Missing from USJ 23 - Bo the Retriever

Missing from USJ 23 Petronas station (along the LDP-Hicom highway)

Wearing a red collar

Last seen being fed by a man and taken away in a car.

No description of man or car available.

Please call Karen at 016-3711313

Please do spread the word around. He belongs to a loving family of 3 little boys who love him dearly.

God's Heart

Some of us believe that we are created in God's image. I believe that if we are then surely dogs must be reflections of His heart.
All loving, all protective, all forgiving, that's what we know of God's love for us. Now show me a dog who is not all that and more?

They are by your side even when you don't realize they are there. Looking up at you, hoping for a pat on the head, they are just so happy you are near.
When you come home, tired from work, they greet you like you have been to the moon and back. Tongues drooling, tails wagging, they woof in glee.
My master is home. My mistress is back. The world is all good now.

When you sleep at night, its with a little more comfort. You know that the moment the scent of a stranger reaches your doggie's nose, he will sound the alert.
However tiny or big he is, he will protect you to the death.
You are the centre of his universe. The alpha wolf of his pack. The greatest hunter that ever lived.
While everyone around you can pick out a dozen or more of your faults, to your dog you are just perfect.

How often we forget that in an unforgiving world, all we need to do is to look into the eyes of our canine friend and at once know the feeling of unconditional love.
They search for us when we are hurt and lost. They guide us when we are blind. They comfort us when there is no medical cure for our pain. They protect our home, our families and our property. They track criminals, protect our country and our coastlines. Sometimes they are the only friend of the lonely, the forgotten, the poor, the beggar on the street. They don't discriminate against us.

Yet, we are hardly worthy of their love and devotion.

We cage them, whip them, starve them. We ignore and bark orders at them harshly and feed them leftovers. We hardly care if they are warm or sheltered from the elements. Worse, some of us discard them once they have grown out of their cute puppy ways. Others blindly believe they are "unclean" and treat them like lepers, that somehow just grazing against their body would turn them into a disintegrating pulp of human flesh. Others love them just a little too much and cook them instead.

Yes, we are hardly worthy of their love, yet they love us anyway.

It is not a coincidence that a dog is spelled "d-o-g".
He is the reflection of "g-o-d" in our midst.
Cherish God's heart who is with you now a little more. One day all too soon, he won't be there.
For one, whose tail wags no more, be comforted knowing he still watches over you. And if you close your eyes and be still, you can almost feel his breath against your skin.

-In memory of all the dogs who have loved us, the all-supreme furry friends who made our childhood spectacular, the wise hounds who told us who was a keeper and who to ditch, the all-comforting warmth in our beds at night when we silently cry ourselves to sleep at night, the "baby" that makes our family, a family and the nanny that protects our children. If only we can love them half as much as they love us.-

My Ginny

Pics of my darling Ginny...She is 10 years old now. Can't believe she's been with me for a decade now. She is such an adorable and loving companion.

Foxy Is Gone

I suspect either on Feb 12 or Feb 13, Foxy must have died. The last time I saw her, she was frail and lethargic sitting under a drain.

I went back to look for her on the 14th, but she was not visible.

Its painful when an animal you have loved and cherished passes on and you can't find their body to give them a respectable send off.

Lacey is all on his own now. Poor lil fella. So now, even the back of my house is quiet and pretty much lifeless.

I never realised how deeply entrenched all of them have been in me so much so now, there is a void I cannot describe.

People allow you time to mourn and grieve when you lose a human but somehow think the loss of an animal can be overcome much easier and expect you to be back in business in a flash. So you let yourself go with the flow because it hurts less compared to hearing comments that are unfeeling and unthinking.

You long for quiet understanding instead of having to articulate your feelings. And to your surprise someone you have known for a couple of months whom you haven't met, relates your pain without you having to say a word. Or someone you met by chance offers you unconditional support and shows you they care in little tiny ways that mean a lot.

