He Was Meant To Be Mine

This was written on Christmas 2011 and was due for the blog long moons ago but we had so many urgent rescues that we apologize for this being pushed till now.

Today I spent my first Christmas with Happy Georgie. We walked on the beach and I told myself that this is probably the very first time that Happy Georgie walked on a beach and spent Christmas day with someone. I am truly very happy and lucky to have him with me and be my best companion and buddy!

A stray no more

Thinking back, it was about 7 weeks ago that I was told by my neighbour, that an organisation named Hope Dog Rescue was looking for someone to foster a dog, named George, for 8 days. I then read the moving story how George needed help badly. 

I agreed to foster him till he finished his course of medication. At that time, I had just lost my first dog in an accident and wasn't ready to have another dog. Nonetheless, as I read how urgently George needed a foster, I relented. Just as I was waiting to hear about fostering, Fiona and her team was appealing for someone to adopt George. I hesitated, as I was still somewhat in the process of grieving.

His eyes say it all

Nonetheless, I decided to drop Fiona an email. She explained the situation to me - if I wished to foster George after his vet appointment, then he can no longer be released back to the streets because it has already been almost 2 weeks that they have fostered him and it wasn’t fair to put him back on the streets after such a long time. The fact is not many people would be keen to adopt a local breed dog,  what more one that is so old, with a broken hip etc. Those words immediately changed my mind. I was prepared to give him the best and there was NO way I was going to let him go back to the streets in his current condition. When I set my eyes on George that very first time at the vet, I told myself that I had made a good decision to have George as part of our household and part of my life. He was so tiny for a medium sized dog and he weighed only 14kg! His dislocated hip was obvious, and his blood counts were still not back to the normal range. How could I let such a brave and adorable dog with such a condition go back to the streets?  He surely needed proper care for his medical conditions, a place he could call HOME and more-so, lots of tender loving care.

Update -  He  is now known as Happy Georgie and his blood count has gone back to the normal range. He has also gained sufficient weight (he is about 16.5kg now and the vet said this is sufficient or else it will bear extra burden on his displaced hip). Though it is still obvious that he still limps due to the displaced left hip, the vet said that he could do without the hip surgery as he seems to be coping fine.

After years of hardship living on the streets, he is finally living a life he truly deserves.

Happy Georgie is very happy in his new home now though I can still see the "melancholic" face he puts on once in a while. I am sure he misses his freedom of roaming round the streets for the last 8-9 years of his life and he misses his friends in the factory area. He now has a place he can proudly call his home, and a family who loves him tremendously. In all honesty, in return for a roof over his head and the love he gets, he gives back by bringing an abundance of love, joy and laughter to each and everyone of us in the house. We hope we will have many more Christmases spent together in the years to come. Happy Georgie - Thank you for coming into our lives!

Contributed by Francis Ngau - Happy Georgie's new Papa

Thank you Francis for adopting Happy Georgie and loving him so much. Thanks Audrey, for sharing with Francis about HOPE Dog Rescue. As long as everyone keeps adopting from us, we can go on saving lives.

Meet Prince And Beano

You've shared our ups and downs; lent us your moral support and donated to our cause.

For journeying with us through this time and contributing to Prince's, Babu Boy’s and Beano's medical bills, we would now like to invite you to our Meet the Prince & Beano session this Saturday (19th May) from 10am to noon (10am-11am for Prince and 11am-12pm for Beano) at Mount Pleasant Animal Hospital at 232 Whitley Road, S(297824).

Currently, our darling Prince's blood count is still below the normal range and his platelet count has not improved. The doctor in charge reckons he may need another blood transfusion. Thankfully, we have 'Favor' on standby, all ready to donate blood to Prince and save his life yet again.

Beano is making good recovery. His wound is healing well because he is young, and he will most likely  not need to stitch his wound.  He will be at the vet for about 2 weeks, until his wound dries up, before going to a foster. Beano is young, playful  - jumpy like a puppy! - and loves eating. He is happy to be alive and loved.

