Public Response to "The Stray Dilema for Animal Groups"

These were feedback by members of the public on this topic.

By April Chia

By Calvin Teo

By Jill Hum

Kindness knows NO boundaries

Before reading further - please be aware that there are pictures below that might cause discomfort. Thank you!

Being a Muslim did not stop Uncle R from carrying this injured dog to us for help.

Noah's Ark volunteers were actually in the Toh Guan vicinity to attend to another rescue case but we could not trap that dog as it was extremely wary of humans. While waiting, Unlce R told us about an injured dog in one of the construction sites nearby.

He noted it had been about 4 days since the dog was hurt. We offered to take the dog to the Vet if he could find it. He then went in search of the injured dog.

On his rounds with a pack of loyal followers.

Uncle R works as a cleaner in that area and regularly feeds stray dogs and cats. He cycles his bicycle to various markets collecting chicken and duck neck and chops them up to feed the strays.

Uncle R's food for the strays.

After a short search he found the injured dog resting behind some concrete slabs. He approached the dog and carried it. The injured dog trusted Uncle R and allowed him to carry her to us. She must have somehow known we were there to help her. We then put her in a carrier and drove her to Mt Pleasant (Sunset Way) where she was seen by Dr Ang.

Carefully shaving off the fur to clean up the wound.

Dr Ang at Mt Pleasant had to shave off the fur around her wound in order to better clean the wound. The dog is named, Meenachi - given by Uncle R. Meenachi was extremely well-behaved during the entire ordeal. Not once wincing in pain.

Note how clean cut the wound is.

Dr Ang saw to Meenachi's wound and mentioned that her cut was possibly a slash wound, a machine cut or one which was sustained when Meenachi perhaps tried squeezing through a fence. She thought this was possible because the wound was a very clean sliced wound.

The wound was cleaned and Meenachi was to stay for the night, to have surgery done on her the next day. Meenachi will be spending a few nights at the Vet's clinic where she will undergo surgery by GA to cut away the dead skin.

Dr Ang will also pull some skin from Meenachi's stomach area, and use that to stitch up her wound. The wound may take a long while to heal as it is at an area where it will be affected by any movement from the dog.

No matter how long one has volunteered with Noah's Ark and helped in animal rescue work, one can never be prepared enough to face such injuries and sad situations. Fortunately this dog was found and saved early, before it's wound became maggot infested.

We are touched by Uncle R, who willingly and proudly carried Meenachi to us. He told me he was Muslim but he was extremely concerned for the dog and knew if he did not help, no one else would.

We admire Uncle R’s courage and selflessness. Every once in a while, someone like Uncle R touches our hearts.... and our lives.....

Eulogy to Barnie, Our Special St Bernard

My New Beginning…

When tomorrow starts without me,
And I'm not there to see,
If the sun should rise and find your eyes
All filled with tears for me;
I wish so much you wouldn't cry
The way you did today,
While thinking of the many things,
We did together.
I know how much you will miss me,
But each time you think of me,
Think of the good times we had at Noah’s Ark
Please understand
That an angel came and called my name,
And took me by the paw,
And said my place was ready,
In heaven far above,
And that I'd have to leave behind
All those who are so dear to me.
As I turned to walk away,
A tear fell from my eye
For all my life,
I'd always thought,
I wanted to die, until I found a place in Noah’s Ark
I had so much to live for,
So much left yet to do,
It seemed almost impossible,
That I have to go now…..

Goodbye my friends and till we meet again…

Noah's Ark's Interview in TODAY Newspaper - The Stray Dilemma for Animal Groups

With the run up to raise funds for Project Industrial Dogs next Sunday, 03 August at the National Dog Walk, this article could not have come at a more opportune time.

Noah's Ark reinterates it's stance that the most effective, compassionate and humane way of managing the stray dog population is through active sterilization. One benefit of sterilization, is that dogs will become less territorial there will be less run-in with humans.

Let's try to work towards managing and controlling the stray dog population and put an end to this needless and endless reproduction cycle of unwanted litters.

To achieve this, Noah's Ark needs your support , in order for us to succeed with "Project Industrial Dogs", sterilizing 400 stray dogs for a period of one year.

Do come by next Sunday at "West Coast Dog Run" from 10am to 7pm to participate in the National Dog Walk 2008, and help sponsor a dog for sterilization at $120 per dog.

