Volunteering for Noah's Ark

It was since last year that I became a volunteer at Noah’s Ark. It started when I chanced upon Noah’s Ark’s blog and read through a few blog posts, one of them on Project Industrial Dogs (PID). I was really taken aback and slightly disturbed as I browsed through many pictures taken of industrial dogs and the place they call ‘home’. Puppies living in drains with open wounds bitten by rats, dogs with infections and swollen body parts, and even lifeless bodies of puppies crushed to death by heavy industrial materials. It has never occurred to me that there were stray dogs living in such inhabitable conditions in Singapore.

Words and pictures of the blog posts prompted me to do something in aid of this project. Project Industrial Dogs, mostly supported by public donations, is in constant need of funds to sterilize the dogs. Noah’s Ark believes that it is a more humane method to sterilize these dogs, so as to curb their population and eventually their suffering, compared to culling them. I was actually nearing the end of my school term and many doubts came to my mind such as not having enough time to raise a significant amount. However, I guess being in the know of this issue really affected me, and on the next day of school, I went around talking to my friends about the plight of these dogs and asked them for donations. I was really touched and honestly, slightly surprised when my friends were genuinely interested to donate. Some of them listened in out of curiosity at first, and then made their donations. A few of them even asked if Noah’s Ark is in need of any help for this project. Though as students allowance is always a little tight, many of them made small donations in aid of this project. It was great to see that so many of them have a heart to help these stray dogs. At the end of two days, I managed to raise a total of $200 in aid of this project. Though it is not a large amount, I hope that every little bit helps. It has also shown me that as long as there is someone with a desire to help, there is still much hope for these dogs in need.






Volunteering with Noah’s Ark has helped me to develop a more mature perspective of the place we live in. As a teenager, my life used to be all about games, schoolwork and having fun. Yet, after fundraising for PID and helping out at a few events, I have realised that what I want to do is to help these animals live better and happier lives. In turn, I am grateful that I have received another sense of purpose in life. Now, I believe that, regardless of age, it is possible for anyone to help in their own significant way, because these animals are always in need of more people who care to help them selflessly to find a new lease of life.

Compared to many other volunteers at Noah’s Ark, what I have done is a really small portion of all their time and money. Besides from Project Industrial Dogs, Noah’s Ark is frequently organising events to raise funds for their projects as well as the upkeep of their shelter in Johor. I would like to take this chance to urge everyone to show their kindness towards these animals by giving them our love, in one way or another, and receive the sense of fulfilment in return.




You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give. – Winston Churchill

Bruno's plight

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

Strays which live in industrial areas, call construction sites or factories their “home”. The luckier ones get fed by kind workers, whereas the rest will have to live on scraps and rubbish. Fights for food and/or territory are common in order to ensure their survival.

A couple of weeks back, one of our stray feeders caught sight of a handsome looking dog when on her feeding rounds. She found it strange that the dog tilted his head slightly to one side, and initially thought it might be that he is born this way. When the dog started shaking his head continuously for a couple of times, she decided to take a closer look.

She was appalled to see the dog had a huge bite wound behind his right ear, which was dripping wet with pus and reddish looking. The same side of the neck was also wet with pus which flowed freely down from the wound and the stench smelt way too familiar. She was immediately reminded of Lady (http://noahsarkcares.blogspot.com/2008/05/na-rescue-lady-mongrel.html ) and Diesel (http://noahsarkcares.blogspot.com/2008/08/before-reading-further-please-be-aware.html ), all of who suffered the same fate of huge maggots infested wounds.



After a few days of trying, finally with the assistance of a few friends, she managed to get hold of the dog. They quickly gave him a bath and he immediately looked many shades lighter, minus all the grime and dirt. Every time he shook to dry himself, a few maggots will drop onto the floor. He was named Bruno, derived from the Germanic word brun meaning “brown”.

That day, the stench of the wound filled the entire car as Bruno was being driven to the vet. He looked tired, and one can tell he was weak from his injury as the wound was at least two weeks old. A slow and painful death will have been awaiting him, if he was not discovered, as the maggots will slowly eat into him and cause him to die.



Once at the clinic, the vet immediately sedated Bruno and shaved off part of the fur on his head to clean his wound. It was a huge and deep puncture wound which required multiple flushings in order to get rid of all the maggots deep inside. He also had aural haematoma – swelling of the ear vessels due to excessive scratching or shaking of the head. We believe this came by due to the irritation from his wound, and Bruno might require surgery for his ear if the swelling grows larger. However, this will come later when his maggot wound has been entirely cleaned up.



We are very thankful that the internal part of the ear seems uninfected thus far as advised by the vet. Next a blood test was also run on Bruno, and he was found to be slightly anaemic. There are many causes for anaemia and we are keeping our fingers crossed that he has no other serious aliments.



