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They call themselves 'independent pet rescuers', often spending their free time
and own money to rescue animals in distress. MEERA MURUGESAN finds out why they
find this rewarding.
CLIMBING down
manholes, crawling through drains or cleaning up dog pooh is hardly anyone's
idea of a good time.
But for one group of animal lovers, such activities are part and parcel of daily
life and they're not even complaining.
Driven by love and compassion for animals and a need to put those feelings into
action, these committed individuals who call themselves "independent pet
rescuers" are willing to be on the frontline when it comes to helping animals in
distress.
And if this means having to crawl into a drain to rescue a stranded kitten,
brave a heavy downpour to reach a stray dog or open their homes to unwanted
pets, this group of volunteers are more than willing to do it.
Working on their own time and frequently forking out their own money, they
rescue stray animals, have them neutered and re-homed.
They also help find new homes for pets which are abandoned or can no longer be
cared for by their owners.
For Rena Chang, one such volunteer, her involvement in rescue work started in
2002 when she came across two dogs abandoned outside her office in Jalan Ledang,
Kuala Lumpur.
Knowing that it would be difficult for the dogs to find food in that area, Chang
was determined to find them a home.
The two mongrels, or "local pedigrees" as Chang likes to call them, had
obviously belonged to someone as they were friendly. Chang was able to find good
homes for both dogs.
A few days later, when she was having a drink at a restaurant, she noticed
another stray dog, this one limping. When she approached it, the dog walked up
to her and licked her leg.
"It was almost as if it could sense that I was an animal lover and I certainly
couldn't turn my back on that dog either," she said.
Moved by the plight of such animals, Chang decided to spend her free time
finding such animals new homes and she soon discovered that her passion and
enthusiasm was shared by others, many of whom were already involved in similar
work.
Independent or individual pet rescuers are people who are willing to spend their
time and money to rescue and re-home unwanted animals and in the Klang Valley,
these people include those of all ages and professions, ranging from teachers
and homemakers to office workers employed in areas like IT, accounting and
advertising.
"Everyone is in it because they love animals and can't walk away when they see
one in pain or distress. We do pool our resources whenever necessary. For
example, when we get donations, we share them with each other," said Chang.
Despite the fact that many volunteers are working people, they still make time
for rescue work whenever necessary or help in any other way they can. |
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A love for animals motivates the pet rescuers. (From left) Chang,
Toh, Brown and Cheah. |
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Toh
says that with proper training and handling, rescued dogs can make good
pets.
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Many rescuers
are also women and they're willing to get their hands dirty if that is what it
takes to get the job done, said Chang.
"We once had to rescue a dog trapped in a manhole and it involved heavy digging.
The female rescuers worked from morning till evening to get it done," she said.
There are no "buts" in rescue work if you claim to be an animal lover, said
Cheah Siew Yen, another volunteer.
The customer
service representative has been rescuing and re-homing strays since her
schooldays, when dogs used to show up for scraps at her mother's food stall in
Penang.
Many strays were once people's pets and that is the saddest and most frustrating
thing for many rescuers to face, said Cheah.
"Very often,
these animals are abandoned when their owners can no longer handle them or are
unwilling to foot medical bills," she explained.
Even pedigree dogs are not spared such treatment. Some owners purchase them as
puppies but are unable to provide proper care as they grow and these dogs end up
being passed from one owner to another.
"There are always excuses, like they didn't expect the dog to grow so big or be
so active, or require so much grooming. Once they can't handle it, people just
want these pets off their hands and the animals suffer," said Cheah.
Tasha, an
adorable mixed breed that Cheah rescued after it was thrown into a dustbin, is
now one of three dogs that she owns. She also has several other rescued dogs
that are available for adoption.
Volunteers often keep these rescued dogs in their own houses, feeding and
cleaning them and having their medical problems attended to until responsible
new owners can be found, said Molly Brown.
The homemaker and mother of three boys is a rescuer who takes in dogs which
owners can no longer care for.
Brown ensures that these dogs get proper care and even receive basic training at
her home until they can be sent to responsible new owners.
"Being animal lovers, this is very rewarding work and we don't count every sen
that we spend on these animals. We do it because we love them and the reward is
seeing them happy and settled with new owners who adore them," said Brown.
Brown, who's also a volunteer with Paws, once came across a Golden Retriever
whose limbs were so badly deformed because it had been kept in a tiny cage for
so long.
The neglect or abandonment of pets happens when people don't give a thought to
whether they can really care for a pet or what its needs will be before they
take it into their homes, said Toh Cheng See, a professional animal trainer who
provides advice on training and handling of dogs to the rescuers.
Toh said many abandoned pets or abused strays suffer from stress and may
initially have trouble adjusting to humans.
But with training and proper handling and owners who are willing to give them a
chance, these animals can recover and become good family pets once again, she
said.
"If you treat them right and give them love, they will always reciprocate. That
is the way of animals."
If you have any enquiries on rescue and adoption of pets, you can contact Rena
Chang at renachang@hotmail.com. |