Together hand in hand, we can manage our stray dog population humanely as we grow towards a gracious society.

A Lady In the Making

Lady arrived at Mt Pleasant Animal Hospital (Whitley Rd) in the pet transport, on time for her follow up vet appointment on Thursday, July 17. She recognized the volunteer from afar and wagged her tail as she went up to sniff the volunteer.

As Lady walked into the clinic with an air of grace and confidence, dog owners sitting in the reception commented on how sweet she looked and asked about her ear. If only they had seen her ear two months back!

As if enjoying the attention, Lady stood in the reception area gracefully, allowing people to pat and stroke her.

Looking at happy Lady today, she is a far cry from the days she was rescued.

Vet techs and the receptionists recognized her and called out to her. They were delighted to see her and commented that she seemed to have put on weight. So her weight was taken. Yes, indeed - Lady had gained 1.5kg in the past two months.

All the efforts from friends and our supporters to feed Lady twice daily with home cooked food and supplements have benefited her.This Lady seems to enjoy her fine dining of meats, eggs, liver and supplements.

Lady waited patiently for her turn to see Dr Nan and as she waited, she sniffed and tried to befriend a huge gorgeous Great Dane.

She has good taste!

The fact that she took an interest in other dogs shows that she has gained confidence and is definitely feeling a lot better. This is a far cry from the days where she just sat and stared blankly ahead of her.

Her wound is healing beautifully.

We are pleased that she has come this far. Lady was examined by Dr Nan and she commented that Lady was a most apt name for her. She was demure and had an air about her. Lady's ear has almost fully recovered and she no longer needs to go for follow up visits.

However, sadly in the process of checking her ear, Dr Nan discovered a cyst on the right side of her neck. Sigh, as if she hadn't already suffered and gone through enough. Dr Nan too, felt sorry for Lady.

The cyst is slightly bigger than the size of a fifty-cent coin and Lady will need to undergo a surgery as soon as possible to have the cyst removed. Her surgery date has been set for the morning of July 25. She will also be sterilized on that same day too.

Lady can't wait to get out of the door after the consultation.

Her bill for the removal of the cyst and sterilization is estimated at $500. We know that after having gone through such hard times, Lady will survive this minor surgery. We just hope that Dr Nan does not discover any other ailments while in the midst of the cyst removal and sterilization.

On a lighter note, Lady's son, Prince, has grown into a fine young dog. He is well behaved, sweet and his coat has grown a shiny black. Gone are his scars from his puppy days where he got into fights over food from the streets, nor the scars from being bitten by the Rottweiler.

Mmmm.... yummy meatballs made specially for Prince by Andreana.

He is living with a fosterer and he loves his fellow play mates. Little Prince was also recently treated to a bowl of home made meat balls, made specially for him by little Andreana.

After news of Andreana doing her bit of charity for Noah's Ark got out, she received a lot of encouragement and positive feedback from members of the public.

She has written a note to thank her supporters and hopes to garner more to raise funds for the animals.

Here's her note below:

Andreana will be walking Prince at the upcoming National Dog Walk 2008 on Aug 3 at West Coast Park Dog Run.Do join us and we hope to see you there!

p.s. We would also like to take this oppurtunity to express gratitude to the following persons.

A note of thanks to JoJo and Chris of The Pet Hotel for taking such wonderful care of Lady during her stay.

To all the Vet Technicians and staff at Mt Pleasant Animal Hospital for giving Lady so much love and care.

To everyone who has contributed in some way or another towards Lady's medical bill, food, etc.

Thank you everyone for making the difference in Lady's life.

Ben, now known as Snoopy gets adopted

Truffles originally gave birth to 6 puppies, but only 2; Ben and Jerry had survived. Since then, both have been adopted into very loving families. Please do not assume that this happens to every puppy as many are put down due to the fact that there are too many.

We are very glad when there are happy endings such as Ben and Jerry. Noah's Ark doesn't believe in euthanasia and would prefer instead to put those not so lucky ones at NANAS once they are of age.

To keep them at NANAS however, we run entirely on funds from donors and wellwishers!

Please help us this area, open your hearts and your wallets and contribute to our good cause!

Snoopy (formerly known as Ben), was a stray puppy that was adopted by my family and I about a month ago. I had always wanted a dog, and when my friend raved about Ben and Jerry to me, I was eager to adopt one.

