Kopi, Halfway There

Hello everypawdy! My name is Kopi.

Aren’t I so handsome? Look at me, smiling so happily and looking all dapper. You wouldn’t have expected that just two weeks ago, I was all down and dejected, being thrown out of what I thought was my furever home.

I am now safe and gradually learning to trust humans again and to get along with my fellow four-legged furpals of all shapes, sizes and breeds. These photographs of me were taken when one of HOPE’s volunteers came to visit me at my boarding place. I was so happy to see her again. She is one of the volunteer feeders who have been feeding me faithfully every Saturday for as long as I can remember.

I am really grateful to everyone for the outpouring of support towards me, especially my pawsome two-legged pals who have kindly sponsored my boarding, and all the volunteers who have helped me before - feeding me, cooking for me, helping to rehome me, bringing me to the vet, visiting me, searching for me when I was missing, sponsoring my needs or just asking about me. Thank you e-furry-pawdy! Without your help and support, Kopi may no longer be around... there would be kosong Kopi! That would be too sad, wouldn't it?

Kopi needs a foster and needs to be beefed up 

I'm currently still looking for my pawfect pawrents! You will never run out of Kopi at home with me around. I'm a male local crossbreed, about 3 to 4 years old. The humans suspect that I might be the brother of Audi & Vera. I have been sterilized, microchipped and vaccinated. The vet has also given me a clean bill of health. I am a sweet, affectionate, intelligent, handsome and extremely loyal boy with dogged determination. Because I am tall and suave, I am not HDB-approved. If you would like to foster or adopt me, please email hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg. Thank you! *sloppy licks of gratitude*

Vera's Updates

I’ve been volunteering with Hope Dog Rescue for more than a year, and my main role is being a photographer. Vera was one of the first dogs I worked with, and being relatively new to photography, her behavior and nature has influenced my dog photography greatly. I spent a lot of time observing her, trying to take pictures that accurately represents her personality, and to show everybody what a sweet girl Vera is. 

Vera, photo taken in mid 2016

Anybody that has worked with and cared for Vera will tell you how intelligent and confident she is. She is affectionate, but unlike some other dogs that require attention every 5 minutes, Vera is mostly fine with being alone after showing her appreciation when volunteers first walk through the door and greet her. She seemed to favour her spot at the balcony where she sits alone, instead of the other dogs who like to be around the volunteers throughout the day.

She can almost be described as nonchalant, aloof, not overly eager to please, and being very assured with herself even in new surroundings. She is not aggressive, but will not be afraid to stand up for herself if she feels threatened. Vera also has somewhat of a naughty and stubborn streak. She does little things that she knows she can get away with, like eating out of another dog’s bowl, or using her athleticism to lead her human during walks instead of the other way around. We were all very happy when Vera was adopted, she had been waiting a long time for a home and nobody knew things were going to end up the way it did.

Our family took Vera in after her release from the vet because she had no home to return to and needed as much care as she can receive. It’s been a few days since she’s been with us and the following is an update on her condition. I’m not trying to write a sob story, these are just some simple observations my family has made in the few short days she’s been here.

After Vera settled down following her arrival, she wolfed down her dinner, and then proceeded to vomit almost all of it out a few hours later.

Vera at a volunteer's home - she needs a foster

It seemed as though she couldn’t control herself, she just wanted to eat as much as possible even though it might make her uncomfortable. We have since reduced her food intake to manageable levels, small meals throughout the day supplemented with a little bit of diluted goat’s milk. She has been keeping her food down, licking her bowl clean after every meal, and we will gradually increase her calorie intake back to previous amounts.

There has been some changes in her behaviour as well. When she first arrived she was a little skittish, every small little movement and sound will be met with a concerned look from her. She has become very eager to please, repeatedly trying to offer her paws to us in almost every interaction she has with us. Vera will also scoot away with a whimper if somebody approaches her too quickly, especially from higher ground, like stairs. She has also been actively trying to avoid other dogs on our walks, perhaps not feeling confident of standing up for herself in her malnourished state. It took some coaxing for her to walk past houses with dogs at the gate, but overall she still seems very eager to explore. A few days have past since these observations, and we're glad to say that there has been improvements. Vera is a lot more at ease now, no longer trying to follow every single motion and sound we make, happy in her spot taking naps.

Vera feeling insecure, weak and tires easily

As for her physical state, it is very obvious that she is severely malnourished. Here are some pictures of her before, and compared to now. 