When they were alive and were with me, my babies taught me so much about animal behaviour and the interaction between man & beast. But their greatest lesson has been in their death for it has shown me the lengths I am capable of going to nurture and the pain I am able to endure.

The very depths of me have already been ripped out, I can only just move on and be comforted in the thought that I gave them the best I could. And maybe one day, Prince Charming and I will be able to make the dream we have of having a sanctuary a reality for all those unfortunate fur babies who weren't lucky enough to be born as pedigree animals.

Maddie N Ginger's Adoption

Ginger (top)
Maddie (bottom)

On Sunday, February 4, 2007, we decided to put Maddie and Ginger at Mayo Clinic for adoption.

It was an excruciatingly painful decision for me, almost akin to putting up my own flesh and blood for adoption. They were the first kittens I witnessed being born 4 years ago and Maddie especially formed such a bond with me.

I felt like an ogre to have done that but circumstances have proved too difficult for me to continue having them. Anyway, just as I was settling them into their cages at the clinic, this angel and her niece & daughter walks into the clinic. Within half an hour, they decided they wanted them both.

I was stunned, happy and sad all at the same time. But the vibes I had from this lady were good so I felt peaceful that they would be in good hands. I called her yesterday and she said that Ginger is settling in fine but Maddie is still terrified. That aches my heart so badly to know she is frightened and I pray that she overcomes that soon.

My home looks so deserted now, where once many cats bounded and tumbled in play now lie desolate and quiet.

The only ones I have left in my zoo are the free roaming ones; Tiger, Latte & Annie at the front and Lacey & Foxy at the back. They don't need to go just as yet so at least I still have them to cuddle & love.

Farewell Kit

Kit meowed her last purr on February 1, 2007.

It has been an emotionally-scraping week for me and its the main reason why I haven't updated the blog.

What can I say? Prince Charming and I are equally incensed over Kit and Kat's deaths as there is no real clear reason why they are dead. Nothing can be done now so it will be one of those questions that will never be answered.

Anyway, at least now, Musky and her favourite two babies are all together at that Rainbow Bridge.

Bye Bye Kat

Somewhere between 11.00am and 12.30pm, my beloved little Kat finally passed on over to the great Rainbow Bridge in the sky.

I am glad her misery is finally over and hopefully she will now be snuggling against her momma whom she loved so dearly, Musky. I hope she would forgive me for not having the strength to put her to sleep earlier but I wanted to give her every chance to survive.

As I lifted her lifeless body and gently wrapped her up, I was surprised how heavy she was dead. When a little earlier as I carried her to clean her, she was so frail and light. I don't know why she died with her eyes opened, but they will forever haunt my memories.

Be happy and free my little one. I am going to miss hugging you so much.

Bleak Future

If there is one thing that I have learned about life from caring for my Zoo, is that we really do not have to worry about the future trying to make plans.

For the past couple of months I have been agonizing over the fate of my Kit & Kat. They were born in my home and I cared for them until they were ready to be adopted. Unfortunately, even now at 5 months old, no one wants them. I know they don't look like they would be winning Feline competitions but I love them with all my heart. Even shelters are reluctant to take them in as with their limited resources of space, they prefer taking in abused & abandoned animals.

So, I scoured the net daily, posting advertisements all over the place. To no avail. Just a couple of weeks ago their mother, Musky, died and soon after, Kit & Kat came into heat. I realised that no prospective adopted family would want unspayed female cats so I sent them in to get fixed.

Strangely, soon after I brought them home, I noticed Kit wasn't eating, so I took her to the vet. Less than a week after she got ill, previously healthy Kat, started exhibiting the same symptoms. They have been given antibiotics and all other kinds of medication and the situation is still the same. Both of them, refuse to eat, they are not defacating and all they do is just sit and stare.

I am at my wits end and I really do not know what to do. I am force-feeding them daily with a syringe Science Diet AD Formula. They now dread my presence because they seem to be in such discomfort when I feed them the formula.