Babu Boy is back in the vet and has been warded for a few days; his wound is weepy and not healing well. We are extremely upset that he is in this discomfort and we hope nothing serious happens to his hind leg.

Please take note of the following :

1) please avoid parking inside the hospital compounds, as it is reserved for customers of the clinic

2) should you wish to donate food to Beano, Babu Boy or Prince, please only donate dry food / kibbles, canned food or treats. No cooked food please.

Prince and Beano look forward to meeting you, and so do we.

Losing Faith In Humanity

In a short span of three weeks, we have seen so many cases of neglect, abuse, torture, abandonment and animal cruelty. WHY?? Why this senseless behavior? What has our society come to? In just a few weeks, it has been one pain after another; from Prince’s neglect and abuse, to Babu Boy’s irresponsible hit and run accident, to the dogs’ whose tails were cruelly chopped off, to Beano. 

Meet sweet little Beano.
Who would ever think of hurting a dog with an adorable face like this?

________________________________________________________________________________

By Iris Lim


The first time (should be mid-April) I come to know about this white dog was my hubby telling me that he saw someone throwing water on the dog to chase him away from their premises. He told me that the dog has a big wound on his neck which he can see from a distance. Everyday I try to search the surroundings for this dog but he never appeared.

There was a night when we are working late at the workshop when I heard the dogs barking loudly. Seems like a dog fight going on so I went to investigate. The other strays are chasing the white dog and he was hiding in a corner. I bought him some dried food and he finished them quickly. Thought he might still be hungry so I proceed back to get more food for him. He was waiting outside my office but this time round, he did not finish the food. He seems to have difficulty swallowing the dried food. After eating, he left without saying good-bye. Days by days goes by, the white dog will drop by my office late at night (11pm-midnight) for food and as usual, he will go away once he finish his food.

Taken on 8 April

This goes on for a week and I started to cook rice to mix with canned food for the white dog. As he eat, I will apply the medicated powder on his wounds. He seems to know that I will not hurt him and he moved to sleep below my office (container). He will sit outside my office if I’m around. His wounds getting better and better. 

His wound was actually starting to heal, before he got attacked again

For the past week, I am not in office during the day but I will still go back in the evening to cook for the dog. However, the white dog is not around anymore and I ask my neighbours and they did not see him too. Told my neighbours to keep a lookout for him and they told me that they have seen the dog running in fear during the day. He did not come back to his resting place which is outside my office. I was in office this afternoon and was talking to one of the tenants. I was asking her if she has seen the new born puppy and she was a kind lady, an animal lovers too. She has taken care of the puppy in her office and was showing me when she suddenly remembered that white dog that I had told her about. She told me that she has seen the dog today and the wounds is so scary that she don't dare to approach him too.

His wound had become a lot worse (picture taken at construction site)

I search for him again but I did not find the dog. This evening as I was preparing food for the other strays, I heard my hubby calling me in a hurry. "Quick, quick....The white dog is here !!! I step out of my office I received a rude shock ! The wounds has gone so bad. Seems to be wounded by dog fights as I can clearly see teeth bites marks on the body. Worst part, he got bitten at the part where it is already wounded.

The 1st time when I see this dog I was too scare to do anything for him except to give him food. I was thinking his wound would heal if he eats well but things don't go the way I expected. After a few days of feeding him, I got adapt to seeing his wound and start applying powder to the wound. This time round, it is too scary even for me too.

I remembered reading Hope Dog Rescue on Facebook and I quickly check for Fiona Hp number that I has seen on one of the stories. This white dog needs help. I guess the dog must be running in fear everyday, from people who has been chasing him after seeing his wounds. I'm glad that Fiona rushed down and help this white dog in such a short time.

_________________________________________________________________________________

By Fiona

Beano had chemical burns on half of his head. Some cruel person had poured acid on him and the liquid had burnt his head, his left ear and parts of his neck, as it flowed down. Imagine the excruciating pain he had been living with for almost three weeks before we saved him.

