One-Eyed Skinny

Skinny – An apt name given to this black and white boy with a lean frame who always carries a grin when one sees him. And even when I met him for the very first time.

We got a call from our regular pet transport on a weekend morning asking for help on behalf of a Muslim lady H who had been feeding a stray dog at her industrial area workplace. Skinny suffered a hit from a big wooden stick by a worker a week or two ago, and his eye was now red and swollen. H wanted to help Skinny seek medical help urgently but was unable to get Skinny into the carrier.

H told us that Skinny used to stay inside the compound of her workplace but a pack of four dogs from a neighboring factory that closed down seized his territory and since then, he has been staying on the streets.

Upon reaching the coffeeshop with H’s directions, we went around the coffeeshop but could not locate Skinny. We checked with the drinks stallholder but he too said that while Skinny would usually be sleeping under his van, but there he had not seen him that day.

H said Skinny might also be sleeping under the trailers parked along the roads outside and we circled the area to continue looking for him. Thankfully, he was located in no time! We saw him resting under a long trailer and managed to lure him out with food. There were some dried up wounds on his forehead, luckily they were just superficial and already healing. But his left eyeball was ruptured and infected, to the extent he could not close his eye. We had to get him to the vet asap.

After Skinny ate some food, we were still unable to lure him into the carrier. However, when we detoured to another coffeeshop to buy some more food to try our luck and came back a second time, we were lucky to be able to loop his neck this time round. Skinny of course put up a struggle as he did not know what was going on and was scared stiff. We took some time to calm Skinny down, slowly talked to him and coaxed him. He was a rather friendly boy but being a stray, it was usual for them to be cautious of strangers and we were just meeting him for the very first time. Nonetheless, he was a very good boy and not exactly snappy. After calming him down, we managed to get him into the carrier.

 
Over at the clinic, the vet confirmed our suspicions that Skinny’s left eyeball needed to be removed. However, his eye was too badly infected and Skinny was prescribed medicated eyedrops to bring down the swelling first. When we visited Skinny one day after he was warded, the swelling has indeed subsided quite a fair bit and the vet was monitoring him closely to decide when to operate on him, which would be in a day or two. The clinic staff also told us that he was a very big eater!

Skinny has just been discharged after his eye operation, and despite his condition, we still saw a smile on him when we visited him. Skinny is a happy boy who deserves so much more. Many a time, we know these dogs are homeless through no fault of theirs. And they are so often misunderstood as the aggressively territorial creatures portrayed on media. This is why our sanctuary NANAS caters mainly for mongrels, though we do have a few rescued pedigrees residing in there too.

 

It’s the festive season, and the season of giving. Skinny’s medical bills are not rocket high as some of our other cases, but still we hope you can help contribute whatever you can so that we can continue helping other animals too. Thank you and as always, Skinny will be up for adoption once he has fully recovered. This young boy has been given a clean bill of health by the vet, and all he needs now is a forever home, to love him for who he is.

A Fully Recovered Max!

When Max’s story was first published, (http://noahsarkcares.blogspot.sg/2012/08/a-painful-rear.html), we believe it shocked many to see the extent of his injury. We do apologize if the graphic photos have caused distress, but we always believed that the photos will speak for themselves and show the actual circumstances and suffering of the animals.

Max has come a long way, from being an independent and “untouchable” stray, to slowly learn to trust humans and even beg us with those eyes for treats! He spent a couple of weeks at the vet, and the vet staff loved him. They took great care of him, played with him and allowed him to run around the clinic when there were no other patients around. They actually spoilt him in fact! It was a life Max never had, compared to sleeping out in the cold and never being loved before. For once, he was pampered like an only child.

Max’s wound has fully recovered now, and though his anal opening is a bit small, there is no cause for worry at the moment. There is a manja side to this big boy after all – though he is not the licky and ultimate friendly type, he will quietly follow people around in the hope for just some affection.

We are very thankful for all the kind contributions and support we got for Max and all our other rescue cases thus far. Without your help, we would not have been able to help all these poor animals. Thank you once again for believing and supporting NAC in our work. More good news: Max’s fosterer might be keeping him after all, let’s all keep our fingers crossed! J

World Animal Day @ 313 - 6th and 7th Oct

Celebrate World Animal Day with us @ 313! Noah's Ark has been kindly invited by Thunder Rock to join this event as one of the beneficiaries. This year's edition is centered around "Building a sustainable environment for animals to live harmoniously with people in our garden city", and Animal Day@313 will continue to reach out to people through music from our local artists.