After consulting my father and elder brother, we decided on Snoopy. In the pictures that my friend showed me, Snoopy was macho and handsome with well-defined features. He was a brave little one too, not flinching when he had to go for his very first vaccination.When he first arrived, he was very naughty. During the first half week, he got on everyone's nerves and bit everything that he could reach.

Still teething and chewing on his very own first bone.

He destroyed newspapers and tore them up when we tried to toilet train him. Snoopy seemed as if he was trying to test our patience and his boundaries. Initially, he was temperamental and unpredictable.

When scolded, Snoopy would duck under the table or the sofa and hide there till we gave up. However, by the 11th day we could see the gradual change in him. Now he listens to me and becomes more obedient. Yet, he is quite a smart aleck, trying to bite the toes and fingers of other people who will not beat him instead. That time when I smacked him really hard for being naughty, he quietly sat next to me and snuggled there as if saying sorry.

Too tired after a long walk and had to be carried home.

Everyday I would bring Snoopy down for a walk, but for some reason, he never wants to pee or poo outside. If we took an exceptionally long walk, he would whine, as if holding his bladder. The moment we reached home he would immediately do his business.

He also seems rather attached to his new home. Usually when we take a walk, Snoopy is inquisitive and curious, sniffing this, smelling that, biting this and playing with leaves on the floor. After walks, I would call out, "Okay we're done, lets go home!".

Instantly, Snoopy would perk up the moment he hears the word "home" and would suddenly walk faster. He is even more anxious to get home than I am!

Pei Shan and Snoopy bonding.

As of now, Snoopy has learned how to sit and my younger brother has taught him how to paw! He is not only smart, he is also street-smart. There was an evening when it was very warm and knowing my younger brother turned the air-con on, he sneaked into my brother's room and slept underneath the table, enjoying the cool air.

He is bright and full of energy, just a tad bit mischievous. I discovered that he likes licking my ears because if I lie on the floor next to him, he would trot over, sniff and lick my ears happily. Strange dog!

We still have a problem with his toilet training. Sometimes we would have to trick and lock him in the kitchen till he has finished his business. Too many a time he has messed up the house and my poor housekeeper has to clean it up. I think he knows he is not supposed to pee anywhere except on the newspapers in the kitchen and would sometimes speed off when he sees me staring at him.

I am glad I adopted Snoopy and welcomed him into my home. As the days go by, he will certainly grow bigger, but he will always be that little puppy in my heart.

Article and pics are contributed by Pei Shan who adopted little black Ben aka Snoopy.

The Importance of Sterilization (Dogs)

Did you know that Euthanasia kills six to eight million animals in the United States every year? And this is only in the States, what about the rest of the world?

Yes, it is shocking to the mere individual. As it is near impossible to ensure that every animal in the world is sterilized, the result means that there will be numerous unwanted animals for whom homes cannot be found. And shelters are already working past its maximum capacity.

This leaves them with no option but to euthanize the endless number of animals streaming in.

Why the emphasis on sterilization?

When you spend time with us, you will hear our constant urge for pets to be spayed or neutered. Pay a visit to Noah’s Ark or any other local shelter and you will get an idea of the high number of unwanted animals produced and left to die each year.

You see mixed-breeds and purebreds of every size and shape and we strongly believe that none of them ought to be abandoned .

** Please note some of the following pitures may make you uncomfortable.

An extremely pregnant bitch, due to give birth anytime.
With sterilization, she would not have to go through this and there will be
no puppies nor any suffering for the puppies.

Puppies born in the drain. In danger of drowning if it rains.

2 to 3 week old puppies in drain huddled together for warmth.

Puppies with eyes hardly open, estimated to be 3 weeks old or less.

Puppies born in industrial site.

Puppy been bitten by scavenging rats.

Unwanted puppies. Out of 6, only these 2 survived.

Pregnant dog scavenging for food. Note the heavily swollen teats.

JJ - The Loyal Stray Dog

A very sweet and cheerful JJ despite all the hardship she has endured.

After JJ was rescued, she was taken to the Vet for a medical and was found to have a severe case of heartworm and live worms in her. She was given an injection and some anti biotic. JJ needed weekly injections for her heartworm and was taken to the Vet weekly by a volunteer. Another volunteer helped shave her down as she was badly matted.