It was 8.30pm when I arrived at the construction site. When I saw him, there were still stains of this dark coloured liquid on his fur, covering his neck and head. It was pitch dark but I could smell the maggots from a few feet away as I approached him. Having worked with strays, this was unfortunately, a smell I was very familiar with, and obviously not something I liked. The dog was emaciated, bones protruding from his skeletal frame. Being small and weak, he was not part of the pack of stray dogs that hung around that area. And as such, he did not get to share their food and was constantly attacked and bullied by them.


Just arrived at the hospital

Despite the fact that his pain was unbearable and that it was obviously inflicted by humans, he wagged his tail as this human got closer to him. He still trusted this inhumane breed.

His first human touch - by the vet tech who felt sorry for him

It was easy to catch him because he was starved and all I needed to do was put some canned food into my carrier and he went right for it. I loaded him into my van and rushed to the Mt Pleasant Hospital. It was emergency hours and would have cost more to take the dog in but I felt he had suffered long enough and it couldn’t wait till morning.


Beano, feeling sorry for himself

At the hospital, with proper lighting, I finally had a proper look at him. He must have lived one of the saddest existence. Suddenly I didn’t feel so strong . . . . .his eyes were trusting but it showed the hard and sad life he lived. He was a mere puppy, he couldn’t have been more than a year old!

The chemical had burnt part of his head, ear and neck. Imagine living with this pain for weeks.

Maggots had eaten through parts of his flesh

All he wanted was someone to hold him and tell him that he would be alright as the lady held his head and her tears rolled down her cheek.

As he stepped out of the carrier on his own, his pain and suffering hit me hard. Pus was oozing out of his wound, maggots were crawling all over his wound and his tiny face. There were holes when there should have been flesh. I saw bubbles on his head and I knew maggots had burrowed through and eaten away his flesh. His left ear was distorted with parts of it missing, either from the chemical burn or from the flesh eating maggots. A lady who had walked past us on the way out after visiting her dog, stopped to stare at him. Immediately her tears flowed as she knelt down to ask me what happened. I explained and she asked why? Why are people so cruel? Despite the smell of rotting flesh and the maggots on his head, she hugged him. He lay his head on her knee. All he wanted was love; someone to understand what he had gone through in his short life.


Watch Beano here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=dWbQXaK2Ozs%2024643848%7Dmid://00000299/%21x-usc:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPilXCEqJdI&feature=youtu.be

The vet on night shift came and looked at him and commented he was terribly thin. She looked at his huge wound and said she needed to sedate him to flush out the maggots and the chemical. It would have been too painful to clean without sedation. I requested that she flush his eyes too, in case the chemicals had also splashed on his eyes. Fellow volunteer, Lisa, rushed down to visit little Beano before he was sedated to have his wound cleaned. She cried when she set eyes on him. She too, knelt beside him, and kissed his little nose. Barely a year old, and life had not been kind to him.


Watch Beano here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPilXCEqJdI&feature=youtu.be

Beano is expected to be at the vet for at least a week to ten days, where his wound would be cleaned daily and maggots flushed out. We won’t be returning him to the streets as obviously, he would not survive. He is small in built, not like a typical local breed. He could easily live in a HDB apartment and be approved.

In the next day or so, we would need to decide if we want to leave his wound to slowly heal on its own, which may take up to two or three weeks, or to have him undergo a surgery to stitch up the wound. Either way, he would be left with physical scars of human abuse, but we hope, with our love and care, he won’t have scars of his emotional abuse.

I sense that he might have been kept as a pet and then abandoned as he walks very well on harness, from the night we rescued him, he knows “sit” and he loves treats.

Why do I open my heart to dogs in need? Especially when sometimes there is no more money, no more fosters and no more space to help. Every dog that crosses my path, I think of them as “my dogs” and I open my heart a little bigger, I stretch the money a little tighter, and I plead for just a little more room, a little more hope, to save one more dog. The gratitude and love that reflects in their eyes, is the best assurance that I did right, in the best way I know how and it reminds me to go on trying, to go on saving.

