Puppy Sungei

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

Stray feeding – It entails so much more than just providing food for the homeless animals roaming the streets. Sterilization is our goal and also that of many stray feeders and animal welfare groups, in an arduous quest in working towards a stray-free Singapore.

When stray feeders see injured animals, they cannot turn a blind eye to it and pretend nothing has happened. The injury will only worsen with the harsh and dirty conditions they live in, and it is painful to see them suffering helplessly. Though worrying, stray feeders acknowledge that they cannot afford to bring every single injured animal to the vet. For minor injuries, most stray feeders resort to self-medication to treat the injury before it worsens or gets infected with maggots. Nonetheless, there will definitely be times whereby a vet visit is inevitable, given the complexity or seriousness of the injury.

Sungei, as he was conveniently named by a pet transport lady, is a lucky baby to be chanced upon by one of our volunteers. The volunteer was out on the streets one night looking for another injured dog, but whilst talking to the workers from a car mechanic workshop, the worker told her to try and help this puppy first. The problem was briefly described as “a hole in the tummy”.

She was puzzled and thinking hard as she followed the worker to see the puppy. There was a makeshift kennel behind the workshop, with metal fencing as its sides and two huge wooden boards as the “door”, propped into place with a shovel. As the volunteer stood around the makeshift kennel, rats were seen running around the area, possibly sharing or even devouring all the food left for the puppy.



Sadly, the living conditions within were filthy and unimaginable and it was a miserable sight. There was muddy soil and poo all around, leftover styrofoam boxes and takeaway plastic containers, urine-soaked cardboard, and even an old license plate.

The volunteer learnt that his mummy passed on shortly after giving birth. Thankfully, the workers took pity on him and took him in. The workers originally confined him with good intentions so that he would not have become roadkill, but were they doing him more harm than good? Will he eventually survive in this type of environment? Did mummy die from illnesses, or was she out looking for food so that she could produce enough milk to nurse her puppies, when she got ran over? No one knows.

The worker carried the puppy out of the makeshift kennel, and passed him to the volunteer. Upon closer examination, the volunteer realized that it was not one, but three holes on the underbelly of the puppy. The worker said the holes were the result of a huge lump with abscess that burst, but it looked more like it was from the bite of a big dog. The wound could also be a result of Sungei being bitten by rats.

Holding the puppy’s underbelly and bringing it level to her face, the volunteer was immediately struck with a horrible smell. She looked at the open wound and saw something moving within. At first, she thought it was simply the stomach. But where did the foul smell came from then? What she saw shocked her. Inside the three holes were many maggots, and what she saw that was moving was not the stomach, but maggots swimming inside the holes.

Alas. He was just slightly over one month old then. Alike babies, puppies have low immunity, and such injuries are life-threatening and can be deadly. She carried him to her car and put him into the carrier, and headed straight to the vet.

The vet took some time to clean and flush Sungei’s wound, and gave him medicine. Sungei was prescribed antibiotics, vitamins and also diarrhoea medicine, as well as antiseptic solutions and creams for cleansing of and application to his wound over the next days. The bag of medicine was as big as he was at that point of time, no kidding!

Sungei was extremely fortunate that a factory owner who loves dogs agreed to help foster him. The volunteer headed for the factory and spent an hour or so cleaning his wound and settling him down in his new place. Though injured, he was still alert and perky, and a mischievous little imp. The volunteer was scrambling around to get him food and water and prepare his medicine. However, when their eyes were not on him, he tried so hard to scale the steps of a staircase. With his tiny limbs that didn't have enough reach, he nearly rolled all the way down!

Sungei was also dewormed, and the worms that came out thereafter in his poo, were shockingly long and yes, they were alive!! The next morning, the factory owner told the volunteers that he still had worms coming out of him! How could a tiny little tummy be filled with so much worms?

The factory owner allowed Sungei to stay in the security guard office, so that the security guards could keep watch over him as well as him keep them company. Being boisterous and bubbly, he quickly won their hearts over.

A baby like him, should either still be nursed by his loving mother, or be cuddled by a doting family watching him grow up day by day. But unlike in pet shops where passersby go on and on at how adorable the puppies in the showcases are, mongrel puppies are aplenty but sadly far from being welcomed by some.

