Most of you know by now, strays lead very hard lives. The
worst ones are those that live in forested areas and have no feeders. They are
exposed to the rain, the cold, snakes and who knows what else. It’s even sadder
when one female dog comes on heat and the unsterilized males come from miles
away to literally hunt her down and mate with her.
Watch video https://youtu.be/sTm_OfvWAL4
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| Took us 3 hours but it was well worth the wait - biting the cage to try to escape |
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| We reckon she's about 5 to 6 mths old, got her just before she comes in season |
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| Volunteers hard at work |
One can imagine the fear of being cornered by many males,
being raped, the pain, the cries, and not just once but many, many times over
the next few days until all the male dogs have had their turns on her, starting
with the most alpha. The males often get hurt in the process as they fight for
the female dog, this is when we see them with maggot wounds.
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| First time coming in contact with humans, terrified |
The first time I saw a female dog being mated upon, almost a
decade ago, I could not sleep for days. Her cries played through my mind, over
and over again. The guilt I felt, that I could do nothing to stop them as there were more than 8 male dogs chasing after 1 female and I would risk being
attacked if I stepped in. And that was when I realized the importance of
sterilization.
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| After sterilization, still groggy |
Two nights back, a team of volunteers went down to try and
trap a mama dog and her 2 young puppies. We had managed to ask CAS for help in
paying for the sterilization costs, while we paid the dog trappers and
Exclusively Mongrels had agreed to take in the two 2-month old puppies. This
was a perfect example of animal welfare groups working hand in hand for the
betterment of the dogs and I hope, is just the start of a wonderful working
relationship. We didn’t see the mommy and her puppies so we drove around the
vicinity and chanced upon 7 strays living in a forested area; 2 females, 5
males (one had a maggot wound on his back). Of the 2 females, one was in heat
and the males were all cornering her. The other female, a young puppy of about
5 mths, was left alone and by a twist of fate, she entered the trap that we had
set up for the other female in heat.
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| Imagine a 5 mth old puppy looking so old, sad and tired |
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| "Am I going back to the forest?" |
She is now at the vet undergoing her sterilization and CAS
have kindly agreed to let her stay for 5 days to ensure the wound is nice and
clean before releasing her back to the forested area where she will spend the
rest of her lifetime scavenging for food, and living in the cold and wet
forest. Next week we will be going down to trap the other female and if we
can’t get her, we’ll take any dog we can for TNR (Trap-Neuter-Release).
Although I have always known the importance of
sterilization, I have also always dreaded catching them to be sterilized
because I often feel bad releasing them back to their sad, horrible lives. And
did you know, AVA doesn’t care if a dog is sterilized or not, when they trap
and cull? So even after we return this puppy to that forested area, all it
takes is one phone call from an intolerant member of the public and AVA would be
there for the kill, regardless of whether the dog is sterilized.
And so, time is running out and I have been losing sleep
over this puppy who has 3 days left of hope, before she is returned to the
forest.
If anyone can save her, sponsor her, foster her, adopt her,
please please email us hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg
Do bear in mind that she is a fresh rescue, fresh from the forest and has had
zero human contact. Do not expect a dog that is going to be sociable with you,
friendly, walk well on leash, good during shower, pee pad trained etc because
she has lived in the forest all her life.
I thank you for hearing me out and pray that although I
can’t save the world, I can at least save one puppy from the forest.
With gratitude,
Fiona
Founder
HOPE Dog Rescue
