Rei of HOPE

Rei’s recovery has been nothing but remarkable! His will to live has amazed us and he has since been discharged from the clinic. We thank everyone who has contributed to Rei’s well-being in one way or another. You’ve all made a difference in his life and shown him a side of humans that he has never seen or experienced.

Discharged from the vet

Looking healthier and happier

Loving his Lunar New Year treat

Rei has been living at the kennels for the past one week and we were fortunate to be able to find a place for him, as he was discharged just before the Lunar New Year and all the boarding kennels were fully booked. Sadly, we still have not found a foster or adopter for him. Letting him go back onto the streets is definitely not an option, as he isn't very street smart at all. Rei has also been warded at the clinic for so long now that it isn't fair to release him back into a life as a stray, since he has gotten used to regular meals and human contact. The regular meals are doing him good, and he is finally putting on weight and regaining his confidence. Although still very skinny and far from his ideal weight, we are proud of him for having put on 2kg! Since he has recovered well, he has undergone sterilization. We have decided not to amputate his toe, as he doesn't seem to be in pain any more and has learnt to cope with the fracture.

His wounds have healed nicely and we are just waiting for his fur to grow back!

Almost as good as new

His broken toe

Rei is only one of the many street dogs that we help here at HOPE. Each month, we take care of many injured street dogs requiring medical attention. We also rescue breeding dogs, as well as neglected and abused dogs. After we have given them the help that they need, we try our best to find homes for them, a permanent home where they will be loved, where they would not need to fight for survival each passing day, and where they will finally be happy.



Saving Rei

What a strong will to live!

We aspire to create a society where all dogs have a home and a family to call their own. Our street dog sterilization program (Spay It Forward) advocates a catch and release method to lower the stray dog population in Singapore. We really hope that no more puppies will have to be born on the streets into a world of pain, where survival is a daily struggle. We do what we can with the limited resources that we have, and we sincerely thank you for reading about our work and showing an interest in helping us help the dogs.
 

A big thank you again to everyone who has helped Rei, for renewing his faith in mankind. However, he still urgently needs a foster or a forever home.

The amazing dog

Will anyone please adopt sweet Rei? He will be happy as a garden dog, or even a factory dog, as long as he doesn't need to be back out on the streets. If he gets attacked on the streets again, he may not be as lucky as he was this time. He is a wonderful dog and all he wants is pats, love, and attention. He is very sweet to people, and is slowly learning to get on with other dogs, as he has had a tough life fighting with other dogs on the streets.


Should you wish to meet Rei or adopt him, please come visit him this Saturday 2pm as he will be at the vet for his second vaccination. For more details, please send Fiona an email at fiona@hopedogrescue.org


Read Rei's full story, from the moment we found him, hurt and helpless, to his amazing journey to recovery.
http://hopedogrescue.blogspot.com/2012/01/stray-dog-29.html
http://hopedogrescue.blogspot.com/2012/01/stray-dog-29-reis-updates.html

We long for the day that every dog has a home and every home has a dog!

Written by Elena Lin

Discarding The Old This Lunar New Year

15 January 2012, a sleepy Sunday at Hougang Ave 8, a middle-aged couple was walking their pet dog around the HDB playground when they realized a dog had been following behind them warily. They continued to walk their pet for another hour. On their way home and seeing the dog still tailing in such a pathetic manner, they decided to bring him to a nearby pet shop to see if there will be anyone keen to adopt him. The middle-aged couple has not visited the dog after leaving him in the shop.

Left at the pet shop

The pet shop thought there might be a lost notice to claim the dog, but a few days passed and nothing was posted on any blogs and no one ever came for the poor old dog. A regular customer, Mdm Lim, went to the shop to buy dog food and was shocked to see the little dog, a miniature Pinscher, in such a skeletal state. He had a wound on the stomach area and looked like he had skin problems too. It is definitely a case of neglect; this sweet Pinscher has a very warm and charming nature. Mdm Lim bought food to feed the dog because she felt sorry for him.

Nobody had any clue on how to help him, thus they decided to call HOPE Dog Rescue to save this dog from misery. HOPE responded and the miniature Pinscher was immediately transported to the vet for thorough check-ups to ensure he was alright.

Contributed by Bec Tan

Old, scared, alone, cold and hungry, he roamed the streets for weeks, exhausted and without the faintest idea where he was headed to. He had been caged for most of his life and his newfound “freedom” was not something he had bargained for. He was smart to follow the couple and ask for help. Had he not done that, he might still be pounding the streets.

