Faces
Air time: 9.30pm (2130hours)

Below are a few photos that were taken by a volunteer during filming so as to give an idea on what to expect.

Raymund sharing Duchess' (black dog Raymund is holding) story on air. When she was a puppy, someone slashed her body and cut the webbing of her front paw with a pair of scissors. This causes her to walk with a limp as she is unable to balance properly.

Raymund visiting Mak Jah during the filiming. Mak Jah (81 yrs old) is a kind old lady who helps stray cats. Every penny that she earns goes towards purchasing food for homeless cats. Raymund provides medical assistance to her cats as medical fees are too expensive. Mak Jah even brings home dead cats for burial as she will never allow a cat to die on the streets.

Raymund helping a cat who's head was eaten into by maggots, causing it to lose an eye. The Cat is now being nursed at the sanctuary and on its way to recovery.

Raymund visiting Mdm Fung's dogs that are kept in a temple. He provides the dogs with medical care and aid should they require it.

If the dogs could talk, they would say, "We love you Daddy Raymund!"

For those who have not seen the beauty of Noah's Ark, this is a good opportunity for you to see what we are all about. It is also to help you understand the work we do and why we do it so passionately. If you would like to visit, stay tuned to this blog as we will be opening up the slots for our March Tour very soon.

Please don't forget to watch me on TV!
If this spurs you on to make a personal visit to Noah's Ark, please stay in touch with our blog, as we will be announcing the dates and details for visits happening in March. So, please remember - Different Faces on Okto, Monday 11 January, 9:30pm, and catch the moving story of Raymund Wee and Noah's Ark.

Home Alone for Christmas

DISCLAIMER: THERE MAY BE CERTAIN PICTURES THAT MAY MAKE YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE. IF SUCH, WE WOULD ADVISE YOU NOT TO SCROLL DOWN. THANK YOU.

This story was featured on the ChannelNewsAsia website on 25 December '09.
Click to enlarge and read

T’was the week before Christmas and Vice-President of Noah’s Ark CARES, Lynda, received a call from the authorities that there were three dogs that needed the help of our society.

An elderly man, about 70 yrs of age, lived alone in a house with his three dogs. His mother had passed on some years back and all he had left was the love and companionship of his loyal dogs. Despite his age and being diabetic, he took his dogs out for their daily walks and walked to the nearby supermarket to buy meat for their meals.

One fateful morning, Mr Tan fell a few houses from where he lived and was injured. Lying on the ground, and after many moments of desperate cries and shouts for help, a neighbour finally called for an ambulance. Sadly, his right leg had to be amputated from his knee down. We're not sure if the amputation was due to his fall, his diabetes or a combination of both. We later found out from neighbours that this was not his first fall. He has had many falls in his own home. On one occasion, he even laid in the garden for three days, with the dogs helplessly looking on.

As this was a case that required immediate attention, Noah’s Ark volunteers took the day off from work to visit Mr Tan’s home, together with a social worker from NUH, another authority from the government body and a neighbour, Edith, who found the key to his house underneath the flower pot.

We were confronted by the nauseating stench of feaces and urine as we entered the house. Neighbours had assumed that Mr Tan had family and friends to check on the dogs. Little did they realize that his dogs have been left to their own devices for 6 days, enduring hunger, thirst and living in their own filth, waiting faithfully for Mr Tan’s return. Fortunately, they had not cannibalized each other.

Condition of the house when the dogs were left to fend for their own

The mess left by the dogs

Sadness filled our hearts as the dogs’ downcast eyes conveyed their longing for Mr Tan’s companionship and their anguish of not being able to be reunited with Mr Tan, as they scoured the home, hoping to find Mr Tan in our midst. Needless to say, it was clear in our hearts that Mr Tan could no longer care for himself, the dogs can no longer be in his care.

It was obvious the dogs were free to roam about the house

Mr Tan is a dog lover. Though the house was unkempt; pictures, paintings and statues of dogs filled his walls and gardens. He must have loved his dogs dearly as they had free rein of the house, bed, sofa . . . They were his family and he was theirs.

Mr Tan's Garden of Eden, a paradise for his 3 beloved dogs


Statues of angels and dogs in Mr Tan's garden


Mr Tan's extensive collection displayed outside his front porch



More of Mr Tan's collections in one of his rooms



It was obvious Mr Tan was a staunch Catholic and a dog lover. His walls were filled with pictures of The Last Supper, doggie paintings and doggie quotes.