Please help us help Bruno, as his medical bills might run up to quite a hefty sum especially if surgery is required for his ear. Do write in to info@noahsarkcares.com if you can help him in any way, big or small. These industrial dogs do not have a choice to where they are born in, but you have a choice as to whether to help them with a second chance in life.

“The street is not their home.” – This sentence can never been emphasized enough, and this is why Noah’s Ark is continuously working on Project Industrial Dogs (PID), to lessen the number of homeless strays on the streets. It is hoped that eventually one day, Singapore will be a stray free country. It may seem farfetched for now, but would be achievable with all your help.

A Doggie Day Out at Telok Kurau Park!

It was a happy day filled with activities at Telok Kurau Park on 9th May 2010 as many dog lovers came to show their support at the Doggie Carnival, organized by Telok Kurau and Frankel NCs. The event was graced by Guest-of-Honour Mr K Shanumugam, Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs, who marked the official launch of Dog Owners’ Group (D.O.G).





There were stalls set up by different animal shelters and of course, Noah’s Ark CARES was one of the vendors, hoping to spread awareness and raise funds for our many furry friends living in Johor Bahru. Like the rest of the shelters, we were selling a variety of merchandise and a mini photo-taking booth was also set up where owners could get their pictures taken with their dogs for just $2. Many owners were more than happy making that little donation as well as being able to capture their picture perfect moment with their beloved pet!

In addition, we were proud to have Ms Chew Gek Hiang, president of Noah’s Ark CARES speak about ‘Responsible pet ownership’ and that every pet owner plays an important role in providing a respectable life for the animals. Ms Chew shared with the audience the story of September, a mongrel that was born amongst a pack of seven other puppies in one of the industrial estates. She drove home the importance of sterilization which helps to reduce the number of unwanted and homeless animals. This is an attainable goal if we strive towards it with the same passion.



There was a presentation given by Action for Singapore Dogs Society, with the aim to teach guests on how to keep your dog healthy and well, while Mr Kua Cheng Hock from Guide Dogs Association of the Blind, gave a talk on how to help a guide dog perform successfully. Adding to the fun were games for dogs and owners, such as the Fastest Eating Dog contest, a demonstration on Dog Obedience by Awesome Pawsome and even yummy treats for the doggies, which could be found at The US Doggie Bakery Booth. One could say that it was the perfect day to bond with and pamper your pet!

We at Noah’s Ark would like to heartily thank everyone who came down and supported us in every way possible. It was heartwarming to see pet lovers uniting despite the heat and it was even sweeter seeing dogs of all shapes and sizes parading in the park. We hope to be able to participate in more fruitful events and please continue to support us for we wouldn’t be where are without you. Once again, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.





Photo courtesy of Robert W Seng

Charity Dinner - 25th July Sunday @ Hilton!

Dear Friends of Noah’s Ark,

On behalf of Noah’s Ark CARES, I would like to invite you to support us in our 2010 Charity Fundraising dinner on Sunday 25th July 2010.

This year, we have an exciting program lined up for you! Located in Hilton (next to Far East shopping centre), it will be one of the most talked about charity fundraising dinners of the year. Chef Lee will prepare an exquisite Italian cuisine for that night, with a choice of fish or chicken. A vegetarian menu has also been specially prepared, hence do enquire when you register. As for entertainment, be prepared to put your hands together to welcome Hossan Leong, Tan Soo Khoon & Noor Quek! These are just 3 names out of the other programs we have lined up for you, and we have many more exciting items planned out!

Next, the most important thing. How much does it cost?


Platinum - $2250/table or $250/seat nett
Gold - $1800/table or $200/seat nett


Lastly, how do you register?



Please download the registration form above and email it to: info@noahsarkcares.com or call mobile: 8419 2151 for further enquiries. We have also attached a registration form for you to submit when you book seats/tables for this dinner. For details on how to transfer money and address for cheques, please look for the banking details and address on the right hand column of the blog.

Funds raised from this event will help defray part of the running costs of Noah’s Ark Sanctuary – that currently houses our 850 dogs, 500 cats, 5 horses and many other small animals in Johor. A small part of it will also be allocated to our on-going sterilization projects in Singapore namely Project Industrial Dogs and Project Catsnip.

Since the launch of Noah’s Ark CARES in June 2005, we have sterilized close to 500 stray dogs and cats gathered in the Industrial Estates as well as housing estates. We hope to continue and lengthen the lifespan of these projects with your help!

Please do consider supporting this worthy cause by buying either seats or a table at this dinner. We look forward to seeing you at this event, your presence will be much appreciated by our animal "recipients”. We thank you for in advance for your generosity and incredible support! As William Shakespeare put it, "What is the city but the people?" Likewise, what is Noah's Ark, without people like you?

We look forward to seeing you at the dinner!


Warmest wishes,
From all of us at Noah's Ark