Little Moose was horribly thin

Like most of the dogs we rescue, we first met at the vet. When I first set eyes on him, it struck me how much he resembled a tiny mousedeer. He was horribly thin with blotchy skin. His ribs protruded out of his tiny frame, his teeth jutted out from the sides of his mouth and he had a wound on the underside of his body. He wasn’t in obvious physical pain but his eyes... they told of an indescribable hard life that we could never even begin to comprehend.

Sadness and confusion in his eyes

Bad teeth but too weak to undergo any procedures right now

Having heard how he was found, I knew he would not have survived long had we not intervened, and so the pain of Moose unfolds here. (I named him Moose in the hopes that he would grow big and strong again.)

A senior miniature Pinscher, estimated to be around 8 years old, Moose was silent when I carried him. As I stroked his head, he leaned on my shoulder and his eyes immediately started to close. He was extremely exhausted and the security of being safe in my arms helped him relax.

The vet technicians felt sorry for him and offered him some canned food, but he showed no interest in eating or drinking. He just stared ahead blankly with an empty look in his eyes. He was grossly malnourished and slightly dehydrated, with eyes red from tiredness. The wound on his underside looked as if he had been lying on a hard surface for years, or caged in a very small cage for a terribly long time. The wound had hardened into a lump and it was weepy and infected, possibly from filthy living conditions and low immunity.

The wound on his underside

Examined by Dr Teo

Drawing blood from little Moose was a difficult task as he was malnourished and tiny; the blood just would not flow out. Fortunately after the third attempt, Dr Teo Jiawen managed to get the blood she needed to run the necessary tests. We had his eyes checked as well. While Dr Teo said his eyes were alright, blood tests revealed that he was positive for tick fever.

"Hold my hand and tell me everything will be alright."

Moose was given medication for his tick fever and has to revisit the vet in a month’s time.

We were fortunate to have found a temporary foster at the eleventh hour. Karen Soh immediately agreed to foster Moose temporarily.

Over the years of having rescued and rehomed numerous dogs, I have become rather observant towards their behavior. Noticing little things they do often reveal much about their past and hardships.

When we arrived at the foster home, we decided that Moose would sleep in the kitchen for the night. We sat with him on the kitchen floor while he sniffed the kitchen and familiarized himself with a brand new environment. He had a towel which we cuddled him in whilst we were at the vet. We used that towel as a “bed” for him to sleep on. Moose hadn’t a clue what to do with his bed. He peed on his bed, then lay on it comfortably. It was a sad sight. This convinced me that he had been locked in a small cage for a long time and that he must have been accustomed to eating, sleeping, relieving himself in the same small space that he had been limited to.

The ideal weight for a miniature Pinscher is about 4 to 5kg. Half of his ideal weight, Moose weighed in at only 2.4kg. With hardly any fat on his body, he shivered from the chilly night air. He needs to put on quite a bit of weight. We fed him some kibbles, which he ate, but he still refused water. It was close to midnight when we settled Moose in. He was exhausted and so were we.

Apart from Moose, we also alerted to 2 other dogs abandoned within that same day, but we have run out of fosters. Should you wish to help these abandoned dogs, please consider adopting. When you adopt, you are saving two lives: the dog you adopt and the dog you are making room for.

Moose has been grossly underfed and caged for the most part of his life. He needs love, a new home and a family to help him make up for lost time. All we ask is that you be patient with him where his toileting habits are concerned, as he has never been taught, nor loved.

"Please help me."

It’s amazing how much one person can do. Change his life. Take him home. Email fiona@hopedogrescue.org

Breed  :  Miniature Pinscher (not microchipped)

Age  :  8 to 9 years old (estimated)

Sex  :  Male / Not sterilized (will be when he is stronger)

Health  :  Tick fever (on medication) and wound on underside

Etc  :  Not paper trained. Extremely affectionate. Grossly underweight.

A brand new life ahead for little Moose

 We thank Karen Soh for fostering Moose.

 Photographs courtesy of Joceline Loo

HOPE Dog Rescue goes to Zouk

A while back, JUICE magazine held their 13th birthday bash at Zouk. They had kindly arranged to hold a raffle at the event, and donate all proceeds to HOPE Dog Rescue. We couldn't be more honored!

As the “charity” of the night, we even had our very own booth at the entrance of Zouk. We had the opportunity to distribute our name cards and flyers to spread the word about our blog, the work we do, as well as our Spay It Forward (Street Dog Sterilization) program. Our team of volunteers went all out to promote our work as well as to sell raffle tickets.

