Mr Aziz. Kindness Knows No Barriers

Working as volunteers in an animal welfare group, we often see dogs that have witnessed a lot of unkindness. Cases of abandonment, abuse, neglect, etc. are all par for the course.

But we have also met people who show real kindness to animals too. And it's these people who really stand out in our memory. After all, isn't it much more heartwarming to hear and tell tales of kindness rather than of cruelty? Today, our story is about Mr Aziz. Although he is a Muslim man, his dedication towards helping street dogs is truly inspiring and unforgettable.

Our two favourite old men <3 <3

We first met Mr Aziz five years ago, when he saved Matthieu, an old street dog. Mr Aziz had been feeding and caring for Matthieu for 2 years, when Matthieu unfortunately met with an accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Without his care and intervention, Matthieu would surely have wasted away and died a slow, sad death alone at the work site. Although HOPE stepped in to take care of Matthieu's medical needs, Mr Aziz and his family remained involved in Matthieu's recovery and visited him at the vet. Mr Aziz would even pat Matthieu gently on the head.

Although Matthieu still doesn't yet have a permanent home, he's doing very well today in the care of a foster family. Despite being at the grand old age of 15, Matthieu's memory is still very good. When Mr Aziz visits (once or twice a year), Matthieu never fails to light up in happiness and recognition.

Mr Aziz was also the person who saved Baby Harper, another "diaper dog". But Harper, 4+ years old now and also up for adoption, doesn’t remember Mr Aziz because she was less than 2 months old when he saved her :)

What a kind man Mr Aziz is! 

Today, Mr Aziz still continues to feed more than 20 street dogs that live around an industrial area. We help him out by supplying dog food to him on a monthly basis. Unfortunately, we can't always afford enough food for all the dogs. On the days when food is short, Mr Aziz would buy 10 loaves of bread with money out of his own pocket to feed the dogs, so that they will not go hungry.

That's how it's been for the last 5 years - Mr Aziz and HOPE Dog Rescue together, feeding dogs and saving dogs. We are truly touched and inspired that Mr Aziz has remained so dedicated and kind to all these street dogs. As people who care for the well-being of animals, all of us are just doing the best we can. And we'll continue to supply food to Mr Aziz, for as long as he is willing and able to feed the dogs.

You, too, could play a part! Help us and Mr Aziz by contributing some dog food. Purchase BARK kibbles from Pet HQ, pay by online funds transfer, and they will deliver your order directly to us. Fuss-free and simple for you, yet it will mean so much to us, Mr Aziz, and all the dogs that he feeds. Just call Peggy at one of the numbers below to place an order.

PET HQ
Tel: 6265 8510 / 9661 6103

A little kindness goes a long way! Will you lend us your helping hand?

Update: Baby Sugar (III)

Sugar, a name that should mean a sweet, charmed life and yet, in the 3 months of her short life, Sugar has known nothing but pain, suffering and sorrow.

Eyes that have seen more than they should 

Rehabilitation 

More than a week after her surgery, she is still not standing, even though she was supposed to stand 3 days after surgery. We are taking her to the vet this Saturday to do more x-rays. We feel that there may be more fractures. She has lost muscle mass in her hind legs and spends her days holed up in a corner, staring at nothing. Occasionally she drags herself to a cooler spot.

We just noticed that her 2 front paws look deformed and will be checking with the vet on her next review. Her progress is depressingly slow. Watch her here.

Her right front paw is slightly deformed and her vet recommended her surgery. We've decided to wait for her to stop growing before considering that option.

Sugar is hardly eating or drinking and is syringe fed water a few times a day. She fears humans and trembles when we enter her playpen.

Sad little puppy

We have never seen such a sad puppy, no tail wags, no smiles. All we want is to make her happy and for her to be well again.

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

Update: Baby Sugar (V)

Barely 3 months old into life and she was involved in a hit & run accident which left her with tire marks on her body, a shattered leg and a broken spirit.

SUGAR is not just sweet, she is extremely brave and well-behaved. Although just 3 months old, she is matured beyond her age as she has never had a childhood.

She is slowly gaining strength and confidence, to walk and to learn to trust humans. Watch her here.

