We were at Seletar Country Club for a different reason. We had received reports of two dachshunds that had been reportedly abandoned at the beach nearby. They were supposedly spotted at some fish shack off an uncompleted road. After driving around the area for nearly two hours based on very vague descriptions given to us by various sources, we finally found the spot. However it was during this drive that fate that led us to Ben and Jerry.
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| From the main road, we saw this little injured puppy inside the construction site (we named him Jerry) |
We drove past a filthy, dusty construction site and saw two small dogs on the dirt track. From afar, they looked like the dachshunds we were looking for so we turned back and entered the site. However when we got near, we realized that they were local breed, 1-month-old puppies; two brothers, black and one cream.
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| Spot the tiny puppy |
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| Only as big as a shoe (big brother Ben) |
Workers from the construction site were standing around looking at the two puppies so I asked them if they knew where the puppies came from, or if they knew where the puppies’ mommy was. One of the workers said that someone had taken these two puppies from Seletar Country Club and brought them over, thus separating them from their mommy.
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| Little Jerry. Had we not saved him, he would have died from an infection or septic shock |
While talking I noticed that the cream puppy had a broken tail, hanging at a strange angle. I asked the worker if he knew what happened but he didn’t. Instead he asked if the tail could be cut off! This was something only a vet could determine so we decided to take it to one. We took down the worker’s details, promising to return the following day to pick the puppies up to see the vet. As we left, I looked at the dismal conditions around us; the site was extremely dirty, dangerous and dusty. There was a little broken down doghouse that the worker tried to keep the dogs in but they didn’t want to stay in it, for obvious reasons. It was terribly small, left out in the open under the hot sun. When it rained, there was no proper shelter so the rain splashed in. The bowls of water they left for the dog was filled with red ants. The worker was angry that the puppies did not want to stay in the small house. It was saddening to find humans who did not understand dogs at all.
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| The workers expected the puppies to live there alone! |
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| Empty food and water bowls, infested with red ants |
We continued our search for the dachshunds and finally found them at the fish shack as described. The uncle living at the fish shack said that someone had previously abandoned 3 dogs there but one went missing, leaving only the two we saw. We took the time to observe the two dogs, which seemed healthy and happy. The uncle actually took pains to take care of them, showing us the dog food he had bought for them. We left, assured that they were cared for by someone.
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| Imagine these little puppies living alone, without mommy, food or water. (Jerry) |
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| Baby Ben |
Young volunteer Sherrie pointed out that the vet was still open and that we could take the puppy with the broken tail in, so we returned to the site where we first found them. The two pups were asleep amidst the debris, so we carried them in towels and rushed to vet.
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| Gracia taking the puppies to safety |
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| A badly injured and broken tail |
Our volunteers Sherrie held Jerry, while Gracia carried Ben (black puppy) during our drive to the vet. We decided to take Ben along, as we didn’t want him to miss his brother and wander out to main road looking for him only to be hit by a car. We also thought that we might as well bring him in for a full medical check-up and deworm. Vaccination had to wait, as they were too young for it as it is typically given at 6-8 weeks old. They were barely a month old.
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| Jerry's broken tail |
After checking Jerry’s broken tail, the vet said that it was probably broken a few days before as the wound was very raw. It could possibly have been stuck in something and the skin and tail broke while Jerry tried to break free from being stuck. The vet also said that if we did not amputate the broken tail, the wound might turn septic and worsen. He advised that we did it now while the puppy was fit so that it had a better chance of recovery. We decided to heed the vet’s advice.
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| Sherrie with Jerry |
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| Gracia with Ben |
So the tail amputation was done the next day. The little puppy cried and whined so much – probably in pain, and also missing his mommy and brother by his side. Such a tragedy, to have such harm and pain come to a tiny creature that had only lived on earth for 30 days.
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| Poor Jerry after his tail amputation |
Both puppies are currently being fostered by young volunteer Gracia but we desperately need to get them adopted soon. We don’t have a shelter or the funds to keep them for long, not with the 15 other rescue dogs we are still trying to find homes for. These puppies are too young to be returned to where they were found. They deserve to be placed in a home that can give them the love that they need to grow and thrive.
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| ADOPT JERRY |
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| ADOPT BEN |
If you would like to help, you could do so by dropping us an email if you wish to do one of the following:
1) Help us with the vet bills incurred by Jerry’s surgery. You may do so by sending a cheque to Hope Dog Rescue.
2) Adopt Jerry (male, 1 mth old, local cross breed)
Photo credits Gracia Ang and Sherrie Tan. Written by Elaine Quek for Fiona Foo