From the look of the muzzle, age is catching up with our dear girl.

Now after some weeks, JJ is looking good. Her coat is short and neat and she is clean! She has been eating and resting well and put on some weight. She is extremely friendly and sociable. She jumps to greet visitors and we know she is grateful to her saviours.

Despite being cruelly abandoned, JJ of Jurong still loves humans, pats and attention.

Touched by her loyalty, a well-wisher, Ms May L. has kindly sponsored JJ's trip to Noah's Ark, while Ms June B. has sponsored JJ's stay at Noah's Ark for the first year.

We are in the midst of processing her permits and she will be leaving for Noah's Ark soon. There, she will continue with her heartworm treatment. We're sure she'll be happy in Noah's Ark making many new friends, having a shelter over her head, regular meals and medicine for her health conditions.

We thank everyone that has written in to express their concern and shown their support for JJ; friends who have donated supplements, food, Ms May L. and Ms June B. for giving JJ a better life in her twilight years, a life she truly deserves.

Little Andreana helps Puppy Prince

Little Andreana has visited Noah's Ark a few times with her brother Andre, sister Andrea and mommy, April. The kids love Noah's Ark and are never tired of the animals. Mommy April and little Andreana read our blog nightly as a bedtime story, while patiently explaining to Andreana the rescue cases, abandonment and even sterilization.

All of 8 yrs old, little Andreana is wise beyond her years. Her passion and love for the animals, simply amazing.

Andreana was extremely upset when she read that little Prince was attacked by a Rottweiler and insisted her Mommy call us to ask how he was.

Her mommy tells us that Andreana makes cards, art & craft at home as she is constantly selling them to her family members to raise money for Noah's Ark!

Last week Mommy found out that our volunteers were taking Prince to the pet hotel to visit Lady, and Andreana insisted Mommy bring her there to meet Prince. She had also made a card for Noah's Ark and generously donated her piggy bank, all $8.20 of her savings.

We were touched by the gesture from this young little child and were hesitant in accepting but Mommy insisted that Andreana wanted to help the animals at Noah's Ark. She was so proud of herself, and she should be!

Andreana loves little Prince and always insists on carrying him, although he is growing fast and getting a little too heavy for her. She wants to help more animals at Noah's Ark and come August 3 (Sunday) when MattLeah organizes the National Dog Walk at West Coast Park Dog Run, little Andreana will be attempting to complete a 1.5km walk with Prince in Paws for a Cause.

Andre, her eldest brother has a medical condition and is unable to walk that distance, but will be cheering his little sister on and waiting for her at the finish line. Her elder sister Andrea; will assist Andreana with Prince.

So come on down with your dogs and participate in Paws for a Cause and accompany Andreana and Prince through the walk. Prince's Mommy, Lady, will also be making a special appearance at the National Dog Walk - we know many well-wishers are looking forward to meet this courageous lady.

To register for the National Dog Walk, please go down to the 4 participating pet shops on July 12 & 13, 19 & 20, between 1pm to 7pm.

PETS' STATION - HOLLAND VILLAGE
25A Lorong Liput S277735
Tel: 6468 8838

PETS' STATION - JURONG WEST
1 Jurong West Central 2
#01-40/41
Jurong Point Shopping Centre
S 648886
Tel: 6791 9989

PETS KAMPONG - Great World City
#03-23/24/25

PETS KAMPONG - Novena Square Mall
#03-18

Registration costs $10 per dog. We look forward to see you there!

Milo - JRT

Hello hello!

My name is Milo and I am a little JRT. I am here at Noah's Ark because my mummy went to work in Germany and left me with Uncle Raymund.

Please do not be mistaken that I am abandoned. In fact, my mummy loves me very much! Once, I fractured my leg and my mummy paid a lot of money to have a rod inserted into my leg so that it will heal better.

My mummy tried to rehome me to her friends initially. However, I disliked to be carried because if you carry me incorrectly my hind leg hurts and I will snap at anyone if that happens and only my dear Uncle Raymund can carry me.

My mummy was worried that if some one adopted me they might not know or understand the reason behind my bad temper and may send me away should I snap one day but she trusted Uncle Raymund and left me with him.