If you would like to ADOPT SUGAR, please email hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg

Sugar thanking the resident dog for guiding her 

Harper's Vet Visit (Update)

Harper had a little poop accident at the vet. She was so afraid of being flipped on her side for the cardiac ultrasound that she had diarrhea. The good news is that the poop accident was the worst of it. 

Harper, during the cardiac ultrasound 

The ultrasound results showed that her heart functions are normal. We also ran a blood test and it showed elevated liver readings, which could be due to her diet. Harper is usually on a diet of cooked duck's breast but we have been feeding her chicken or beef lately since she cannot be tempted to eat anything else. 

Extremely worried about having her blood pressure taken. She was so stressed from the ultrasound that we had to rest for 20 minutes before the blood pressure test 

Thankfully, the liver readings were only slightly elevated and there was no cause for concern. We also discovered a small sore on her inner paw which may be caused by an ant bite which Harper would not have been able to feel. 

Something must have bitten Harper's paw 

Drawing blood to check kidney and liver functions 

Harper is still lethargic and sleeping more than usual. She also seems to be processing things slower which may be due to the deterioration of her nerves and the impact on the brain. For now, we hope to take her out as much as we can to give her the best experiences for as long as she is able to enjoy them. 

Cleaning her wound on her paw 

Written by : Sam

Update: Baby Sugar (IV)

It’s been a week after Baby Sugar’s surgery to insert an external fixator and try to save her leg. She was back at the vet for a review.

3 months into life and she has never known happiness

Have you ever seen such a sad puppy?  Puppies are supposed to be happy and boisterous. 

Watch her here.

Her wound was bleeding a little because callouses had formed, causing her leg to swell and push against the external fixator. The vet used a spanner to loosen the fixator. Throughout this process, Sugar just lay on the table comfortably, allowing the vet to do all that without a single protest. Pretty amazing for a tiny 2.5 month old puppy.

Trying her best to hold herself up

Checking on her other wounds

Sugar is really sugar, she is such a pleasant dog. Even the vet kept commenting what a darling dog she is.

The vet adjusting her external fixator and look at that sweetheart just lying there!!

In our eyes, Sugar is a PERFECT PUPPY <3

Her wound was bleeding because the external fixator was too tight

After adjusting; the metal must never touch her skin - which is why she needs to return every week to have it adjusted

Sugar has lost a few hundred grams but hopefully will start eating better. We discovered something else too, her front right leg is deformed. 

Her front right leg is deformed. She was probably born this way and will require a surgery when she is fully grown.

The vet says she would need another surgery when she is fully grown, to insert a metal plate in her front leg. That metal would remain in her leg forever.

Sugar taking her first steps at the vet

We're in this with you, Sugar <3

Such a pretty & perfect puppy

Poor Sugar, her problems seem never–ending.

Email hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg if you'd like to help baby Sugar.

Harper's Vet Visit & Bad News

These past few weeks have been one blow after another.

Last week, Harper was taken to the vet for leg spasms. Instead, we were told that she's suffering from a degenerative neurological condition and that there is no cure.

Dr Ly checking Harper's pupillary light reflex (PLR)

For those who aren't familiar with Harper's story, she is 4+ years old and was rescued when she was just 6 weeks old. She was born with many deformities. The vet suspected that her mother might have been exposed to high levels of toxins, or maybe hit by a car when she was pregnant. Only Harper survived; all the other unborn puppies died. Harper was born with a broken spine, under-developed organs, and neurological issues. Despite all her problems, Harper was a cheerful puppy, a brave little fighter. Her foster has raised her like any other dog, always encouraging her to try new things. With the help of a wheelchair, Harper gets around just fine and even goes for regular hydrotherapy and massage sessions.

A week ago, Harper's foster noticed that her hind legs were trembling on and off, with sporadic muscle cramps. Her leg would seize up and became bent like a chicken wing. The muscles were so tight that her leg couldn't be straightened. Massaging her leg for about half an hour helped her muscles to relax and straighten, but only for a while. Before long, she would cramp up again. Occasionally, both her hind legs would even become locked together and we would have great trouble separating them.

