Murphy, Saved From A Breeding Farm

On 20 Aug 2011, a painful decision was made to relieve Precious, our pet dog for the past 11 years, of further pain and suffering. It was a heartbreaking experience for us.

“No more pets” was what Mum told me, knowing the heartache we had gone through after trying everything under the sun to save her.

Days rolled by with the ever-growing void that “Preshie” had left behind and every day I silently hoped that I would come home to a surprise --- a doggie waiting to greet me. That never happened.

Sometime in October 2011, I ‘caught’ Mum scrolling through the SPCA adoption gallery page and asked if she had second thoughts of owning a pet again. She tried to brush it off with “I don’t think Dad will agree to that”.

I recalled Joanne (a course mate) had mentioned a dog adoption drive by HOPE Dog Rescue. I searched the website and found that the adoption drive was over. But Mum had fallen instantly in love with Murphy (one of the Famous 5 up for adoption) and I pleaded for her to check if he was still available. She advised me to “check with Dad first”.



At the breeding farm. So many dogs in a small cage. This is how they live all their lives.

Saved!

Day he was rescued.

Murphy

Dad said “yes”! I immediately sent an sms to the contact person (Lisa) to enquire if Murphy had been adopted yet.

The next morning, Lisa sms-ed Mum to say “ Murphy was still available for adoption” and that she could send us the adoption questionnaire. Mum then sms-ed me with the news while I was on the MRT to school and I literally squealed in excitement --- the possibility of adoption!

His very first bath after the rescue

After some anxious waiting -- the short-listing process and house checks that had to be carried out, an email arrived from Fiona confirming that Murphy was finally ours! And we hadn't even met him yet!!

Murphy’s arrival to our home on 4 Nov 2011 certainly lifted the gloom in our household. Our Malti-poo has since brought us so much joy and laughter and is a Light in Our Life.

Thank you HOPE Dog Rescue for saving Murphy from the breeding farm and giving us the opportunity to provide him a life he truly deserves.

Murphy just celebrated his 2nd birthday in May 2013

Murphy – our fluff ball



Murphy and Me as he is today





Murphy on the right, while mommy holds on to Cotton at our recent Meet Cotton & Harper session

Contributed by: Larissa Ng

When Jack Met Julie

My journey with HOPE Dog Rescue has opened my eyes to a lot of things. Things you don’t often see on the streets, read in the newspapers, or hear of in your daily conversations. Truth be told, before volunteering, I was oblivious to the magnitude of suffering that strays, breeding dogs, and even some domestic dogs in Singapore go through. After all, the pooches I meet on the streets are almost always impeccably groomed, admired by passersby and accompanied by adoring owners. Besides, who would have guessed this beautiful, orderly nation of ours, home to a society of educated, law-abiding citizens, actually houses so many stone-hearted individuals who have complete disregard for animals?

The fur of a 3 year old Maltese, Jack

I wonder if fate should be blamed for animals’ sufferings? Or was luck at play? Why do some dogs have access to an unlimited supply of food and a shelter overhead, while others lead a beggar’s life in solitude, prone to danger and hunger? And why are some pooches the apple of their owner’s eyes, while others are grossly mistreated without dignity and respect? Sure, life isn’t fair to any of us – some people live in riches while others like paupers – but being at the apex of the food chain does not give us any right to ill-treat animals. It doesn’t allow or excuse our erroneous behavior of inflicting pain on the weaker beings!

Jack tied to a leash that restrains his movements for 6 months before Julie found him
(Photograph taken from mobile phone)

Jack could have been the popular neighbourhood Maltese that would have made everyone he met gushing about his bright round eyes, petite frame, and fluffy white coat; but as luck would have it, he was confined to the back of a shop for six months before Julie saw him.

Julie recalled seeing a forlorn looking Jack tied to a leash and sprawled uncomfortably beside two empty bowls. His doleful eyes, hidden beneath his scruffy, overgrown fur, called out to Julie and she felt compelled to intervene. 



A brave smile from Jack, whose coat was unkempt, overgrown, foul smelling and terribly tangled. You can hardly even see his paw pads!

After consulting with us, Julie spoke with Jack’s owner who revealed that it was his friend who had given Jack to him, and that he had never wanted Jack in the first place despite taking him in. As a result, he decided to confine Jack and kept him permanently leashed round the clock for six months straight!