As Mr Tan had no next of kin to take over the care of his dogs, his neighbour, Edith tried to get the dogs adopted. But efforts were in vain. The authorities then informed Edith that the ownership of the dogs would be transferred to Noah’s Ark. It was agreed that the three dogs would continue to live in Mr Tan’s house and fed by Edith until they were ready to leave for their new home in the Noah’s Ark Natural Animal Sanctuary, JB.

The next day the three dogs were sent to the vet for a complete health check, vaccinations, microchipping and one of the dogs had a bad eye infection. Two of the dogs will also need to return to the vet for dental scaling as their teeth are in poor condition.


Dan's eyes were constantly tearing as he had a bad eye infection.


Rotten food from Mr Tan's fridge being disposed of by the authorities

Authorities sealed up the house and turned off the electricity. The dogs were only allowed in the garden area, with Edith still holding the key to the main gate, so she can continue feeding and caring for the dogs till they depart Singapore.

Keen to know more about Mr Tan, we returned the following day to take a walk around his neighbourhood, speaking to neighbours to try to find out if he had family or friends. We found out that Mr Tan kept to himself and although he had been living in that estate for the past 17 years, not many people knew much about him. He hardly had friends or visitors to his home. They did tell us that he was an ex-civil servant and an accomplished pianist. Neighbours remember him playing beautiful music most mornings when he was at home.

We also took pictures of his three dogs and visited Mr Tan. By this time, he had been transferred to the Swami Home, never to be able to return to his own home to be with the love of his life as he was now wheelchair bound and suffers from dementia.

Mr Tan was friendly when we met him and he spoke excellent English. His face lit up when we showed him pictures of his three dogs. Sadly, he could no longer remember that they were his. He said the dogs in the photographs were beautiful and asked who they belonged to. When told it was his dogs and they were well, he asked if they were really his. It was a heartbreaking moment and we tried hard to hold back our tears. Mr Tan then asked us if we could bring his dogs to visit him, and we promised we would.

Laddie, the most timid out of the three, hides under a bench when visitors come

Laddie, hiding in a corner

We left with a heavy heart. As we looked back, we saw Mr Tan sitting in his wheelchair admiring the photographs we left with him, smiling. We knew he didn’t know those were his dogs, he smiled because he just loved dogs.....any dog. The names of the dogs – Mickey, Dan and Laddie - were given by his neighbour, Edith, who has helped care for them since Mr Tan's hospitalization in August. We have no idea what his dog's names are. Despite asking Mr Tan, he could not recall them.

The export permits for the three dogs are being processed and they will soon be making their journey, as a family, to Noah’s Ark. They will visit the vet just one more time, for their dental scaling, and volunteers will take another day off from work to bring the dogs to the Home to visit Mr Tan and bid him farewell. The Home has kindly agreed to allow the dogs to visit him there.

We wish we could end the story on a happy note, with the dogs being reunited with Mr Tan, but alas, that is not to be. The consolation is the dogs will still have each other at Noah’s Ark, where they will live out the rest of their remaining years, but we know they will remember him and miss him always. While we had a lovely Christmas with family and friends, Mr Tan’s dogs were home alone this Christmas . . . . . awaiting their master’s return.

We are still hoping to find a friend or someone who can tell us a little more about Mr Tan Hoo Chuan. Knowing that he is a staunch Catholic, we have contacted the Catholic church to help circulate his story in the Catholic news, in the hope that someone would come forth with more information on him. If you know Mr Tan, please do send us an email. Thank you.

Our movie screening of Hachiko resembles Mr Tan's story in many ways - where the loyal dogs await their Master's return. Day after day, they sit by that gate, eagerly staring outside, hoping to catch a glimpse of their Master coming home to them.

Mickey(left) & Dan(right) waiting for Mr Tan's return

Noah’s Ark will be using ALL proceeds from the sale of Hachiko's movie tickets - See http://noahsarkcares.blogspot.com/2009/12/charity-premiere-hachiko.html - to help Mr Tan's three dogs, ensuring they will be happy, comfortable and remain together as one family. The monies raised will be used to pay their medical bills, the exportation and transportation to Noah's Ark and their upkeep at the Sanctuary.

Their story has touched our hearts deeply and we hope to do our best for Mr Tan's best friends.