Over the past 1 week, Harper's nerves have deteriorated and she can no longer stretch her left hind leg

Harper's hind legs locked together while she sleeps - foster needs to check on her regularly and uncross her legs

So we took her to Dr Ly, the vet who saved her and gave her a chance when all the other vets suggested that we put her down. The good vet immediately suspected that Harper's problem was not a muscular one, but a neurological one. He shone a torch into Harper's eyes and confirmed that her pupillary light reflex (PLR) was slow, which is a symptom of a neurological problem. We realized that Harper's difficulty with drinking water was also another symptom. She has trouble coordinating the slurping action, so we have been giving her 400ml to 500ml of subcutaneous fluids per day. She is also unable to pee on her own, and needs help with expressing her bladder.

Getting a jab for her nerves

Dr Ly delivered the sad news that Harper's nerves are deteriorating, and that there’s nothing more that can be done for her. He can give her supplements to slow the deterioration, but there will come a day when Harper will have difficulty eating. We dread that day but deep down, we know it’s inevitable. For a dog born with a broken spine, Harper has come a long way and had an amazing journey. For now, Dr Ly has asked us to stop hydrotherapy but continue with massages and short daily walks.

Oh Baby Harper <3 <3

If you would like to sponsor Harper's vet bill of $150/- or her ongoing massage sessions ($195 for 5 sessions), please email hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg.

Written by : Elena

Update: Baby Sugar (II)

Sugar has been discharged from the vet. She's now temporarily under the care of a HOPE volunteer, and we're in the process of looking for a foster home for her.

Watch her video here.

Eyes that show no emotion

Sugar needs to be fed 3 to 4 meals a day. Her current caregiver is monitoring her wound closely to make sure that it's healing well, and that it's not bleeding or weeping pus. Since her surgery last week, Sugar has tried to get up and put weight on 3 of her legs, but she's still in too much pain to stand properly. The vet expects recovery to be slow.

Holed up in a corner, that's all she does 

The vet also commented that Sugar is terrified of everything, such as the vacuum cleaner at the vet's office, and any sudden or loud sounds. Poor Sugar spends a lot of time huddled up in fear and shivering in the corner of her cage. It seems like she isn't just timid, but has actually been badly traumatized in some way. You can just take one look at her eyes and immediately see how much pain and fear she's in. One of the volunteers even asked, "I wonder what she has seen that has made such a young one become this way?"

Sugar with her external fixator to hold her shattered bones in place

Sugar has a large open wound under her left arm, probably got scraped when she took a tumble

Shortly after this photo was taken, she crawled off the bed. She doesn't yet know what a bed is for and prefers lying on pee pads. If you would like to donate a waterproof bed, please let us know. (for easy cleaning)

At least, we're relieved that Sugar has started eating again, even though her appetite is extremely poor. She is also now free from ticks and fleas. She will be back to the vet for a review in 1 week's time, and we hope that she'll have made more progress by then.

If you are able to foster Sugar or would like to know more about fostering requirements, please email hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg.

Written by: Elena

Update : Baby Sugar

Baby Sugar went in for surgery yesterday. The 3-hour surgery was successful, and she will remain at the vet for observation and recovery until the weekend. She's still not feeling well, is not eating and her spirits are very low. Poor baby.

Read her rescue story here.

3-month-old Baby Sugar was found on the fourth floor of a multi-storey carpark, with injuries on her face and body. The vet suspects that she had been hit by a motorcycle.

Just out of her surgery

She has an eternal fixator on her leg, to hold her bones in place

Her right leg was completely shattered, so the vet had no choice but to use an external fixator to provide stability during healing. Since she is a young puppy, her bones are still growing rapidly, and the vet might need to make adjustments to the external fixator as Sugar slowly heals. She will have to come back to the vet every week for a review. If all goes well, the external fixator can be removed in about 6 weeks.

So much suffering for a tiny puppy just 3 months into life

Sugar will be discharged from the vet in a few days, but she still needs post-surgery care to ensure that her wound remains clean and free from infection. She will be fed 4 meals a day, given cage rest, and restricted to minimal movement. 

If you are able to help with Sugar's vet bills, please email hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg.

Sugar thanks everyone for showing her kindness, and we can’t wait to see her well and cheerful again!

Written by: Elena