Saddened by Jack’s predicament, Julie offered to adopt Jack but was turned down flatly. The owner’s refusal came as a shock to us because the man clearly had no intention of caring for Jack and had found him a burden. It is odd how humans can be so mercurial and territorial! And in all honesty, I doubt there was any emotional attachment involved in his decision, and I am fairly certain he merely wanted to keep Jack because someone else is interested in him now!

Ears that haven’t been cleaned for 1 year or more

The conversation persisted for a while (mostly with Julie telling him how cute Jack was and how much she wanted to adopt him) before the owner relented by saying he needed some time to think through it. His line of thought is extremely ironic and puzzling to us, given that he barely gave any effort in caring for his pet. To top it off, he was the one who said he didn’t want Jack and had chosen to keep him on a leash for six months. Pray tell us, why is he so hesitant about putting Jack up for adoption?

Left with no choice, we waited anxiously for his decision. Meanwhile, we assembled a team of volunteers, made arrangements with a foster, and had a vet appointment booked.

The fateful day came when the owner decided to give him up. We are relieved to share that Jack no longer has to sleep, live and eat with a rope fastened to him. The man finally gave in and entrusted Jack to us.

Once we got hold of Jack, we whisked him off to the vet immediately. The vet was shocked by the extent of his ear infection – wet, gooey and filled with yellowish discharge – and his horribly matted fur that was beyond salvation and had to be shaved off eventually. The vet also said that Jack’s ears probably haven’t been cleaned for at least 6 months to a year! No wonder the room reeked of the pungent odor from his ears, which had us all holding our breaths. All this didn’t seem to bother Jack at all, as he smiled adoringly at the vet while being treated.



Further checks also revealed that Jack has very high liver enzymes and needs to be on liver supplements for a while. He also has a hernia and undescended testicles. These will be operated on at a later stage when his liver readings go back to normal.

Badly matted fur caked up into a big patch on his belly

Jack still bore a smile even after his fur was shaved off! He’s rocking his bald body.

What should have been loose and fluffy ended up compressed into a matted layer stuck to the skin. A result of prolonged neglect.

It is hard to comprehend how anyone can neglect a dog like Jack. His ebony round eyes twinkle every time he looked at me, and I couldn’t help but give him another pat on his furry head. I swear those innocent eyes can brighten even the darkest day. Jack is presently boarding at a pet shop and requires a foster or someone to give him a good, loving home. We thank Kathleen, who fostered him initially when he required medical treatment. Despite being a first-time foster, Kathleen did an excellent job at caring for him – cleaning his ears, medicating him regularly, and paper-training him. Jack is a Maltese, estimated to be about 3 years old. He is a fast learner, slightly alpha and extremely easy-going. Please email sherry@hopedogrescue.org if you would like to adopt him.

Our gratitude goes to Julie for saving Jack and putting an end to his misery. Without her, he wouldn’t be the carefree dog he is today. 

Written by Claire Chai

Ah Girl. A Tired, Lonely Soul

We first got to know about Ah Girl from a Malay lady who reported a white dog loitering at a service station. The lady’s husband was a taxi driver who frequented that area and often saw Ah Girl in the same spot. Ordinarily, he would not have paid much attention to the dog except that he observed that Ah Girl appeared to be injured as she was limping badly, and had lost an eye. Worried, he shared his observations with his wife, who decided that something had to be done to save the dog. She then contacted HOPE Dog Rescue and informed us about the dog. 



Eyes that have never seen happiness



Concerned about the welfare of Ah Girl, I contacted the Malay lady the next day and she met me so we could go to the service station together to assess Ah Girl’s condition. We found Ah Girl sprawled on the cold, hard concrete floor of a cramped storeroom, unable to move. It was a heart-wrenching sight. She had lost her left eye, probably in a previous accident, and her eye had been stitched up. Her stomach was unnaturally swollen and there were multiple wounds on her legs.  She was famished and looked sadly at us as we pondered what to do. We tried to get her to move but her legs failed her. When we tried to lift her up, she shrieked in unbearable pain, and our hearts broke at what she might be going through.

