(MY) pet rescuers

[Guest guest]

Meet the pet rescuers - New Straits Times

By : MEERA MURUGESAN <meera

 

*2008/05/28* [image: A love for animals motivates the pet rescuers. (From

left) Chang, Toh, Brown and Cheah.]

A love for animals motivates the pet rescuers. (From left) Chang, Toh, Brown

and Cheah.

 

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.

[image: Toh says that with proper training and handling, rescued dogs can

make good pets.] Toh says that with proper training and handling, rescued

dogs can make good pets.

 

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.

 

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.

Share <http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://www.nst.com.my>