Why, then, do people look down on stray dogs? Why do families prefer to buy pedigree pets from shops, instead of adopting a mongrel? Is it because they don’t fit into their definition of beauty? Is it because they are dirty from having lived a life on the streets?
Just like us humans, dogs cannot choose where they’re born or who they’re born to. That doesn’t mean that street dogs deserve any less than pedigree dogs who have been bred for sale. They have the same feelings, they need the same love, and if anything else, they deserve it most for having suffered so much and being so brave.
We complain about how disgusting the food from the office cafeteria is, or how our food contains certain icky ingredients that we don’t particularly like. But these dogs don’t even know where their next meal will come from, or when it will be. They may not even survive till then.
When we rescue them, we see the hope slowly come back into their eyes. It can take months or years, but we can see them growing stronger and happier, as time passes. They’re content. Their tails wag. They’re happy just because they get regular meals shoved through their cage doors a few times each day. They’re happy with the few hours of attention they receive each week. They’re happy because they have a safe place to sleep at night.
But yet, it breaks our hearts that they don’t know how much better life could have been, if only they were born fluffier, smaller, or fairer. It saddens us to know that some of them may never know what it’s like to be part of a loving family. They aren't given the chance to love and be loved, because they’re “ugly”, just a stray. They have only ever known how the cold floor of a kennel feels, seen the human world from the inside of a cage, or how gravel feels under the belly. Meanwhile, people continue to pass them over, opting instead for that doggy in the window.
Why can’t we find them homes? We know that they may not look like the doggy version of a runway model, but we don’t think that makes them any less amazing. They each have their own unique personality and are so full of life. They have such a capacity for love, and we really believe that they deserve to be loved in return. No matter what they look like, no matter how slim the chances are, we will never stop hoping that one day, someone will see them as the special dogs they are and bring them back to their forever homes.
You've read about Matthieu and Cooper, street dogs that have suffered all their lives. Matthieu is estimated to be about 10 years old, while mini Cooper is all of 7 mths; their pain, you can only imagine. |
| Matthieu |
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| Cooper the puppy |
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Fat Girl Brown Happy enjoying her stick |
Happy, a female local cross breed, has been living at the kennels for the past 7 months, abandoned and tied overnight outside a veterinary clinic. Fat Girl Brown, a female local cross who has spent her entire life (5 years) living on the streets and rescued recently when her sister passed away from distemper and she was left alone.
These local dogs are affectionate, highly intelligent and a pleasure to have. They are incredibly lovely dogs, but they’re big, brown, or black. Happy is obviously happy and energetic. She’s also lean and black, and not what people would describe as “cuddly”. Fat Girl Brown is shy, affectionate and calm, albeit some separation anxiety. These dogs are sweet-natured, and suckers for pats and cuddles. They need families to look after them and care for them, because their probability of survival back on the streets is not high.
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| Happy playing at the dog run on her weekly outings with volunteers |
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| Happy and her guitar motif on her chest |
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| Fat Girl Brown |
If you would like to adopt or foster any of the dogs above, please contact fiona@hopedogrescue.org. Adopt a mutt, they're the best thing that could ever happen to you!
Note : Dogs adopted from HOPE Dog Rescue all undergo a thorough medical check up inclusive of blood works for tick fever, heartworm, kidney and liver functions, skin culture for ringworms, checking of teeth, ears and eyes, as well as microchipping, sterilization and vaccination. All our rescue dogs are put on Heartgard and Frontline. We spare no costs in ensuring the well being of our dogs.
Written by Elena Lin
Note : Dogs adopted from HOPE Dog Rescue all undergo a thorough medical check up inclusive of blood works for tick fever, heartworm, kidney and liver functions, skin culture for ringworms, checking of teeth, ears and eyes, as well as microchipping, sterilization and vaccination. All our rescue dogs are put on Heartgard and Frontline. We spare no costs in ensuring the well being of our dogs.
Written by Elena Lin
