(MY) Kuning's no coward

[Guest guest]

Kuning's no coward — he's a deep-sea rescuer -Malay Mail

Darshini Kandasamy <http://www.mmail.com.my/source/darshini-kandasamy>

Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009 07:26:00

 

HIS name is Kuning and he's fast gaining a reputation as a wonder dog,

helping animal rescuers bring home fellow canines from the uninhabited

islands off Pulau Ketam, Klang.

 

Indeed, according to pet rescuers, Kuning — who had gone missing two weeks

ago — and his fellow pooch- Hitam are touted as the 'leaders' for aiding in

rescue of 18 abandoned dogs.

 

Kuning was one of the first batch of dogs left by Pulau Ketam villagers on

an isolated island. He swam from the mangroves to the nearest *kelong

*(floating

fish farm) where he and Hitam were adopted by the workers there.

 

Furry Friends Farm (FFF) principal Sabrina Yeap said that Kuning did not

know what the rescue missions were about when they first started on May 2.

 

" We asked for the fishermen's help but because of the jellyfish and sea

snakes, we had discouraged them to go into the water. Unexpectedly, Kuning

swam to the island one day. Some of the dogs there followed him and swam

back out. It was as though he understood we were trying to lure out the

dogs, " related Yeap.

 

" The fishermen would then place cages on the boat and coax the swimming dogs

into climbing onto the boats and straight into the cages. "

 

She said the fluctuations between high and low tides had hampered rescue

missions but the combined efforts of Kuning and Hitam and the fishermen

helped to save time and speed up operations.

 

" Hitam would eat fish at the *kelong* and swim out to the island where he

would actually cough out the food for the other dogs to eat, " narrated Yeap.

 

FFF managed to rescue 21 dogs, three on their own and the rest with the

'follow the leader' style of Kuning and Hitam. Yeap said proudly: " They

deserve medals. "

 

Even the *kelong *workers felt safer with the two around as they proved to

be excellent guards, barking and alerting the workers whenever anyone neared

the place.

 

So, when free-spirited Kuning went missing, speculation was rife for about a

fortnight about what could have happened — until he was found, safe and

sound with veteran webmaster-blogger TV Smith, who was also doing rescue

work. Kuning had been mistaken by two independent rescuers for one of the

abandoned dogs and carted off for fostering.

 

But you can bet after a fully sponsored break with free board and breakfast

and more, Kuning is back