Ah Girl's home, a cramped store room

A broken right front leg, from a previous accident

An extremely distended stomach

When we spoke to the service attendants, they said that Ah Girl was about 13 years old and lived in the area around the service centre. In the day, she would typically move around on her own but would always return to the storeroom in the evenings. The attendants let her sleep there and would feed her whatever biscuits or leftover scraps they could find. Several years ago, she was involved in a car accident which led to the loss of her left eye. She had also been in another accident which broke her right front leg. The attendant remarked that Ah Girl was a good dog and didn’t bother anyone at the centre. Instead, the sweet girl was often bullied by a pack of stray dogs in the area and also abused by humans who would walk past and kick or hit her. As she was too weak to move, she would just bear the brunt of it. The storeroom was her only refuge from the harsh world outside.

Unable to move from traffic

I often wondered if dogs could commit suicide

Seeing how bad Ah Girl’s condition was, we decided that despite our limited resources, we could not refuse a dog crying for help. The next day, even on short notice, we managed to get a few of the volunteers together to rescue Ah Girl. The poor girl was too weak to put up a fight so she laid limply in our arms as we lifted her into the pet carrier. However, as we were making arrangements to take her to a vet, we were shocked to discover that Ah Girl was not a “stray” and her “owner” was a Chinese lady who ran a business nearby. Clearly, Ah Girl had been severely neglected by her owner. In fact, the owner was not even aware that Ah Girl was seriously ill. Imagine our horror when one of the employees insisted that we brought Ah Girl back to the service centre once she had been discharged. He even claimed that Ah Girl was licensed and microchipped.

Not a lot of teeth left

At the vet, blood tests and x-rays were carried out. Ah Girl’s breathing was terribly laboured and she was diagnosed with tick fever, anaemia, heart murmur and heart failure. X-rays revealed that her stomach was so distended with fluids caused by her heart failure that the vet needed to do a needle aspiration to drain out the fluids. That explained her difficulty in breathing. Despite the bloated stomach, we could feel her ribs protruding and the vet commented that she was extremely malnourished.

  

The nerves in her hind legs were poor, possibly from old age, past accidents or both. She was also severely arthritic. Each time she stood up, she would lose her balance and fall flat on her face, it was a sorry sight. She would then bravely pick herself up and try again. After a few rounds of struggling, she would manage to stand and she had to walk quickly, to build the momentum so she would not fall again, much like riding a bicycle.

The vet put her on a drip as she was severely dehydrated and scanned for a microchip; she had none.  

Fluids in her extremely distended stomach, caused by heart failure

The vet’s words gutted us. To hear that a dog that lived such a miserable life might have such a miserable end was heart wrenching. When we tried to cheer Ah Girl up, she just looked at us with eyes that had never experienced happiness. Even if we were to heal her ailments, there was no way we could put her back onto the streets, not when we now know that she might one day die out there alone, unwanted, unloved. While we were waiting to take her to the vet, we had witnessed many cars driving dangerously around Ah Girl as she could not stand up to move away from the dangers of the traffic.

Caring for Ah Girl is not a lot of work. She spends her days sleeping, goes for short walks 3x a day just to do her toileting. At times, she may pee in the middle of the night as she is old and unable to hold her pee for long hours. She loves cooked food and has been eating well. She needs to go to the vet for a review every two weeks, just to check her blood count and ensure no fluids in her stomach and lungs. Once that has stabilized, her visits to the vet will be lessened.

Ah Girl is such an amazing dog. Despite having been through years of neglect and abuse, she still remains friendly, gentle and trusting. We are urgently looking for someone to give Ah Girl a permanent home in her remaining years. She asks for nothing more than decent meals and a roof over her head for her to live out her golden years.

If you would like to adopt Ah Girl or make contributions to help defray the high cost of Ah Girl’s treatment, please email fiona@hopedogrescue.org 

Written by Lynn Chue. Video by Esther Low. Photographs by Esther and Lisa Goh.

Note from Fiona :  One can never imagine the hard life of a stray. When I first laid eyes on Ah Girl lying in the middle of the car park, I instantly felt that she needed to be taken to safety. Thirteen years on the streets! I can’t even begin to imagine how strong she is to have survived 13 years of hardship. The tiredness of the same old daily struggles. Strays generally don’t live past 7 to 9 years old before they fall prey to illnesses and accidents but 13 years for an old arthritic dog who had heart failure, one broken leg and just one eye, she sure deserved a good loving home for all that she has gone through.