Date: 6th and 7th of October 2012 (Noah's Ark is in for Saturday only)

Time: 8am - 9pm

Location: 313@Somerset, Discovery Walk

Noah's Ark volunteers will be hard at work, manning our booth and doing their part to raise funds for the animals. Come lend your support by  visiting our booth and purchasing our merchandise. We have t-shirts, polo shirts, luggage tags, memo pads and post-it notes for sale.

Moreover, our 2013 calendars will also be on sale too!  If you have already bought one for yourself, please do not hesitate to  buy some for your friends and family too! Everyone needs a calendar especially with 2013 just around the corner and this would make great Christmas presents. We have a limited number of copies, do get hold of yours before it's too late.

Thank you for your support and we hope to see you this weekend!

World Animal Day with SPCA at ECP - 30th Sept

Noah's Ark has been kindly invited by SPCA to participate in this year's event. This year's theme is "Keep the Love, End the neglect”. More details can be found here: http://www.spca.org.sg/whatsnew.html!

Date: 30th September 2012

Time: 10.30am - 6pm

Location: East Coast Park, Area D1

Noah's Ark volunteers will be hard at work, manning our booth and doing their part to raise funds for the animals. Come lend your support by  visiting our booth and purchasing our merchandise. We have t-shirts, polo shirts, luggage tags, memo pads and post-it  notes for sale.

Moreover, our 2013 calendars will also be on sale too!  If you have already bought one for yourself, please do not hesitate to  buy some for your friends and family too! Everyone needs a calendar especially with 2013 just around the corner and this would make great Christmas presents. We have a limited number of copies, do get hold of yours before it's too late.

Thank you for your support and we hope to see you this weekend!

A Painful Rear

Max has all along been a regular stray that we have been feeding over the years, and he would be elated to see us, or rather, our food. J He is one of those strays that are independent and to some extent aloof, but we rather it remain this way as it is safer for them rather than them being too affectionate and friendly. We do believe the workers loved him like the other dogs in their factory – they were all big and tall, the females too! At one point of time, they had a great population boom due to initial resistance to sterilization, but slowly, we managed to convince them to help us help the females.

Having not seen Max for some time, we smiled when the sound of our car engine brought him running out towards our car. We left a big pile of food for him, and he gobbled down the food as always. However, as we were about to turn to leave, we saw that his rear seemed wet. It was rather dark in that street and we hurriedly brought out a torchlight to check what was wrong. His entire rear was red and raw, and had caved in. Blood was occasionally dripping out as he ate – it was an awful sight.

We went back to the factory in the daytime and asked the workers for help. They were unsure as to how Max got injured as their dogs had access to slip in and out of their factory gate and being strays, it was pretty hard to keep them in. They agreed to help us catch him if they could, and we waited and waited. Each time we went back to the factory week after week, the workers said that after a few unsuccessful attempts, he would only come out to eat and thereafter run back to hide within the heavy metal pipes which are inaccessible to humans. We were helplessly desperate. Initially Max still had a stump for his tail but as time went by, the stump slowly got eaten away as well.

One evening, the long-awaited call from the worker came. They managed to lure Max into a big metal container and forced him into the carrier! We hurried down to the factory, and Max was brought to the vet early in the morning the next day.

Max was already rather weak at that point of time and that was one of the reasons why the workers were able to catch him. He was pretty resistant at first but the clinic staff managed to calm him down and temporarily muzzled him just to play safe. We all flinched slightly upon close examination of his wound – the vet advised the wound might have been there for months and the many generations of maggots were eating into his rectum. The wound needed thorough cleaning and he would definitely need to be hospitalized and let the wound close up a bit first before he can be discharged. We also hoped that we would be able to find a foster home for him.

 

As we were discussing Max’s condition, Max actually dozed off on the ground. We could all see how tired he was and left him there to rest for a while before the clinic staff started on cleaning his wound. The vet also called later in the afternoon to update that Max was anemic and this might be due to the fact that he has been bleeding on and off through his rear. He also had diahorrea and this was later found to be due to hookworms/tapeworms in his body. Poor boy.