Please stay tuned for our updates on the progress of Sungei’s recovery, and do spread the word about him to help him find a new home to start afresh. Do contact us (details in the right hand column) should you be able to help out with his medical bills or provide him with a loving home.

National Dog Walk 2010

Dear Supporters, Friends and well-wishers,

Looking to spend a fun day with your dog? Come join us on Sunday, 5 September 2010!



Noah's Ark CARES will be taking part in The National Dog Walk and Carnival 2010. Your participation will make this a memorable event for both you and your animal companion. Noah's Ark CARES' merchandise will be sold at the event - come over to our booth, look for us. Also, it will be an excellent time to pre-order your copy of Noah's Ark's 2011 calendar!

All proceeds go directly to the operating and maintenance costs of Noah's Ark Natural Animal Sanctuary (NANAS), which is currently home to more than 800 dogs, 450 cats, over 40 rabbits, 25 guinea pigs, 5 horses, and a monkey.

We encourage you to pre-register for the event - it's cheaper, hassle free and you stand a chance to win a prize in the Lucky Draw at the event! Pre-Registrations take place this Saturday, 28 August, at Lot 1 Shoppers' Mall and City Square Mall from 11am to 8pm. Do drop by to sign up!

Alternatively, you may choose to do an on-line pre-registration at: http://skc.org.sg/index.php?option=com_chronocontact&chronoformname=PreRegistrationForm

Event details

Date: 5th September 2010, Sunday
Time: 9am to 7pm
Venue: West Coast Park, Grand Lawn
Website: www.nationaldogwalk.sg

We look forward to seeing you next Sunday!

Warmest wishes,
From us @ Noah's Ark

Azalia’s Tale by Su Mei Lenden-Hitchcock

It was a Wednesday afternoon and a group of us were headed for our very last gathering before my friend left for Australia to further her studies. It had been years since we last met. As usual, the same two friends were late and so my friend Jia Rong and I met up first. We had known each other since primary school and we were both passionate about animals. And that’s when it all started…

Knowing how much I cared about animals, Jia Rong told me about two kittens she had seen on her way to meeting us. She said they seemed to be in pretty bad shape and had mucus all over their eyes. My first thought was to go clean up their faces, but when Jia Rong told me she had already done so. We decided to go see the little kitties anyway since we had some time to spare.

When we arrived, we saw that the kittens had snort plastering their noses and dried mucus gumming up their eyes. These two black kittens were a miserable sight. One kitten had an eye infection so bad that her cornea had swelled and her eyes were clouded. My heart bled for them and I couldn’t bear to leave these two babies as I knew their future would be uncertain. A few phone calls and some time later, Natasha and Keong rushed down with pet carriers. We managed to get the kittens easily but mummy cat wasn’t coming along without a fight. We were hoping that we could catch her as well so she could continue nursing them and we could sterilise her eventually. Apparently, she had other plans and did not want to co-operate so after many unsuccessful attempts, we had to leave for the vet without.

Armed with lots of medication, Jia Rong brought the kittens home. The kittens were too ill and refused to eat, to the point of spitting out their medication and whatever food we tried to syringe into their tiny mouths. Badly dehydrated, the kittens were brought back to the vet, to be placed on a drip. It was then they were named. The smaller kitten, which proved, despite her frail looks, to be an extremely feisty girl when it came to doing things she didn’t like, was named Ariel, which means “Lion of God”. Her sister was named Azalia, meaning, “God has spared”.

Under the care of the nurses at James Tan Veterinary Centre, the kittens improved and their flu cleared up. Azalia was able to eat on her own after a few days but Ariel didn’t seem to improve much. She refused to eat and remained on drip. Sadly a week later, she passed on.

Azalia on the other hand, improved tremendously. She recovered and developed an appetite. When I picked her up from the vet a week later, she was FAT and her fur was lovely. Despite being blind in one eye from her eye infection, she was absolutely charming. Had my parents (and more importantly my own cat) allowed, I would have adopted her without a second thought. Samantha didn’t last long. The day after she brought Azalia home as foster cat, she decided to adopt her. All purrs and playfulness, Azalia had won the hearts of both Samantha and her siblings.