I feel good saving lives but I would feel even gooder if you would give sweet Beano a real life. He deserves to know love.

Beano is warded at Mt Pleasant Veterinary Centre (232 Whitley Road).  To foster, adopt or help with his vet bills, please email fiona@hopedogrescue.org

Updates On Babu Boy And The Little Prince

Thank you everyone for your concern for Prince and Babu Boy, and for contributing to their vet bills. We are touched by your kindness and generosity. 

Prince

Prince has put on 700 gms in 3 weeks

 

Prince's blood count is now up from 24 to 27, but still below the normal of 35. His platelet count is 40000, the normal being 145000 and above. 

Results of his blood test was sent to the US, and came back negative for tick fever / anaplasma. It seems Prince's kidneys are functioning well now; we can't test his liver as he is on steroids so the results would be inaccurate.

This is how he sleeps most of the time

When he sleeps, his limbs are very stiff. He doesn’t yet know how to relax

Prince has an auto immune related problem, and he bruises easily so he has bruises appearing on his body for no reason, and these bruises take a long time to go away. As such, we have to be very gentle in carrying him, and we can't knock him or be rough with him.

Poor Prince. 

Yet, Prince has put on weight, from 2.8kg on the day we rescued him (Apr 18), to weighing 3.5kg today. We can still see his ribs but this is a far cry from his skeletal frame. Our darling Prince has also learnt to walk, run, and even play fetch with foster!

Unfortunately, he still sleeps in an awkward position; it will take more time. He needs to be wrapped in a towel and gently put on his bed. The towel is then slowly removed when he falls asleep. He doesn’t stay in this position for long, he startles and wakes intermittently. His foster has been sleeping with him in the living room to accompany him but she will gradually leave him to sleep alone. 

He needs to be held down in this position till he falls asleep. It doesn’t come naturally to him.

Prince is curious now - he's learning to behave more like a dog. He looks around, observes the world around him and wants to sniff other dogs. This is a stark contrast to previously when he was very scared of other dogs.

Perhaps all this is a bit like getting a new life all over again. So Prince now behaves very much like a puppy. He whines and wants to be carried. He likes to be carried and exhibits some separation anxiety when his foster moves away. 

Moving ahead, Prince will still need to go back to the vet for blood tests every 3 to 5 days. When his health condition stabilizes, we will take him to an eye specialist as his right eye has a bad ulcer. 

Babu Boy

In Babu Boy's situation, unfortunately, things did not go too smoothly.

When he was due for discharge, Fiona observed him outside when volunteers took him out. She noticed his leg looked deformed and asked the vet tech to speak to Babu's doctor, who was on leave.

Babu Boy's left hind leg looks slightly awkward

When Dr Choi came back from his leave, he took an Xray of Babu's leg and realized the steel plate that had been inserted into the leg was bent. 



Xray of Babu Boy's leg after the first surgery. The circled area had been bent.



This is the strength of a stray - he survived being hit by a car and dragged, surely he would be a very tough dog. So perhaps Babu had put too much force on the leg after the surgery and bent the steel plate. This steel plate is so strong that it can’t be bent with our bare hands.

As such, he had to undergo a second surgery yesterday (Monday) to remove the bent steel plate and replace it with a thicker, stronger plate. Poor Babu has to endure a second round of pain. We hope this is the final surgery he will ever have to undergo.

He is not allowed to walk or bear weight on his leg so we don’t take him out for walks. He cries and whines and tries to come out. . . . .

Babu Boy's care-giver from the construction site came to visit. Babu was absolutely elated!

Babu's leg is still bleeding after the surgery

On a brighter note, the wounds under his chin and ears have dried up. Strays are indeed tough and hardy.