We are kindly seeking a fosterer as well as your kind contribution to offset Max’s bills and help him on a route of full recovery. If you will like to do so, kindly email noahsarkcares@gmail.com. 

Updates on Sandra, James and Chris

A big thank you to the numerous friends and supporters who have donated and/or taken the initiative to write in to ask how Sandra is coping, and also about James and Chris. We are touched and appreciative that there are still many who care for these strays out there, regardless of their breed, origin or how they look.

Sandra (previous story on http://noahsarkcares.blogspot.sg/2012/05/strays-painful-days.html)

After a couple of chemo jabs, the growth on Sandra’s genitals has shrunk noticeably. However, the vet was rather concerned that Sandra’s frail body might not be able to take it and Sandra had to take a break for a couple of weeks. Since then, she has resumed her jabs and we will continue to monitor her condition closely. At the present moment, Sandra is still very reserved. We definitely do not know what she has been through, though we are still slowly trying to get her accustomed to humans and hope that she will gradually open up.

James (previous story on http://noahsarkcares.blogspot.sg/2012/06/survival-of-fittest.html)

James seems to be enjoying himself at his fosterer’s place, eating and sleeping well though he can be rather grouchy at times especially towards the other male dogs. The wound on his back is closing up nicely and it is currently the size of a small fist. Ever since his previous escape feat, he is now supervised and watched closely by his fosterers who are not going to lose him a second time!

Chris (previous story on http://noahsarkcares.blogspot.sg/2012/07/can-chris-leg-be-saved.html)

Many have expressed concern on whether Chris’ leg can be saved. The vet on his case has been very helpful and diligently updating us on his condition. We literally jumped for joy when she updated that Chris did not need amputation after all! As we often tell others, we have enough three-leggeds (or “tripods” as we affectionately call them) over at our sanctuary. The maggot wound “hole” is no longer as deep as his skin tissues have been rapidly regenerating and his recovery has been amazing.

Ironically, the vet mentioned Chris is slightly overweight! We burst out into laughter when we heard this. We understand that Chris is also a rather laid-back chap. At his age of six weeks old, he was supposed to be able to relieve himself but he kind of expected to be treated like a baby. Even though so, he was very much adored by all at the vet. They have since discharged Chris and he is with a fosterer. His leg has improved by leaps and bounds although the wound still requires a daily change of bandages. We are also looking for a forever home for this little bundle of joy. Do email us at noahsarkcares@gmail.com if you have the heart and space for Little Chris in your home, but unfortunately he is not going to be HDB approved.

We all thankful that these three rescue cases above turned out positively with smooth recoveries. However, we are constantly reminded of how many animals are still out there in the streets – without homes, as we still constantly venture into various industrial estates. When it’s a bright sunny day, the strays try to seek shelter wherever they can, even under trees where there will be ants, and drink any little bit of water they can find, clean or otherwise. When it rains and pours, they often hide under vehicles, shivering and cowering in the cold, hoping the rain will subside.

We strongly urge our friends, supporters and you whom is reading this, to love not only your own pets but also try your best to help the strays out there. The streets are not their home, definitely not by choice.

Can Chris' Leg Be Saved?

Ever tried walking barefooted on the hot asphalt road in the afternoon? Scorching isn’t it? Little Chris was found just there, amidst trash and wood pieces, while we were driving along some parked trailers. We would definitely have missed him, if it wasn’t for a passenger on board, or if there was a trailer still parked at that spot.

Note: The above location is exactly where Chris was found

but this picture was not taken at the point of rescue.

We did not know how Chris ended up there – was he dumped there due to his injury, or did he slowly move himself to where we found him. We also found it weird initially as to why he was just lying there on the ground. Our first thoughts upon spotting him were that he was no longer alive. At least remove his body we thought. But as we made another turn to check him out and stepped out of the car, we heard very faint whimpering. We concluded he must be dehydrated given the blazing weather.