Azalia now lives happily with Samantha. She is a bundle of joy and has brought much laughter and love to the family. Her favourite toy is a stress ball that she loves to chase, despite it being too big for her. Her eye is healing very slowly and she has regained partial sight in that eye. Much loved by Samantha and her siblings, Azalia has finally found home.

Volunteer with us today!

Love animals? Enjoy being around them or working with them? Wish to give back to society in some way?

You can! Simply by volunteering with Noah's Ark. Help our 4 legged friends, be their voices, shower them with love & give them hope. Be an Ark Angel!

Noah's Ark is located just across the causeway in Johor Bahru but you can easily help while in Singapore too. Here's what you can do:

Visits to the sanctuary

If you have a car, you can drive to our sanctuary with your friends or family and spend the day. Visits are limited to weekends and by appointment only. The sanctuary is open from 2pm to 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Our dogs need brushing, petting and most importantly, socializing with visitors. When you visit, we may need your help in transporting donated items such as food and newspapers to the sanctuary.

Transportation

Occasionally, we might call upon you to transport sick, rescued or abandoned dogs to a nearby vet for medical attention. So do let us know if you have a vehicle & if you are able to help with this.

Fostering

This is an important part of what we do. If you have space in your home and in your heart to help foster dogs, let us know. While we look for a forever home for the dog, it will need somewhere to board. By providing your home, you are helping us cut down on boarding costs should we be unable to find an adopter immediately. During fostering, you will need to teach a dog basic commands, house train them and help them get along with humans and other dogs. This would greatly increase their chances of being adopted.

Events, Fundraising & Other Ways You Can Help

If you have other strengths or have contacts or ideas which you think would be helpful, or can help with organizing fund raising events such as our last National Dog Walk 2008 (See http://noahsarkcares.blogspot.com/2008/08/national-dog-walk-2008.html), let us know.

You may have friends or family who do not have time to volunteer but may want to contribute to Noah's Ark, in cash or kind. Dog or cat food, contributing articles for our blog, writing posts & designing posters for our dog forum when we have dogs for adoption or for cases of missing dogs. Every little bit counts and makes a difference.

You can also help out by creating awareness in your school or workplace. We have postcards that you can distribute and you can tell your schoolmates or co-workers all about Noah's Ark, what we do & what they can do.

Alternatively, you can help sell merchandise and be a Noah's Ark spokesperson at our other events such as the AVA road show (See http://noahsarkcares.blogspot.com/2008/11/thank-you-for-helpingcoming-to-ava.html).

While we greatly appreciate all the help we can get, we hope that volunteers are available for us to call upon on a regular basis. If you are unable to commit for certain occasions or situations, please do specify at the start of your volunteering with us. This is so that we can take note and make alternative arrangements. Volunteering is a long-term commitment and we would appreciate if you will be able to put time aside for it.

Thank you and we look forward to having you join our Ark!

A preview of the adorable dogs at our Ark...

Raymund and his family visit Pulau Besar for Cat Sterilization Project

It was a typical hot breezy day in March. After prior joy rides to Noah’s Ark, Ipoh, Cameron Highlands and Muar, we finally arrived at Mersing Jetty in eastern Johor. My “Tua Pek” (eldest uncle in dialect - Hokkien) and his vet friend were on a mission to Pulau Besar’s Mirage Island resort while the rest of us, including my three cousins and my family, tagged along for a less serious cause, a beach resort vacation!

My uncle and his vet friend’s purpose at the resort was to manage the island’s cat over-population issue through a sterilization program. Through no fault of theirs, stray animals had become a nuisance to the local community, overstaying their welcome due to the ever increasing numbers. Many suggestions had been raised on how to reduce the population. However, we at NANAS firmly believe that sterilization is the most humane way of controlling any stray population.



After a bumpy boat ride, we finally arrived at the Mirage’s Island resort. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by the happiest smiles from the resort owner and their children. The island is surrounded by amazingly clean, sandy white beach. The water is nice and clear with corals of great varieties. While my uncle and my parents chatted with the resort owner, we had our own lively discussions with their children. They are a really a lovely group of people. They hold high regards for my uncle’s long-term mission through his work at Noah’s Ark and are grateful for his help in controlling the stray cat population through this sterilization program.