I really do not know what to do. Its so painful watching them weak and listless. And yet, I cannot bring myself at this point to make any hard decisions. All I can do is, continue feeding them this way 4 times a day and pray that each morning when I wake up, that they are still alive or if a miracle were to come, they would be feeding themselves.

Dogs On Death Row

Please help find homes for these dogs or forward this to friends who can help at least foster them for awhile.

Musky Was Killed

Some time ago, I posted that Musky went missing for a few days and that forced me to send her newly born kittens for fostering because they weren't being fed. Anyway, a day or so after I sent those 3 away, Musky returned.

She was frail and disorientated. And all she wanted to do was to enter this cage which was housing her two older kittens; Kit & Kat. Everyday, when I clean out the cage and take them out to play, she totally refused to come out. I didn't really put much thought into her behaviour because she generally was a very quiet and timid cat.

Anyway, yesterday morning, I found her having trouble breathing and I was quite terrified that she had FIP. The disease that killed Kitty in September 2006. So we rushed her to the vet and upon his examination he said he suspected that her diaphragm was ruptured but only an Xray will determine that or if its fluid in her lungs; symptomatic of FIP.

She didn't make it through even the Xray as she collapsed and died.

When we viewed the Xray, the vet pointed out how badly her diaphragm has been ruptured, so much so that all her internal organs had filled the cavity and had pushed up her lungs. She literally was suffocating to death.

Our vet (Dr. Khor from Mayo clinic) was quite certain that she had been hit with a hard object to cause her diaphragm to tear and slowly rupture like it did. Suddenly her behaviour this past month made sense.

Why she suddenly disappeared and left her babies for days without milk, why when she returned she was so disorientated and frightened....

There were no visible wounds on her body when she returned so there was no sign for me to know that she had been physically hurt. But I am seething with anger right now that yet again, barbaric individuals on my street have managed to kill/abuse an animal and I have no proof against them.

I believe that whatever is done, good or evil, returns to the doer threefold. So, I wish upon them their just reward.

Musky, rest in peace my little angel. You were a joy to behold every day you were with me. Love and kisses my precious.

Some Pictures of My Fur Babies

Please Take Me Home!

Kit & Kat are four month old kittens from Musky's first litter. They are extremely close to each other and have been such a source of joy for me. But unfortunately, I can't give them the kind of life they deserve.

They deserve pampering, a basket in the home and someone's lap to snuggle in every night. I can't give them that because my family members are allergic to cats & I have an indoor dog who hates the sight of felines!

So if you have the room in your heart & home for two very lovable and gentle kittens, please give my Kit & Kat a good family to love.

Pussy Stories & Other Tales

A couple of weeks ago, one of my cats; Musky, gave birth to 3 adorable little ones. But unfortunately since Sunday, Musky has not come home and I haven't the faintest idea what has happened to her. Considering that my neighbourhood isn't very animal-friendly (based on past encounters) I fear the worst has happened.

Also, another street cat, Latte who has been eating at my home, went missing. My mom witnessed her kitten being bundled up in a plastic bag by some neighbours and later we found the kitten was abandoned at the playground. It was heartbreaking to see it, barely a month old trudging along and through fear fell into a deep drain.

Luckily Sherrina K was able to locate a foster home for four kittens. I am totally unable to give them the care they need as I am caring for quite a number already.

Yet again I have no proof only suspicions that known cat abusers in my neighbourhood have decided to "elimate" nursing cats. Well, I only hope that if that were true, they will receive their just reward and karma.

Why is it so much easier to be unkind & hurtful than it is to be compassionate?

That is a question I have been asking myself quite a lot lately. Just recently there was a big ruckus between the owner of a certain food chain in the USJ area and residents. While residents were attempting to work out an amicable situation, he became aggressive and tried to intimidate certain residents.

Why react that way?

I don't think I can ever quite understand why people do the things they do. It doesn't matter which part of the world you are in or highly educated you are, if you are void of compassion, you are a sorry excuse for a human being.

Silent Cries

Finally, the silent cries have found a voice! First time author, Angeline Simone Chin launches her book on animal abuse; Silent Cries, today at Ikano Power Centre.

