2.9.14

3-legged Dawn

Dawn has come a long way. From a feisty 3-legged little dog to a grand old dame, she has spent most of her life as a stray living in a factory. She was exposed to weather conditions and although she had kind feeders looking out for her, regular meals were a luxury. With only 3 legs, she was at a disadvantage as she could not run as fast as other dogs and this led to her capture by AVA on that fateful day. She also has to be feisty in order to stand her ground and protect herself against other strays especially since she is at a disadvantage with 3 legs.

Dawn
When she was first admitted to the vet after her bail out from AVA, she was so traumatized and scared that she withdrew into her shell and sat in the corner of the cage facing the far corner, with her back to the outside world. When we visited her, she ignored us. In the weeks that followed, she started to slowly withdraw from her shell, but she would still try to hide under the cages or any corners she felt safe in.

She had been at the vet for 2 weeks when I visited and was greeted by a smiling Dawn who sat facing the busy outside world! She seemed much more calm and no longer cowered in fear. She didn’t appear stressed. As I opened her cage, she allowed me to stroke her and rub her ears, a far cry from how she was when she was first warded. I took the leash out after she happily gobbled her dinner; she was so excited to be going out for walk! She walks, or should I say, hops well on leash. After she had peed on the grass, she lay down to enjoy the sun and watched the world go by. I was very sure she missed the stray life in some ways, the freedom, the fresh air and basking in the sun. She would occasionally rub her head against me. This was such a drastic change in her demeanor. She was still very wary of strangers and you would need quite a bit of patience to earn her trust and love. But it will definitely be worth it when she finally sees you as a friend and family. She has accepted the volunteers that visit her regularly but still growls at those who visit less often.

I sincerely hope that Dawn can find a home to call her own.

She is no longer a young dog, possibly about 7 to 8 years old, has only three legs and is a grossly misunderstood dame. It’s a miracle that she has survived this long on the streets. While others may see her as fierce and grumpy, truth be told, she yearns for love and a safe haven to spend her twilight years.

This is Dawn's caregiver in the factory where Dawn used to live. This lady no longer works there and that's how Dawn got trapped by AVA. She had no one to look out for her.


Dawn is a 3-legged local crossbreed, estimated to be about 7 to 8 years old. She has been staying at the vet for more than a month, putting on a lot of weight and getting too comfortable with the clinic stuff. They love her but it’s not a place for her to stay long term. She needs to be discharged asap . . . but where can she go? She can no longer return to the factory and we don’t want to put her in a kennel. She needs an immediate foster / adopter, someone who will give her space initially till she is ready to be approached, which might take a few weeks.

We don’t know how she reacts to children or other dogs, but if you have a space in your home and in your heart to accept Dawn, please email us at hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg

Written by Wendy Yeo