My uncle (Left) with the resort owner and a lucky cat.

The sterilization program did not go as smoothly as we wished it would. Most of the female cats were deemed unsuitable for sterilization as they had either just given birth or were pregnant. Nevertheless by the end of the day, the vet managed to sterilize the “suitable” cats with plans for another visit to sterilize those presently pregnant and the newborns. What was amazing was the quick recovery! Many cats were seen playing almost immediately after the surgery.



(Cute, isn’t she?)

It was not just all work and no play for my uncle. Even though the mission was to sterilize the island’s cats, he did not neglect us by bringing us island -hopping. My cousins and I went snorkeling and were amazed by the wide diversity of marine life. We were so immersed with the marine life that we almost forgot to come up for air. I had loads of fun considering that it was the first time I hung out with my uncle and cousins. It was very therapeutic - swimming or simply lying on the sand basking under the rays of the late-afternoon sun. Before we knew it, the boatman was calling us as he needed to ferry us back to the resort before sunset. After the amazing 3-day experience, those are some precious moments etched deeply in my memory. Thank you to everyone in the family; my parents, my “Tua Pek”, my cousins and my sibling for “hijacking” me away from the thrill-less routine of the daily school life.

I would like to have a special mention for my “Tua Pek” - for showing me how remarkable he is, through his continued passion, dedication and self-sacrifice for the animals. He taught me a valuable lesson that I will never find in the classroom.

My “Tua Pek” has always been kind and patient with me, my siblings and my cousins. Not only has he helped me to improve my unsatisfactory academic results through books but also taught me on how to handle life. “Tua Pek”, you and my parents have instilled precious values in me and helped me set goals in life. I will make sure that I make all of you proud as a nephew and son.

You have my deepest gratitude.

Love,
Timmy

Food Donation Drive - August 2010

Dear Friends and Supporters of Noah's Ark,

Pets' Station has kindly approached Noah's Ark and offered to conduct a food donation drive for us for the month of August 2010!

Noah's Ark animals definitely have something to rejoice about as more yummy food coming their way! The food runs out faster than you can imagine at the sanctuary.

For this drive, Pets' Station is offering a total of 11 items from their SportMix and Nature's Plan range that supporters can choose to purchase during this period. They are:

• Sportmix Ori Cat food 33lbs - S$49.00

• Sportmix Gourmet Cat food 33lbs - S$55.00

• Sportmix High Energy mini chunks 44lbs - S$55.00

• Sportmix Hunters select 44lbs - S$50.00

• Nature's Plan Small breed adult 5.5lbs/20lbs - S$33.00/ S$102.60
(note there are 2 sizes)

• Nature's Plan Large breed adult 20lbs - S$102.60

• Nature's Plan Small breed puppy 5.5lb / 20lbs - S$33.55/ S$104.00
(note there are 2 sizes)

• Nature's Plan Large breed puppy 5.5lbs/20lbs - S$33.55/S$104.00
(note there are 2 sizes)

For every item purchased, Pets' Station will be donating the same item to Noah's Ark, one-for-one. More details can be found at their website at http://www.petsstation.com/ .

To make your food donation, there are 2 ways you can do it.

1. To do it online, please go to http://petsstation.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=180&Itemid=1&vmcchk=1&Itemid=1 to view the items available and select the food you want to donate accordingly.

2. You would have to go to any of their nine outlets which are located at Causeway Point, Compass Point, Frankel Avenue, Holland Village, Jurong West, Tampines Central 1, Tiong Bahru, Serangoon Gardens and Serangoon North Ave.

The donated food will be stored at Pets Stations' warehouse and our volunteers will arrange to collect the food items and bring them to Noah's Ark.

What we need to feed 1,000 animals at the animal sanctuary:

Dog Dry Food - 17 bags a day or 306kg a day
Dog Tin Food - 1 carton a day or 700gm x 24 cans = 16.8kg
Cat Dry Food - 1 bag a day or 23kg a day
Cat Tin Food - 10 cans a day or 400gm x 10 cans = 4kg
Cat Litter - S$1,200/- a month

This donation food drive is held only during this month. Do tell your friends about and help feed our animals. On behalf of the animals, we appreciate your continuing support and generosity!!