We moved towards Chris, and flipped him over on his back wanting to carry him up. What we saw was extremely off-putting. Chris had a big and deep hole on his right front leg, with lots of maggots feeding on the wound. His leg was already horribly swollen, and we hurriedly scooped him up with a towel. One of us checked the surroundings and drain nearby but could not spot any other puppies. We rushed him to a friend’s place nearby first to give him some water. Surprisingly, Chris still managed a faint smile as if he knew he was in safe hands and would be receiving medical help soonest.

 

Once at the clinic, the vet immediately attended to Chris to clean his wound and put him on a drip. Chris was estimated to be a mere five weeks old, and whether his leg could be saved or not the vet was unable to advice at that point of time. The vet lightly pinched the paw on his affected leg but there was no response. We were very concerned as we knew this might mean an amputation in the worst case scenario but it would definitely take place at a much later stage if need be. Meanwhile, Chris was left at the vet.

We are appealing for a fosterer or adopter for Chris when he has recovered – this might seem a bit too early for now but as we do not have a shelter locally to hold our rescued dogs, we are always in need of fosterers. Additionally, we really appreciate any bit of contribution to Chris’ medical bills as the rescues have been pouring in but nonetheless, we will not deny medical treatment to any sick or injured stray we come across as long as we are able to get hold of them. Do email us at noahsarkcares@gmail.com if you are able to help in any way. Thank you.

The Ark of Life - Charity Dinner

Dear Friends and Supporters of Noah's Ark CARES,

Noah's Ark CARES is privileged to partner Life Community Services Society in this upcoming fundraising dinner.  Aptly themed "The Ark of Life", this event seeks to raise funds for both societies in providing a safe haven for the animals and the children.

Life Community Services Society is a registered charitable organization and a member of National Council of Social Services (NCSS).  Net proceeds raised from the event will be divided equally between the 2 societies, as such 50% of one's contribution will be entitled to 2.5times tax deduction.

We look forward to your valuable support in making this event a very successful one for both societies.  If you are unable to join us on that evening, and would like to make a donation to support both our causes, you may send a cheque donation made payable to "Noah's Ark CARES".  Please include your Full Name, NRIC number, Address and contact number on back of cheque.  Do indicate that the donation is to benefit both societies.

For further information, please email info@noahsarkcares.com

Many thanks and see you on 29 June 2012!

Warmest regards,

All of us @ Noah's Ark CARES
 

Survival of the Fittest

I often see James lingering around the coffeeshop in the area of some factories where I feed strays. He is a big-headed friendly boy who will be one of the first to come forth for food, unlike the girls there who are more shy. Being a territorial alpha male, James often got into fights and ended up with injuries, but for the past few times he recovered with medication. I heard from a few stallholders at the coffeeshop that James used to belong to someone. The “owner” would still visit him in the past but he has not been seen for a long while. Perhaps this “owner” was a factory worker whose premises relocated or that he returned to his country? If only James could tell me more about him.

One of James' previous wounds

I was heading home one weekend evening and happened to go by the coffeeshop area when I saw James strolling slowly along the provision shops. I stopped my car wanting to give him some food but got a rude shock when he turned. There he was with a huge gaping bite wound on his neck that was still dripping with blood. The wound was certainly not a fresh one for it already smelled infected. Come to think of it, I had not seen him for close to two weeks and merely thought he was elsewhere.

After feeding him some food which he feebly gobbled down, I went off to get a carrier and equipment. I also brought along a friend to help and was back at the coffeeshop after night fell. This time James was walking in between tables at the coffeeshop where patrons were dining. The stench from the wound was strong. How could anyone just turn a blind eye to his pain and agony? 

It was a tough struggle attempting to loop James’ neck and force him into the carrier. As usual, the scene attracted a crowd of curious onlookers (which happens pretty often when we attempt to catch dogs). I guess they do not know what we are trying to do and some would even ask if we are the authorities. We would always try to explain to them that we are bringing the dog to the vet either for sterilization or to seek medical attention.

Luck was on our side and we managed to successfully nab him. The lower part of his neck and our leash were all wet with pus from the wound. The side of the carrier that James’ wound had leaned on was as well. Once inside the carrier, James seemed to know that it was futile putting on a struggle further. He actually laid down and he seemed much more exhausted than we were. Tired, hungry, weak and helpless. We could not be more thankful that we successfully accomplished our mission, for without proper medical treatment this time, James would not have survived for long.