Ah Girl is one of the gentlest, sweetest strays I have ever met, undemanding and grateful. (But then again, I say that of all our rescued strays!) When I held her in my arms, I could feel her loneliness and sadness. It’s not often we come across dogs with such deep sadness. Her sadness was indescribable, a lifetime of abuse, neglect and loneliness. She didn't know what love was. Her sadness also stemmed from the fact that she was unwell, she felt her body failing her and yet there was nothing she could do, but to continue to struggle and survive day by day. As I kissed her forehead gently and promised her everything would be alright from today onwards, I felt her heave a sigh of relief. And I thought I heard her say Thank You.

Ah Girl is presently fostered by Sooh Yee and we thank her for her kindness. We thank Emilia for informing us of Ah Girl's plight, Lisa, Lynn and Esther for helping with the rescue, Lynette and Amy for giving Ah Girl her very first hair trim and bath as she was very badly matted, and volunteers who had cooked for Ah Girl daily during her stay at the vet.

We appeal to your kindness to help Ah Girl with her vet bills, as she needs to go back to the vet for reviews and to please open your heart to Ah Girl. Show her there is love and happiness after suffering for 13 years, that her struggles were worthwhile.

Stairway Of Neglect

One day, my group of close friends and I were studying together at one of our friend’s house. We have all been very passionate about animals and especially more so for dogs because a few of us have pet dogs. We were casually talking about the dogs in our neighbourhood, when my friend mentioned that her neighbour on the 18th floor had a very cute Golden Retriever. Being such enthusiasts about dogs, we decided to visit the dog. 

The corridor has been his home for the past 5 years. He faces that direction just so he can get a peek at the family that once loved him.

Rudolph's staircase (Low quality pics taken with a mobile phone camera)

When we reached the corridor nearing the house, we were taken aback! There at the common staircase, lay a Golden Retriever who was being leashed by a rope to the staircase! It wasn’t even a proper leash, it was two tattered ropes joined together and tied to the staircase railing. His food and water bowls were empty. And the corridor floor was wet as a result of the rain before. His home was the staircase and the rain had splashed onto the staircase and flowed down the steps, making him cold and wet. It was obvious that the living condition was terrible. 

Still tied to the staircase, Rudolf waited patiently for Sherry to give him a treat

Despite the torture and abuse, Rudolf was excited as he was wagging his tail upon our arrival and he didn’t even know us! He was seemingly too weak to stand up as he merely lay still on the ground. Our hearts were broken knowing his plight, however we could not do anything as my friend said that the owner wasn’t very friendly. We had no choice but to pat Rudolf and hoped that he would do fine. I couldn’t stop worrying about him after laying eyes on him. No dog or animal should be mistreated and be left to live in such an environment! Can you imagine having to succumb to such living condition and having no rights to protest or reject? 

That night, I told my family about Rudolf and they were shocked all the same. How could some people just treat animals with no respect and love? The next day, my mother decided to visit him and her heart also sank when she saw him. She stayed there to play and talk to him, and you could tell from his eyes that he very badly wanted some form of love from human. The neglect he had to deal with for so long was really showing through his expression. After some time, the owner came out of the house and realized that my mother had been playing with her dog. The owner was a Chinese auntie, most probably in her 60s, and the first thing she said to my mother was “You think my dog is cute? You can have him!” The owner did not want Rudolf anymore and if no one was to rescue him, he would have just lived at the staircase till he faces old age and death; cold, wet and alone. 

Handsome Rudolf, relieved to be saved after years of neglect

Through the conversation with the auntie, my mother found out that Rudolf was leashed to the staircase 24/7, come rain or shine, for the past five years! He is now 6 years old. His family had loved him for the first year of his life, after which they became too busy with work and decided to tie him at the staircase to live out his remaining years. When asked why they didn’t try to rehome him, they callously replied that they did not even have time for that! 

Rudolf was strictly not allowed to enter the house and he even had his meals and baths at the corridor, on the staircase. It amazed us that none of their neighbours complained about his presence or predicament. Even his grooming was done by the helper by using a shaver, also at the common corridor. As a result, his fur was patchy from her shaving and blotchy from the wet steps that was home to him for the most part of his life. The only form of attention he had was when the helper brought him downstairs to do his daily business. It was obvious the only right thing to do was to call HOPE to rescue him. 

Volunteer Sherry and my mother visited Rudolf’s owner the following day. They were told that Rudolf belonged to her son who was busy working and had no time for him anymore. She also told us Rudolf turned six this year and has been chained to the corridor in rain and shine for five years now, and she would love to give Rudolf away! It is depressing and appalling how people lose affection in their once dearly loved pets, and the extent of neglect they bring upon them subsequently. We have seen so many cases of pets being a victim of families who have welcomed a new baby at home, a broken marriage or simply irresponsible owners who decided overnight they had enough of their pets. 

