(MY) Furry Friends Farm

[Guest guest]

A farm for animals to thrive

The Star

BY JACLYN SHARMELEE and PIAREE RAJANDRAN

November 13, 2006

 

THE Furry Friends Farm is a one of a kind shelter for animals.

 

Sited amid the greenery of Kundang village in Sungai Buloh, in Kuala Lumpur, it

offers 1.2ha of land for stray and abandoned dogs and cats to run and play

freely.

 

Animal welfare education officer Sabrina Yeap, who works at an animal medical

centre in Jalan Tun Razak, started the farm with couple Jimmy and Lucia Foo.

 

It was opened on Oct 4, to mark World Animal Day. Currently, they have just

three workers.

 

Backed by 15 years of working experience with the Society for the Prevention of

Animals (SPCA) and lots of encouragement from friends, she decided to set up the

home to " rehabilitate " abandoned animals to become pets and companions.

 

The farm provides for the animals to roam free in a garden-like setting rather

then be kept in shelters or within small and closed compounds.

 

Currently, there is just one dog, a stray that Yeap had picked up.

 

She said she was confident that the farm would receive public support in time to

come.

 

She added that the farm would have a fishpond and there are also plans to rear

goats there.

 

Yeap said the farm did not impose any fee on animals that were taken for

adoption and that she welcomed contributions – in kind – to help in the

upkeep of the farm.

 

However, she added that they intend to make the farm self-supporting rather than

depend on public donations.

 

This would be done by selling their own homemade dog shampoo as well as cakes

and vegetables from their farm to the public.

 

" We also plan to rear free-range chickens and sell their eggs, " said Yeap,

adding that they intend to educate children and give them a hands-on experience

with animals as well as teach them to care for the animals. The farm has started

its own blog as a tribute to an abandoned dog called Sheena.

 

Yeap said the website, which seeks to create more awareness about the “ethical

treatment of animalsâ€, can be accessed at remeberingsheena.blogspot.com

 

Sheena was abandoned in August 2005 by her owner and was left to starve for many

days before she was rescued by the SPCA, who found her tied and sleeping in her

own faeces.

 

However, the rescue came too late. Sheena had to be put to sleep on Aug 18,

2005.

 

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/11/13/central/15643421 & sec=centr\

al

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Furry Friend Farms

 

Since the above article was written, many dogs have arrived at Furry Friends,

including Joy the stray recently beaten by construction workers.

 

Best of luck to Sabrina Yeap and the Foos.

 

More information/photos here:

 

-Remembering Sheena Blog:

 

Furry Friends Farm - A Dream Come True

 

http://remembersheena.blogspot.com/2006/11/furry-friends-farm-dream-come-true.ht\

ml

 

-Davina's Blog:

 

Green grass of home

 

http://retardationation.blogspot.com/2006/12/green-grass-of-home.html