Babu has a foster for two weeks when he is discharged but after which, he will need a foster for the next three weeks - will anyone be kind enough to foster him?

Looking chirpy despite the pain; Babu Boy cant wait to get out of the hospital

Thanks again everyone for your generosity and kindness, without which we would not have been able to save Babu Boy and Prince.

Written by A.Wong
Babu Boy's photographs courtesy of Iris Ng

A Sick Serial Animal Abuser?

An accident, or the evil doings of a sick serial animal abuser?

They say being human, we’re a more evolved species, capable of thought, empathy and many other emotions. But there will always be the exception to the rule, I suppose. The brutality of what we’ve seen in recent times – was it the work of someone who obviously has no such compassion?

In two short weeks, we’ve come across two cases of dogs with their tails horrifically chopped off. 

On Apr 25, the first dog was spotted by Sis Mary in the HDB area, and on May 5, while HOPE was on its rounds feeding and checking on the street dogs, we came across 3 badly injured strays – with one of them having a huge, raw, bloody wound where its tail should have been.

Spotted by Sis Mary. Photo courtesy of Rajaa and Sis Mary.

We all know a dog's tail is a barometer of emotions. But more than that, a dog's tail is a continuation of its spine, and is made up of 6 to 23 vertebrae. Important nerves near the base of the tail contribute to its bowel movements. The pain of having such a crucial part of the body sheared off … it must have been beyond excruciating. 

For the other two injured dogs we saw, one had a huge gaping wound taking up half his back and the other with a slightly smaller, but deep wound, possibly from a dog fight. 

We are trying to take him to the vet. His wound is deep and maggot infested 

The dog with the bigger wound cannot be approached. He is in great pain and walked with difficulty but is extremely wary of people. They badly need our help.

The injured dog, whose tail had been torn from his body, turned to look at me, tears in his old tired eyes and then he walked off. His pain…I can’t even begin to describe. I could not sleep that night. I think about that dog every day. He needs help and I have to help him.

Dog with tail chopped off. Spotted by HOPE volunteers 
 

I intend to search for him every night, until I find and save him – because when his eyes met mine for a split second, I felt his pain. Even if I have to put him down, at least I can lessen his pain and suffering.

Some wondered if this was an accident – maybe by heavy machinery? But two dogs in two weeks, both having undergone the same agony of losing their tail. It just seems a little too… coincidental.

If anyone has seen these two dogs, please contact SPCA’s 24 hour hotline for emergency cases 62875355 ext 9 or inform us via whatsapp at 90104202 (Iris). 

They must be saved.

Babu Boy Says Thank You For Helping A Stray

THANK YOU EVERYONE! 
Love from, 
Babu Boy
We would like to thank Isabel Motyka, a HOPE Dog Rescue volunteer who helped fetch Babu Boy to the vet and shared his plight with her friends from the Ladies Tennis Singapore organization during their awards luncheon. They all must be dog lovers as they immediately took up a collection and made a generous donation towards their medical expenses. We would also like to thank everyone who has contributed to Babu Boy's surgery. We are still short of $700 as his bill to date, is $3100. He is still at the vet and will be discharged on Saturday. Thank you.

End Injustice (Babu Boy)

Handsome Babu Boy. His eyes show intelligence and wisdom.

21 April, 2012. Saturday 

“Dee, Dee, Dee,” went my handphone in the dead of the night. It signalled an incoming SMS. “Male dog had a serious accident.” “Call me if u wan to know more,” stared back at me. The message was from John, Babu Boy’s feeder. Waves of panic seized me. My hands trembled as I waited for John to answer the call. John related that Babu Boy was involved in a hit-and-run accident about 5.30pm at a bus stop. This was the place where Babu Boy and two other female strays had called their home for the past 4 years.

A couple who happened to be passing by, called the SPCA. Upon hearing the loud bang, a few Indian workers from the worksite rushed over. They had recognised Babu Boy as one of the dogs from their worksite. He had been hit by a car and dragged a short distance, sustaining a broken leg and multiple scratches and burns from the rough gravel road.