In Noah's Ark, I sleep in the clinic and I am a well behaved boy.
I don't chase or bite cats, I don't disturb the sick animals, I don't soil the clinic and I keep out of the way whenever there is a surgery.

I would like to tell my mummy in Germany:

Dear Mummy, please do not worry about me. I am very well here. There is Barnie the St Bernard whom I can sleep beside when the weather gets cold. Most of the time, I have tiffs with Susah, another JRT.

Usually, we quarrel with each other over who has the bed. So Uncle Raymund got an extra bed for us and we still fought over who gets the new bed. Then we fought over who has the bigger bed....

Other times, we fought over new piles of towels; who had a bigger pile of towels and we have a tug of war with towels etc....

We fought but in truth we never hurt each other and we made up with each other right away. Whenever we misbehave, Uncle Raymund would scold us and jokingly threaten to turn me into Ovaltine.

Nevertheless, I am still the same old Milo you left behind.

Mummy, wherever you are in Germany, please don't worry about me. I am well and safe in Noah's Ark. I miss you and I look forward to the day of your return and our reunion.


Love with Lots of Licks,
Milo

Mei Mei - The Lovely Lady

I first saw Mei Mei in May this year. I was accompanying my nephew and his mother to see two puppies at a factory in Jurong, as they were looking for a puppy to adopt. When we got there, we saw quite a few adult dogs in an enclosure where the puppies were held together with their mummy dog.

They all came to us, seeking attention and greeting us with their smiling faces. I then saw this white dog with no tail. Her sad look and gentle behavior immediately struck a cord in my heart. Her ear was clipped, indicating that she was a stray which had been spayed.

Mei Mei on her first day with her new family.

According to Lynda and Fiona, Noah's Ark volunteers, she was rescued because she was starving in an industrial area where the stronger alpha dogs would get the food first from the volunteer feeders, and being meek and small, she always couldn't get any leftover to feed on.

The volunteers then took her in and sterilised her, with the intention of sending her to Noah's Ark in Johor, for she would not be able to survive if she was released back to the wild. The kind care-taker who looks after the rescued dogs in transition after being sterilised or treated, called her "Lovely" as she was such a lovely dog.

Mei Mei in her new lovely home!

I always thought I was a "one-dog person". I already have my dog, two year-old Chu Chu, who is my pride and joy; my "only child". Before Chu Chu, I had my sweet "Su Su”, whose death from cancer in early 2006 still pains me today.

Both are white mongrels. Both are female. Both are good-natured. Su Su was a stray when I adopted her. Chu Chu, whose grand-mother was a stray, was born in my neighborhood. Su Su was street-wise but totally devoted to me; and Chu Chu, adopted as a puppy that never went through any hardship, is innocently sweet, friendly and spoilt.

Mei Mei has her own garden.

And here was Lovely in that enclosure, another white female, whose quiet ways and timid nature reminded me of my late Su Su . A strong urge came over me to want to protect her. But what about Chu Chu? Will she be able to accept her? Will I be able to cope with two dogs at home? Will I be able to give equal love and attention to two dogs?

I struggled in my mind for a while, looking at Lovely, and the next thing I knew, I told Lynda and Fiona to delay sending her to Noah's Ark, so that I could take her in for a trial period to see if Chu Chu would get along with her.

Chu Chu befriending Mei Mei.

So one Saturday afternoon, Lynda and Fiona brought Lovely to me. I was told to bring Chu Chu to the park in the estate so that the two dogs could meet on neutral grounds. Chu Chu, fun loving and eager to befriend any dog, went forward to greet her. With her rough ways; she immediately wanted to play with Lovely, who was tense and scared, trying to pull away.

We later brought both of them to my house, and Chu Chu was happy to have a playmate! After consulting friends, I decided to give Lovely a new name - Mei Mei. Depending on the tone when you say the name, it can mean lovely or beautiful in Mandarin, or little sister.

Chu Chu and Mei Mei becoming fast friends.

It has been more than a week since. Mei Mei has settled down, but still behaving tense and lacking in confidence. Chu Chu tries to dominate her in a mild way, but otherwise they live in harmony.
I hope Mei Mei can gain more confidence in due course, and I hope I can make her happy. She is such a gentle lady - tolerant and well behaved, and so easy to look after. She deserves a better life in a place where there is security and love.

Contributed by Mei Mei's new owner, Ms Ng Suan Eng .