A friend alerted us about 5 stray puppies in an open field at an industrial area.
So the next evening, Mul and I went to have a look and to check if they have sufficient food to eat and that their condition is fit for sterilization.
So the next evening, Mul and I went to have a look and to check if they have sufficient food to eat and that their condition is fit for sterilization.
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| Playing in a field |
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| Feeding the puppies |
We got to know Uncle Tan who is their de-facto caregiver, as they were born in the workshop where he works. Uncle Tan, together with a few other kind souls, have been feeding the dogs there regularly.
Two years ago, there were only 3 dogs (1 female and 2 males). Unfortunately, only 1 of the males is sterilised. Recently, the unsterilized female gave birth to a litter of 8 puppies. One puppy died in an accident, leaving 7 puppies. The population then increased from 3 to 10 (4 females, 5 males and 1 unknown gender). From time to time, some people who passed by the area saw the cute puppies and took them home but "returned" them to the open field when the puppies grew too big for their new homes.
Two years ago, there were only 3 dogs (1 female and 2 males). Unfortunately, only 1 of the males is sterilised. Recently, the unsterilized female gave birth to a litter of 8 puppies. One puppy died in an accident, leaving 7 puppies. The population then increased from 3 to 10 (4 females, 5 males and 1 unknown gender). From time to time, some people who passed by the area saw the cute puppies and took them home but "returned" them to the open field when the puppies grew too big for their new homes.
Uncle Tan feeds and cares for the dogs - they love him!
Mul befriending a sweet girl whom we named Trixie.
She is available for rehoming.
The puppies looked 7-10 months old to us and we foresee that the first heat will come anytime soon. It is a race against time for us and we have to act fast before more litters of puppies are produced.
This is why sterilization is the key to controlling the population of stray dogs. These street dogs spend their whole life searching for scraps every day. If their population is not kept in check, this will result in overpopulation and fighting over already scarce food sources.
These are the challenges that we face when we sterilize street dogs:
1. We need to raise funds to pay for the sterilization costs. Since our funds are limited, we can only sterilize the females first.
2. We need volunteers who are available to pick up the dogs and send them to the vet’s clinic the night before the surgery as well as to return them back to where they come from the following evening after the surgery. In order to help us transport the strays, who will be in a large pet carrier, you would need to drive either a van or a SUV.
3. If we cannot get volunteers then we have to arrange for pet transporters, which means we need to appeal for more funds to pay for the transportation costs.
4. We are given 2 sterilization slots every week, it means that we are limited to 2 stray dogs/cats per week. Thus, it has to be a weekly affair for the volunteers in order to cope with the huge number of strays waiting in queue to be sterilized.
5. The stray dogs are usually tick-infested which sometimes makes them anemic. Some even die from tick fever. We have to apply Frontline / Accurate on them weekly to get rid of the ticks before severe health problems surface.
An introduction to the 7 friendly puppies:
This is why sterilization is the key to controlling the population of stray dogs. These street dogs spend their whole life searching for scraps every day. If their population is not kept in check, this will result in overpopulation and fighting over already scarce food sources.
These are the challenges that we face when we sterilize street dogs:
1. We need to raise funds to pay for the sterilization costs. Since our funds are limited, we can only sterilize the females first.
2. We need volunteers who are available to pick up the dogs and send them to the vet’s clinic the night before the surgery as well as to return them back to where they come from the following evening after the surgery. In order to help us transport the strays, who will be in a large pet carrier, you would need to drive either a van or a SUV.
3. If we cannot get volunteers then we have to arrange for pet transporters, which means we need to appeal for more funds to pay for the transportation costs.
4. We are given 2 sterilization slots every week, it means that we are limited to 2 stray dogs/cats per week. Thus, it has to be a weekly affair for the volunteers in order to cope with the huge number of strays waiting in queue to be sterilized.
5. The stray dogs are usually tick-infested which sometimes makes them anemic. Some even die from tick fever. We have to apply Frontline / Accurate on them weekly to get rid of the ticks before severe health problems surface.
An introduction to the 7 friendly puppies:
1 Tri Female (Trixie or Wang Wang)
1 Black Female (Timid)
2 Black Tan Females (White Nose and Sweet Girl)
1 Black Male (Snoopy)
1 Black Tan Male (Big Paw)
1 Black Tan Unknown (Missing For 2 Weeks)
HOPE Dog Rescue strongly believes that sterilization is the way to go, to control the stray dog population. Spay It Forward.
Contributed by Justina Han