Burnt and scratched from the road

Poor Babu Boy's injuries from an irresponsible driver. Why is it that when cars knock a person down, the driver is jailed or fined, but when they knock an animal down, they can get away scot-free? Are they not living creatures? Do they not feel the same pain?

Babu Boy was out cold for an agonizing five long minutes. Babu Boy finally stirred and attempted to stand but failed. The Indian workers stayed by Babu Boy’s side until the SPCA came an hour later to pick him up.

22 April, 2012. Sunday
A little after twelve midnight, John did his routine feeding of the three stray dogs. Upon learning that Babu Boy was at SPCA, John and two Indian workers rushed to SPCA. The three men had saved Babu Boy from the ‘gallows’.

Workers made a splint for Babu Boy and bandaged his broken leg

At the crack of dawn, I rushed over to the worksite. My heart sank when I saw Babu Boy. He was confined in a squalid and stuffy room. Being Babu Boy’s relief feeder, I had not seen Babu Boy for quite a while. He had put on a substantial amount of weight due to the unhealthy diet of discarded chicken necks. The amount of fat lying below the skin of chicken necks can be quite shocking. Such injustice had been done to the dogs by feeding them with nothing but fat and skin.

It was anguishing to see Babu Boy’s left hind leg jutting out awkwardly. I knew it was broken. Despite all this, Babu Boy lumbered towards me on three legs. The fracture leg was limp and was swinging like a pendulum. What I saw greatly distressed me.

John instructed me to apply Hydrogen Peroxide and to sprinkle some pinkish DD powder onto the raw wounds. The wounds on Babu Boy’s ear, mouth and underside of the neck were probably sustained when he grazed himself on the rough asphalt road. John hurriedly instructed what I had to do when he was away for a 9-day overseas working trip. John mentioned that Babu Boy was a strong dog and hopefully the leg will heal by itself. Sadly, I was equally ignorant to believe it will heal by itself.

23 April, 2012. Monday
On arriving at the construction site, I was unable to locate Babu Boy. According to the workers, Babu Boy had not been sighted the whole day. With the female dog’s help, Babu Boy was found hiding below some heavy metal sheets. Even the aroma of Babu Boy’s favourite chicken drumsticks had failed to lure him out. His wounds were now covered with clumps of mud. The pain must be unbearable for Babu Boy. However, I could still spot a faint wag on his little tail.

He has such a good and sweet nature, laid-back and trusting

24 April, 2012. Tuesday
Today was no different from yesterday. Babu refused his drumsticks as well as the canned dog food which I had offered. I knew that I had to seek treatment for Babu Boy. Being a pauper, I had no money and no car at my disposal. I was at wit’s end.

25 April, 2012. Wednesday
During a casual conversation with another feeder by the name of Jennifer, I related Babu Boy’s plight to her. That set off a whole chain of events. Miss Jennifer had contacts with other feeders. After many phone calls, she telephoned me and said HOPE Dog Rescue could help. There was a gleam of hope after all.

26 April, 2012. Thursday
Lisa, a volunteer from HOPE Dog Rescue contacted me. She made all the necessary arrangements for Babu Boy to be transported to Mt Pleasant Animal Hospital at Bukit Merah View.

Still hiding under the pipes after 5 days, suffering in agony. Workers trying to lure him out.

Finally, worker Samu managed to carry him out

Putting Babu Boy into a carrier, getting ready to depart for the vet

A foul, rotting stench filled our nostrils while we were in the van. We later found out that the repulsive foul smell was from the festering wound below Babu Boy’s neck.

The vet estimated Babu Boy to be about 5 to 6 years old. An X-ray taken showed that Babu Boy had a tibial fracture. We were concerned about internal bleeding too, but luckily the doctors assured us that his blood count was stable, showing no signs of internal bleeding.