Poor Vera, had we not visited her, she may have died a slow death

Vera, looking regal, before she went to the family

Vera, when we took her back; reduced to a bag of bones

Vera obviously has a very long road to recovery ahead for her. Aside from getting her back to a healthy weight, only time will tell if there has been any significant changes or lasting impact on her mental health and character. For all those worried and hurt over what happened to Vera, we share the same worries, and we were definitely devastated to find her this way. However, the signs have been encouraging. Vera is getting more confident by the day, especially during walks, and her mischievous ways are beginning to return as well. She has spent the last 2 nights sleeping on the couch that I slept on when I spent the first night downstairs with her, probably just managing to jump off in time when she hears footsteps coming down the stairs every morning. With her fur on the couch and her being in between the couch and the coffee table instead of her usual place on her blankets, it’s safe to say Vera is back to her cheeky ways. It is proof that despite everything she has endured, our beloved Vera is still very much the same endearing dog that has charmed so many of the volunteers. Vera just needs all the care and love she can get to help regain her confidence. 

If you can foster Vera, please email hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg

Foster requirements :
* no dogs / no young children
* 2 slow, short walks a day as she still tires easily
* 3 to 4 small meals daily according to our instructions
* keep a record of her daily activities / food and water intake / mental well-being etc 


**This case is being investigated by AVA under the suspicion of failure in duty of care or animal cruelty by the previous owner. 

Kopi Updates

Dogs are such loyal creatures. The Christian halfway house have only had him for 2 months and yet Kopi would somehow find his way back to them no matter how they tried to “get rid” of him.

Two nights ago, our volunteers went to the halfway house after work to take Kopi to commercial boarding, but he absolutely refused to leave. It took 4 people, half an hour and lots of struggling and shoving to get him into the carrier. He was strong and fast and kept slipping from our grip. He even slipped out of his harness once amidst all the struggling. Thankfully, we were still on the premises at the time and were able to corral him. 

Removing Kopi from the halfway house

Refusing to budge

One can only wonder about the loyalty of dogs, and that of man. All it took was 2 months for the dog to bond to the place and the people. Yet, people have no qualms about abandoning a dog that has been with them for years, that has been there FOR them through the good and the bad. How heartless must a person be to dump a dog that has grown old with them like yesterday's trash.

Finally in the carrier after a lot of stressful struggling

In the 30 minutes of struggle and shoving, not once did Kopi bear his teeth, growl or show any form of aggression at all. He was sweet and good-natured. He had many opportunities to bite us. He could have bitten the hands that were pushing and grabbing at him but he did not. We wonder what could possibly be done to provoke him into biting 2 staff in 2 months. It must have been something much worse than all the pushing and shoving that we had subjected him to. We dare not imagine what that could be. Not surprisingly, we have never seen the injuries of the 2 “victims" for they were never around when we were there.

Settling in at the boarding place - didnt eat and drink the 1st night

Poor Kopi. Confused, scared and with tail tucked in, he went to commercial boarding. At the boarding facility, he was too stressed to eat and drink and was constantly trying to escape.

We hope that a family will read Kopi's story and feel sorry enough for him to take him in and make him feel loved again. He has proven to be fiercely loyal and intelligent, finding his way back to the halfway house, time and time again.

Handsome and mesmerizing 

Give Kopi a forever home and be rewarded with the love and loyalty that only a dog can give.

Kopi is a male, local crossbreed. Estimated to be around 3 to 4 years of age, he is in perfect health, sterilized, vaccinated and microchipped. A tall, strapping male, though still a little on the thin side at 23kg, he is NOT HDB-approved.

Be a good boy, Kopi. Please don't escape. Promise we'll find you a good family for you soon.

To adopt Kopi, email hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg.

Written by: Sam

Kopi Is Unwanted

Have you ever felt like a soccer ball being kicked around from one point to another or been on a roller coaster ride of emotions? This is what poor Kopi must feel like. Kopi is a very sweet and well-behaved boy who was from Trixie’s and Matilda’s factory. We had been feeding Kopi and all his friends from the same factory religiously every Saturday night until the factory vacated the premises and shifted to a new location. The factory brought Kopi and his equally friendly friend Milo over to the new factory, leaving behind Horlicks and the other doggies from a different pack, including Matilda and Trixie. They could not bring Horlicks over as it was too difficult to catch Horlicks. Luckily for Horlicks, Hope stepped into the picture and caught him after much elbow grease and pulling out all the stops. We activated a team of not less than 10 volunteers to try to rescue Horlicks, who is now happily adopted! If only Kopi could have a happy ending like Horlicks too!