The very next day, James was brought to the vet. The vet took a long time to clean his wound – one huge hole plus three smaller holes at the side. His wound was stitched up and a tube was inserted to drain out the pus. He had to go back to the vet in two weeks’ time for the removal of stitches and tube but could meanwhile be discharged.

We thought that was all and that he would slowly be on the road to recovery. It was apparently not so.  As James was sedated at the vet earlier, the fosterer thought he would sleep soundly through the night and thus left him only on a leash. However, in the wee hours of the night, he broke the leash and scaled the wall out! We embarked on a dog-hunt over the next few days and even went back to the coffeeshop area to ask around.

James was by chance sighted at the next lane a few days after and we gave chase both on a bicycle and a car. He finally went weak on his legs and we forcefully surrounded and caught him again. Thinking back now, it must have been a hilarious sight but at the point of time, we were just desperate to do anything to get him back.

Back to the vet James went as his wound got further infected from the unhygienic surroundings he was roaming in for the past few days. This time round, he has to be confined till he fully recovers for we might not be so lucky to get him back again.

James is actually a goofy boy who loves attention. Though he might look a bit intimidating, a rub on his head will have him asking for more, a sight which melts your heart. We urge any interested party looking for a family companion to come forth for adoption. We also hope to get your help to cover his medical expenses so that we can help more dogs like him. Please email us at noahsarkcares@gmail.com. Thank you.

Out of the bonnet and into a warm caring family!

Who would imagine finding a kitten in a car bonnet? A few faintish sounding 'meows" prompted our rescuer to open up bonnet for further investigation. A small and extremely filthy little kitten greeted her, not sure if we could call that a pleasant surprise? The rescuer whipped the little one out of the bonnet and settled her quickly into a carrier. The little one meowed relentlessly as she was likely not used to being confined to a small space. She was fed warm food and water, shortly after she fell into a deep sleep.

The rescuer named the kitten Chelsea and Chelsea was allowed to roam in the rescuer's apartment for a few days. Chelsea was extremely frightened, hiding under the bed most of the time. On the third day, her fear melted away and she became more inquisitive. When the rescuer first entered the room, she would stand and observe from a safe corner. Another day passed and she actually came running out when the rescuer entered the room! The rescuer had 2 other cats at home, but Chelsea was not bothered by them and was slowly introduced to the others through a playpen fence. A little intimidated by the bigger-sized friends, she would stand at the feet of the rescuer - a sign that she has an angel watching over her, what a clever little girl!



Adoption notices were posted on various online sites. Within a week, numerous enquiries came in for Chelsea. The rescuer was extremely careful when rehoming the kitten. This is because adopters need to agree to sterilizing the cat when she reaches 6 months of age, ensuring the cat stays indoors (cats can get into fights when they are allowed to roam outside and can also catch illnesses from other cats) and cat-proof the home to ensure the cat will not jump out of a window while trying to pounce on a bird outside (this happens a lot of times in apartments).

After screening the keen adopters, Chelsea was brought to the home of a couple who has just adopted Mario, another young kitten who was saved from the streets few weeks ago. Even kittens get territorial at a young age! During the next week and initially chasing after each other, both cats learnt to share toys and soon became inseparable. Chelsea was renamed "Mindy" at her new home. This is Mindy and Mario together below:


It takes so little to help a stray little kitten but the joy that comes after you find him/her a good home is simply beyond words. To us, it would mean there is one less stray on our streets.

A Stray's Painful Days

It was a usual Sunday meeting up and carrying out some site work. We just had lunch and were about to leave the industrial estate when we spotted a male stray dog and decided to offer him some food. Another dog made a quiet appearance a distance away when we were alighting from the vehicle.


We did not pay much attention to this second dog until we got closer to her. She was exceptionally thin, even for a stray without a caregiver. Her thinner-than-usual frame had us instinctively concluding that it was a probable case of intestinal parasites (commonly known as worms). She might also be suffering from other underlying medical conditions which were not visible to the naked eye. Surviving on a diet of food waste and leftovers salvaged from the trash and streets, coupled with living in a hazardous environment, the strays lead a hard life. Sad to say, many of them do not survive the harshness out there.