Poor sweet Babu in pain

Babu was too afraid to be on the stretcher, and had to be carried in for his X-ray

They used a towel to support and half-carry him to the X-ray room instead

Keeping weight off his hind leg

Shaving away the dried-up blood to see and clean the wound, which had started rotting and was foul-smelling. Babu Boy is brave and endured everything without a sound.

Doctor testing if Babu Boy still has any feeling in his toes. He does!

27 April, 2012. Friday
Babu Boy was conveyed to Mt Pleasant Animal Hospital in Whitley Road. After consultation with the vet, surgery was scheduled for the next day.

28 April, 2012. Saturday
The surgery was performed by Dr Dennis Choi. It took almost 3 hours, which was much longer than expected. The initial x-ray had revealed 2 broken bones, but when they operated on Babu Boy, they saw that his bones were in fact shattered, with bone shards embedded in his flesh. Dr Choi screwed a steel plate into his bones to hold them in place. It seemed like eternity, but in the evening the operation was finally over. A hardy and brave dog like Babu Boy had pulled through. I heaved a sigh of relief.

X-ray showing where his bones snapped

Babu Boy before the surgery

Still smiling before the surgery

After his first surgery, with Lisa assuring him that everything will be alright

29 April, 2012. Sunday 

John returned from his overseas trip. I related everything to John. I thought he would be extremely anxious. To my dismay, he was not or may be it did not show. I SMS him that I would be visiting Babu Boy at 1 pm. I invited him to join me. He said he had some personal matters to attend to. He told me that I better start off immediately since it was already 12 noon. He made no indication that he will visit Babu Boy. I felt my heart drop to my knees.

Lisa, the volunteer from HOPE Dog Rescue called to inform me that Babu Boy was not eating. I cooked Babu Boy’s favourite chicken drumsticks and dragged my heavy feet to the Animal Hospital.

My heart broke into pieces when I saw Babu Boy. The was a forlorn look in Babu Boy’s eyes. Even the wag on Babu Boy’s little tail had disappeared.

Probably, Babu Boy feels abandoned by his feeder. If Babu Boy could speak, he would want to know why his feeder is not keen to visit him. I will continue to visit Babu Boy until he fully recovers. Otherwise, my conscience will prick me for not being present when Babu Boy needs his feeder’s care and support.

HOPE Dog Rescue:

Babu Boy's surgery was estimated to cost $2500. Although it was expensive, it was impossible for us to say no. Babu has no owner to love and care for him. We couldn't have just left him lying in excruciating pain with his multiple wounds, hiding in the construction site, as he had done for 6 days before he was brought to our attention. We didn't want to follow the common practice either - to condemn him to death just because he was a stray and no one's responsibility. We didn't want to take the "easy way out"; we were determined to help Babu get better. We have always had a soft spot for street and breeding dogs and it was the least we could do for Babu Boy. We were sure there would be many kind-hearted people who would help us to help Babu. 

Babu Boy is currently warded at the vet and recovering from his surgery. Although he is tired from his life on the streets, sleeping on filthy gravel and sand all his life, he does miss the workers at the construction site where he stayed. They were kind to him, and he sat with them during their free time while they rested and chatted. Even though he couldn't understand a word they were saying, he enjoyed their company and he felt he belonged.

Now, he feels that nobody wants him, and that he is a burden to us. He has never been off the streets before, and he is wondering why he's there at the vet. He has no idea what is happening to him. He is refusing to eat because he is depressed and in pain. He will be staying at the vet till Thursday or Friday, depending on how he is feeling, but the most important thing right now is to get him to start eating again.

We are in need of funds for Babu's vet bill. If you would like to help, please send a cheque to Mount Pleasant Animal Hospital at 232 Whitley Road, S297824. Please issue the cheque to Mount Pleasant Veterinary Centre (2008) Pte Ltd and write "HOPE Dog Rescue, Babu Boy" on the back of the cheque. Please note that any funds in excess of the balance will be carried forward to help other animals in need! Thank you for your kind understanding.