Look at poor Kopi - covered in dust and prone to eye infection because of the sand

After Kopi and Milo shifted to the new location, we continued to follow up on their well-being. When we visited the new factory, our hearts sank. The environment was even less salubrious than the previous location. Kopi and Milo’s new home was less accessible than their previous home and felt like a desert. Dust and sand flew everywhere and every step that we took was on grime and mud. The backdrop of sand dunes would now be the new playground that Kopi and Milo call home. Thrice a week, our volunteers would take turns to go to the new location to check on Kopi and Milo and feed them. We also kept in touch with the workers at the new location and told them that they could contact us if they needed any help with Milo and Kopi. About over a year ago, poor Milo went missing. He is so adorable. We will always remember him. We always looked forward to seeing him during our feeding rounds on Saturday nights and every week we would wipe the discharge from his eyes with tissue and apply eye drops for him. Sigh. Such is the fate of the poor strays. They are subject to the elements and we never know when our last meeting with them would be.

Kopi all alone and missing his dear friend, Milo

Beneath all that sandy exterior is a gorgeous, jet black dog

With Milo missing, poor Kopi was then alone. We learnt that the factory again shifted to a new location. It was smaller but just as sandy. A year went by and recently, one of the workers contacted us for help to rehome Kopi as he was no longer working at the factory and was worried about the fate of Kopi with him away and with the impending move (again!) of the factory. The kind worker has been an active volunteer of a halfway house for more than ten years. He spoke to his friend, then the director of a Christian halfway house, who expressed interest in adopting Kopi. Hope gladly agreed to send Kopi over to the halfway house and assist the halfway house with the vaccination of Kopi and any teething issues they may face with the adoption of a new dog. We had our hopes up high and we are sure Kopi did too. Everyone was overjoyed for Kopi. Finally, Kopi would have a furever home that was not just a sandcastle in the air, or so we thought.

Kopi has been feeling sad and unwanted 

Two months went by and things were quiet for a while. The last we checked, Kopi was eating well and sleeping well. Everything seemed rosy. Suddenly, on a weekday afternoon, we received a phone call from the worker, who informed us that Kopi had gone missing. Oh dear… our hearts sank again. We immediately activated a team of volunteers to help with the search of Kopi. It turned out that Kopi had gone back to the factory. We found out that a delivery man had left the gate open and that was how Kopi went out. Everyone thought Kopi would be happier at the factory since he had made the effort to walk all the way back to the factory, so we did not bring Kopi back to the halfway house and let him play at the factory with his new friends there (yes, after Milo went missing and the factory shifted, Kopi had made some new friends at the new location!). Lo and behold, three days later, we received yet another phone call from the worker, who informed us that Kopi had walked back to the halfway house. The residents of the halfway house were elated and quickly welcomed Kopi back.

Just when we thought Kopi’s fate had been sealed and he would have a furever home again, the worker contacted us again. Oh dear… what could have happened again? Nope, you guessed it wrong… Kopi did not walk back to the factory again. However, we had to send Kopi back to the factory. The halfway house had an overhaul of its management and the new director of the Christian halfway house does not want to keep Kopi at the halfway house. With bittersweet feelings, we released Kopi to the factory yet again. After thinking about Kopi for a whole night, we received a phone call yet again from one of the residents of the halfway house. Good gracious us, Kopi had walked back to the halfway house again! What do we do now? The new management does not want to keep Kopi. They want Kopi out immediately or else they would call in the authorities to have him removed. If Kopi does not leave the halfway house by tomorrow, Tues, 6 June 2017, the new management will contact AVA and culling will be in the cards for Kopi. We cannot bring Kopi back to the factory as it is likely that Kopi will keep walking back to the halfway house and this will happen ad infinitum.    

Kopi snuggling up to his favourite worker (photo taken 2 months back)

Poor Kopi! Imagine being told you are loved by someone and being given a new home by this person, then being thrown out of the home time and again. Poor Kopi must be so baffled. Confused and unwanted, poor Kopi desperately needs a new home. Kopi needs a foster who can take care of Kopi until he is adopted or an immediate adopter. 

Handsome Kopi

Kopi is a male local crossbreed, about 23kg, estimated to be about 3 to 4 years old, healthy, vaccinated, sterilized and microchipped. He has been tested negative for heartworm and tick fever.

If you would like foster or adopt Kopi or know of anyone who may be interested in doing so, please email us at hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg. Kopi is not HDB approved but fostering in HDB is fine. Thank you!

Note : We do not know how Kopi is with other dogs although he was pretty much a loner in the factory. He is tall and well-built, thus not HDB approved. We reckon he may be the sibling of Audi and Vera  because they have the same eyes and the same built. Their original factories were just 1 lane away.