As the story goes, Ash first bought Nano, probably from a pet shop, some 5 years ago when he came to Singapore to study. After he graduated, Ash and his mother left Singapore to return to China in November 2011. Ash’s mom asked Bing if he could help look for temporary boarding for Nano, claiming that she would be returning to Singapore some 4-5 months later when things were more settled. Bing decided that since it was a short time and as he stayed in a terrace house which made it more convenient, he could help take care of Nano as he was familiar with Nano. Nano didn’t seem to mind the arrangement.
Months came and went but Ash’s mom did not return. It became more and more difficult to get hold of her but when Bing finally did, she promised that she would be back in June, so Bing held on to Nano for a little while longer. By June, there was still no news of her arrival. When Bing tried to call her again, her line was already disconnected. There was simply no way of contacting Ash’s mom.
By then, Bing had moved into a rented apartment which had strict rules against the keeping of dogs in the house. He was at his wit's end. Bing secretly kept Nano in his room while he searched online for other options. He found a couple that was willing to board Nano. Just as Nano was settling in with them, the couple had to leave Singapore. Nano only stayed with them for a few months. This brought Bing back to square one. Nano had no home and Bing had no options. Bing begged a classmate to keep Nano for a couple of days while he tried to think of solutions. That was when he turned to HOPE Dog Rescue for help.
Nano was in a sorry state. What should have been a healthy happy dog was really a furry, unkempt bag of skin and bones. At only half his expected weight, Bing said that when he first left the dog with the couple, he also left them a bag of kibbles, but it had barely been touched. We suspected that either the dog was fed very little or barely at all, which led to his current starving condition.
 |
| Getting a full medical done |
 |
| Sweet Nano loves car rides and is well behaved |
Nano is also blind, although he moves about with certainty and he seems to be coping well with his blindness for years. The cause is unknown but when we brought Nano to the vet, the vet suspected that it could be hereditary, since Nano is still young, estimated to be about 6 or 7 years old. According to Bing, Nano lost his sight when he was only 3 years old.
Despite his blindness, Nano is a very sweet tempered and easy-going dog. He loves receiving attention from people and enjoyed the cooked food we gave him. Our hearts broke that this poor boy has been passed from owner to owner; abandoned by his first owner, then given up by Bing due to circumstances, and probably forgotten by his boarders while he sat there hungry. Imagine sitting in darkness while you listened to the sounds around you, trying to make out what was going on. It is bad enough that as a blind dog, Nano can’t roam and play like a regular dog. Instead of receiving much-needed care, he lay there wondering what was going on. Where is everybody? Does nobody want me any more? When will my next meal be served?
 |
| Unkempt |
 |
| No fur on tail |
 |
| Long nails |
 |
| Weak hind legs |
 |
| Getting groomed @ Kool Pawz |
We are now looking for a loving home, either a foster or a permanent one, for poor Nano. With his easy-going personality, it is not difficult to fall in love with a dog that is desperately looking for someone to love him. As he is blind, Nano needs a home where there is at least one person at home most of the time to keep an eye on him. It would be ideal if the person works from home or goes out only for short hours. Having a domestic helper who loves dogs would be nice too. As Nano is used to being blind for a while now, all he needs is to adapt to his surroundings and familiarize himself with his new home. He will need to learn where his food and water bowls are, which table and chairs to avoid, and which direction to run to when he hears his new mommy / daddy call out to him.
 |
| Weak and malnourished.. Does he remind you of Prince? |
Click above to watch a video - Too weak to stand.
Except for a bit of extra care needed with a blind dog, Nano really isn’t very different from any other dog who craves to be loved and wanted by his owner. He may not be able to see but he can still hear your voice, feel your touch and grow with your love.
 |
| Will you be his guiding light? |
Will you be his guiding light? To adopt Nano, please email fiona@hopedogrescue.org
*Names have been changed.
** We thank Kool Pawz for grooming Nano and Karen Soh for fostering him temporarily.
Written by Elaine Quek