It is a book that is much needed to educate Malaysians on how to treat and care for animals. It describes the silent suffering many animals go through in the hands of their owners and strangers who treat them like garbage. Chin, a volunteer with the SPCA hopes that Silent Cries will bring about some change however small.

We live in a country where our people pay scant regard to the rights of animals. Helpless animals are gunned down in cold blood and irresponsible pet owners dump their no longer "cute" animals to the streets. Kittens wrapped in plastic bags are thrown into rivers and people don't think twice about poisoning or scalding street cats.

If we are going to call ourselves a developed nation then its high time we start behaving like developed human beings. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

It would be a sad day for Malaysia if we were to be judged by how we treat our animals, we will be seen as a lowly nation with stunted moral progress. Angeline Chin's Silent Cries is a step in the right direction to promote the awareness of animal rights and more importantly responsible pet ownership. But more than anything, I hope that this book will thaw the cold hearts of many Malaysians who don't batter an eyelid when causing grieveous harm to innocent animals.

Hopefully all of us will do our part in promoting this awareness. Make this book your Christmas gift for friends & family. Let them know that you care for the cries that die silently into the night.

Silent Cries (self-published) by Angeline Simone Chin will be launched today at Pet Safari in Ikano Power Centre, Petaling Jaya. It is priced at RM39.90 and for every book sold, RM5 will be donated to independent pet rescuers.

Photograph copyright TheStar Online Malaysia

Miracles Never Cease

A beautiful sight greeted me this morning; Lacey is still alive!

I still haven't a clue as to what put her in this state. She doesn't meow and she walks rather slowly. For a good 6 hours today she went missing and I thought that maybe, I won't see her again.

But she came back and actually went up to her food bowl and had a couple of munches.

My fingers are still crossed.

A Lesson In Hope

Three days ago, a friend sent me an email about 4 candles. The gist of it being that while Peace, Faith and Love can be blown out, the candle of Hope is the last one standing that can re-ignite the other candles.

Pretty cheesy stuff that I am usually not into but ironically today, a lesson in Hope was the order of the day.

I woke up this morning to find one of my cats, barely 6 months old, lying sprawled motionless on the ground in a pool of her own excrement. I touched her ice cold body and watched with desperation as she lay barely breathing. These were signs that I had experienced before and knew that her end was near. The only thing I couldn't figure out was how she got to this state when the previous night saw her full of life, prancing about with her sibling.

The only thing I knew I could do at that point was to make her as comfortable as possible so I carried her limp and almost lifeless body into a cage and set her down. That was around 10am. Through past experience, when they are at that stage, they normally die within an hour or so.

By 3pm, there was no difference. She was still breathing and occasionally would meow. I was feeling desperate and confused. I couldn't get her to a vet and knowing the clinic I go to, I knew exactly what they would do with her. In my opinion, if she wasn't in pain, she was much better off dying in a calm manner than dumped in a cage surrounded by howling sick animals.

5pm: I look out the window and she's out of the cage lying on her stomach. I rush out and give her a bowl of water. She struggles with all her might to stand up and manages to lap the water.

10pm: She's managed to wobble her way out of my backyard and onto the back lane. Although she's extremely weak and hasn't eaten, she manages to hold her head up.

Right now as I type this, she has gone and huddled herself in a corner. I really do not know if she will survive the night. Or whether, she would wander off to die on her own as some of my animals have done in the past.

But what I do know is that she has taught me an invaluable lesson in Hope. I have had to watch many cats that I have loved die slowly. Each time, I wished I had the strength within me to end their suffering. This morning, when I looked at my chubby Lacey, lying motionless, I again wished I had that strength to make it end for her quickly.

Her perseverance and determination to live, has taught me that regardless of past experience, Hope is always alive until the very end. And even then, Hope can still arise in the belief of a new beginning.

I am truly glad that I was too weak to blow the candle of Hope out.

Lacey...you go girl! Whatever happens, I am so proud of you my little cherub.