Setting up our booth before the big event

Our volunteers manning the booth

Friends and supporters came down to buy raffle tickets to support us, enjoy the free flow of beer and soak in the atmosphere.

Vivian and Hannah selling raffle tickets

JUICE magazine kindly set aside airtime on stage for us to share with the audience a little more about HOPE. Our volunteer, Katie Cload, was glad to share with the audience about our animal rescue work.

The crowd at Zouk

Katie telling the crowd more about HOPE

Raffle tickets were sold at $2 apiece, and our generous donors stood to win fabulous prizes sponsored by companies ranging from Ray Ban to Johnnie Walker. 5 hardworking volunteers worked the crowd, and we managed to raise over $948 from this event.

Raffle Tickets for sale

Grace and Kah Yat, who adopted one of our rescued breeding dogs.

Elena on the right selling raffle tickets

HOPE Volunteers

We would like to thank JUICE magazine from the bottom of our hearts for this wonderful opportunity to raise funds and awareness for our humble organization. Everything also wouldn't have been possible without the help of our dear volunteers; thank you all for your dedication. It was definitely a night to remember!

Written by Elena Lin
Photographs courtesy of Han Thon

Adoption Day This Saturday - Come Save A Life!

Adopt A Dog. Save A Life.

Please do NOT buy puppies or dogs. You can never start to imagine the sad lives these breeding dogs lead; caged up all their lives and made to breed twice yearly from the time they are 6 months old, till they are old and white and when they have outlived their productivity, they are simply discarded in an extremely inhumane way. Think! Stop breeding cruelty.


The dogs we have available for adoption are all rescued. Some were lost and never claimed. Others were abandoned when their owners had babies, got tired of them or simply when they no longer wanted a dog. HOPE Dog Rescue believes that all dogs should be given a fair chance at happiness and a life they truly deserve. Dogs are loyal, intelligent and selfless animals and not only do they bring us tremendous joy, they have so much to teach us as well.

Read about Crystal's heartbreaking story here and love her for the rest of her life! 

Keen to adopt Rei? Read about his fight for survival and his amazing road to recovery!

Teddy was found wandering along Paya Lebar some weeks back. His vision is poor and he now needs a new home and a new loving owner that will care for him.

Sparky and Momo were rescued from this pile of rubble in a construction site when they were less than a month old. Will you give them a home after what they have been through? 

All dogs are well behaved and and a pleasure to have and be with. There are no naughty dogs and no badly behaved dogs. If there are, it is the owner's fault for not having guided and nurtured the dog.


Should you wish to adopt a dog, please email us at fiona@hopedogrescue.org and we will email you a questionnaire to get to know you better. We will then provide you with more details on this Saturday's viewing of the dogs. After you have met the dog you intend to adopt, our volunteers will carry out house checks over the next two weeks, after which we will inform you if the dog has selected you to be his / her guardian for the rest of his / her life!


Please note that viewing of the dogs this Saturday is strictly by appointment only.


Thank you for choosing to adopt. You have saved a life.

Stray Dog #29 (Rei's Updates)

First and foremost, from the bottom of our hearts, we would like to thank everyone who has written in to offer financial aid to Rei. We have been touched by the overwhelming response from fellow doggie lovers to help with his vet bills. Rei is deeply touched by your kindness and concern.

Rei, resting at the clinic

He has been resting well at the vet and thankfully, is on the road to recovery. His fractured paw, although healing, is still extremely swollen. We hope it will improve quickly, so it wouldn't have to be amputated. His wounds were truly horrific, but fortunately only 2 maggots were found; though for a dog that's been through so much pain, this is really only a small comfort.

Having his wound cleaned

Applying honey to his wound. It aids in the healing process

A sweetened dog - honey on his wound

Although poor Rei is literally just skin and bones, his appetite is still not very good, perhaps because he hasn't eaten in a long time. His stomach may have shrunk from the lack of food, so he needs to be fed small meals throughout the day to get him used to eating again. Our wonderful volunteer, Lynette, has been cooking and delivering nutritious home-cooked meals to Rei, which are fed to him 3 times a day. Thanks Lynette! We can't wait for Rei to regain his strength and grow into the happy, healthy dog that he was meant to be.





Volunteer, Lisa, giving Rei some loving

Rei has a really sweet personality, and is friendly and docile. He's even very cooperative and doesn't struggle when getting his wounds cleaned, despite the amount of pain he must still be in. He is in need of a foster or a forever home, as he's only 2 years old and the odds of surviving on the streets are stacked against him. Rei doesn’t get along with other dogs or cats so if you are considering adopting or fostering him, he needs to be the only dog at home.