As she sat down to scratch herself, the reason behind the scrawniness became evident. Her genitals had a humungous growth filled with numerous lumps. It was a painful and heart-wrenching sight. This poor girl was stricken with Transmissible Venereal Tumour, commonly known as TVT (http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/112500.htm). It was not an unusual condition as we had come across and treated a few cases before. However, judging from the size of her growth, she must have had this condition for several months. The tumours usually develop outside the body only many months after the dog gets infected. Male dogs could contract TVT as well and tumours would grow on their genitals during the onset of the condition.


Extracted from Care for Dogs Foundation in Chiang Mai, Thailand (http://www.carefordogs.org/tvt-an-std-dogs-dont-wear-contraceptives/):
An infected female will develop the tumor internally in her vulva and this in time will increase in size and show itself like a large sagging bag of blood dripping meat, which will as weeks go by attract flies, their larvae and other dogs. The female will then keep her tail down, become paranoid of anything near her rear end and of course be in severe pain as the tumor eats away at her body.


Those who have ever experienced Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) could perhaps relate to the pain that the poor girl must be going through. Just the mere act of relieving herself would result in excruciating pain and discomfort. We would never understand the extent of the agony that she had been silently putting up with all this while. The heat cycle of a female dog normally spans four to eight months (some span even longer) and we certainly hope she had not been on heat in the recent period. It would be unimaginable to have had male dogs preying on her and adding to the anguish.


The girl went on to seek refuge inside a power station and was extremely skittish. Even with food on hand, we had to throw it under the gate and retreat far back before she would even surface to grab the food and run back in. H called SP Services to ask if they could kindly help with opening of the power station gate.


The SP Services personnel came by after a while. The staff were kind enough to grant us access into the power station and we got down to work fast along with two other stray feeders. M and L stood guard by the left gate of the power station while the SP Services personnel waited by the other gate. S and H went in to attempt to corner the girl. Being extremely wary and swift, she had us going in circles for a good twenty minutes. Just as we were getting worn out, we could see that she was as well. She had also thrown up some food which were fed to her earlier but was nonetheless fixated on trying to get away from us.


As the girl headed towards the power station gate from the inside, M and L were alerted. She saw the SP Services personnel standing by the right gate and she made a dash for the left, wanting to dive out from under the gate. M and L had already blocked the exterior of the left gate with fencing by then. As S and H closed in on the girl from both ends, she hastily crawled under the left gate struggling to get through. She was trapped between the exterior of the left gate and the fencing but still not within our reach yet!


M and L ran forward to grab hold of the fencing to prevent it from falling, moving it slowly and steadily along to make the fenced-up area smaller. The girl panicked and was struggling under the gate to get back into the power station. A carrier was hurriedly placed in the only “open” area for her to enter the power station and just as she thought she was safe back in the power station upon freeing herself from under the gate, we had her caught in the carrier!


Everything took place far too quickly and it was a pity that we had no extra hands to snap pictures for sharing. We were just relieved that we managed to get hold of the poor girl to render aid to her soonest possible. The SP Services personnel cheered us on upon the successful rescue. They were appalled by her condition too. They took a few photos and remarked at how “poor thing” she looked. We thanked them profusely for their help and took our leave.


TVT is commonly treated with chemotherapy as it has proven to be the most effective and practical method thus far. Vincristine is the most frequently used drug for the treatment of this condition and the vet estimates that a minimum of six to eight weekly jabs would be required by the female stray, now named Sandra. Sandra also needs to put on some weight before she could be sterilised. As she is safe from other male dogs for now, the procedure would happen at a later stage.

A close-up

Judging from her extreme fear of people, Sandra might never have had contact with humans before. She shivers whenever someone touches her and tries to run away. She often has to be cornered before she could be brought to the vet. It is always a huge struggle but the fosterer will continue to condition her behaviour. It is heartening though that she has a voracious appetite. We hope that with patience and time, Sandra would gradually overcome her fear and leave her sad past behind.

Strays, such as Sandra, count on us for help. She was lucky to have been spotted by us and we were just as lucky to have caught her and to be able to put her through treatment, thus eliminating other male dogs from the risk of infection.

Should you wish to contribute towards dear Sandra’s medical bills, please email us at noahsarkcares@gmail.com. As always, no amount of donation is too small and we are grateful for every cent as it comes straight from your heart. Thank you.