If you or someone you know would like to help give this gentle mutt a second chance at life, please contact fiona@hopedogrescue.org

Are you a fan of Rei? Stay tuned for more updates!

Written by Elena Lin

Stray Dog #29

Whilst we have been feasting and merry making, an emaciated stray dog struggled to live.

We saw him while driving along Upper Bukit Timah Road. He stumbled across the road, body keeling sideways and struggling to find his balance. We immediately made a U-turn and drove towards his direction, quick thoughts running through our minds that we already had a carrier, leash and towels on standby in our van, ready to save a life anytime.

He was weak and in agonizing pain. Did anyone love him before?

Our initial thought was that perhaps he had been hit by a car as his gait was unsteady and  traffic was heavy along that stretch of road. As we found somewhere safe to pull over and approach him, he continued to walk along the pavement, stumbling and trying to find his balance. Closer to him, the familiar smell of raw open wounds hit us. The sight of his wounds and injuries brought even seasoned rescuers like myself to tears. He had a huge gaping wound on the back of his neck; many long knife-like slashes running down all his legs, with cuts and scars covering almost ALL parts of his body! If you could have seen him, you would imagine he had just returned from a battle where he obviously didn’t triumph.

Scars, cuts and wounds covered his body

Getting some love from our volunteer while waiting to be seen by the Vet

As this was not a dog we were familiar with, we stood close to him to assess the situation and his temperament. He showed no signs of aggression while his eyes showed tremendous pain and sadness. We managed to leash him and put him into our carrier but as the clinic was closed, we took him to a friend’s home to rest while waiting for the clinic to reopen. He didn’t put up a struggle at all, as if he was ready to surrender and give up on life.

At our friend’s home, we lay him on the bed and tried to clean his wound. It was horrific. The skin on top of his head could be peeled open! The wound must have been at least a week to 10 days old. He was totally exhausted and collapsed on the bed, not having any energy to even get up to eat. He lay emotionless, peed and poo-ed on the bed; not because he could not control himself, but likely that he had been running away from danger for weeks and his legs could no longer carry him. He refused food and water, and seemed ready for death to take him. We looked at his skinny frame and felt sorry for him. Scars, wounds and cuts covered most parts of his body and we wondered how he even survived this long.

A sad and painful existence

Rei's ear

We named him Rei, derived from the word “Reiki”, a positive energy from the Universe.

When we arrived at the Vet, the vets were shocked at the extent of his injuries. His wounds were cleaned and all the necessary blood works done. Surprisingly, he was free of heartworm and tick fever, commonly found in the street dogs we rescue. His kidney and liver functions were healthy too. The vet estimated him to be perhaps only 2+ years old. They could not figure out how his injuries came about and speculated that he could either have fallen into a drain or got into a dog fight. Looking at his wounds, we guessed that he was perhaps caged for a long while and had tried to escape. In the midst of escaping, he may have gotten scratched by the fencing or metal wires, as seen by the gashes on his limbs. His huge neck wound could have been the result of a dog attack. Rei also had a swollen right hind paw with a fractured toe. If his toe does not heel soon, he risks having it amputated.

 

Trusting the vet nurse to clean his wound

His fractured paw

It was decided that he needed to be warded immediately as he was severely malnourished, dehydrated and his wounds needed cleaning twice daily. He needs to remain at the vet for at least two weeks, till his wound dries and closes. 


Safe in the hands of a friend

 Throughout the cleaning of his wound, Rei remained calm and cooperative. Without a name, without human companionship yet he was the sweetest dog ever – not a whine or flinch as the vet cleaned his horrifying wounds. Imagine the excruciating pain he was in. 

Animals don’t seem to hold grudges or hide their true opinions the way humans do. We could learn a lot from them. Over the years I have learnt that expressing emotion is not a weakness; it is a sign of strength and depth and I have developed a deep respect for the dogs I work with.

Often when we rescue strays, we are amazed by their resilience, faith and trust in mankind, despite what humans have done to them. Rei trusted us and the vet totally, leaning on them when they cleaned his wound, knowing in his heart that they were there to help. 

Emaciated and exhausted

Rei is expected to remain at the vet for quite some time and his vet bill is estimated to be about $1800/- because of his twice a day cleaning of his wound, x-ray, and stay during the holiday closures. 

Please email Fiona if you would like to contribute to Rei’s vet bills, foster or adopt him. hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg 

Save a life. Adopt a dog.

You are the reason why I have hope for the animals.