HOPE and my family claimed Rudolf the next night. The owners were so thrilled to be rid of him and even passed all his belonging to us. We were extremely relieved to see Rudolf finally freed from the cold, hard concrete forever, but at the same time, it was upsetting to witness the heartlessness of our humankind. If I could read an animal’s mind, I would tell you that Rudolf knew freedom and a new life was ahead of him because he ran, propelled and dragged us along with him in excitement, in relief, and in sheer joy. That moment freed my heart! 

We examined Rudolf’s neck later on and saw it was all red and sore from tugging against the leash for five years, just so he could be close enough to the owner’s door to steal a glance at them. 

Like all dogs rescued by HOPE, Rudolf has been to the vet for a thorough medical check and is in superb health except for ringworms, which will heal over time. It was no surprise since he lived on the corridor 24/7, and slept on the cold, dusty and wet concrete for over five years. 

We named him Rudolf as it was around the holiday season that we rescued him. Rudolf is slightly overweight because he was tied to the staircase for years and the only exercise he had was pacing up and down the staircase. In fact, the steps and corridor where he lived had a darker shade from Rudolf’s constant pacing.  

Spending the night at Sherry's home. His skin was really bad, but he still managed a smile.

As it was late, Rudolf went to Sherry’s home for the night. As he approached her front door, he instinctively turned to the staircase to rest. That scene stayed in my mind for days and brought tears to my eyes because the staircase was the only home he knew! We had to explain to him that he no longer needed to sleep on the steps and lovingly took him into Sherry’s home. It was a heart breaking moment. 

At Sherry’s home, she was amazed at how well behaved and gentle Rudolf was. He peed on the newspaper, was quiet and appreciative. Sherry gave him a big bone and the delight he showed was priceless. He gnawed on it for hours. It was Christmas for Rudolf in more ways than one! 

Rudolf is now temporarily boarding at a pet shop while we look for a home for him. Will any kind souls out there foster or adopt him? Boarding Rudolf at a pet shop is expensive and we would be most grateful if someone would come forth to foster him.  

Despite the extent of his neglect, Rudolf remains a sweet, trusting, gentle and loving dog who is easily contented. Like any other Golden Retriever, Rudolf socializes well with human and other dogs and will be a wonderful addition to your family. To foster or adopt Rudolf, please email sherry@hopedogrescue.org

Written by Jovee Gan, Age 19.

Note from HOPE : 

Rescuing dogs do not come cheap, from vet bills to boarding to the provision of food for the rescued dogs; it really adds up. And HOPE spares no expense in the dogs’ welfare. All rescue dogs are taken straight to the vet for a thorough medical check, which includes checking for tick fever, heartworm, kidney and liver functions, skin culture for ringworms, a check that their heart is functioning well, their ears for infection, eyes for their vision and if they suffer from dry eyes, as well as their teeth. Dental scaling is done in most cases as rescue dogs, especially those pulled out from breeding farms, are often in pretty bad shape. Before a dog goes to their new home, they are sterilized, vaccinated and microchipped. 

On the average, we spend between $250 to $500, after discount, on each dog’s initial vet bill. The cost is also dependent on the dog’s age and health condition. All our dogs, once cleared of heartworm and tick fever, are immediately put on Heartgard and Frontline. This is our responsibility to the dog we have rescued, as well to the foster home that the dogs go to, as they may have dogs of their own, thus our dogs should not have any infectious diseases. Most importantly, these dogs rescued by HOPE have often had a hard, sad life and they deserve our very best, no less. 

Please support HOPE so that we may continue to save more dogs.

Matthieu Smiles Again (4th Update)

Matthieu’s story touched, and broke, many hearts. His courage and strength to survive was seen when he was injured and paralyzed from the waist down, yet he survived by hiding under a lorry for two weeks before Mr Aziz informed us of his plight and we went down to save him.

Matthieu stayed at The Animal Doctors for three months, although he was due for discharge after just a few weeks, simply because we could not find someone to foster him. Many people felt sorry for him, but no one had come forth to offer him a temporary home to recover till he was ready for his spinal surgery. He had ringworms and that needed to clear before he could undergo the surgical procedure, yet staying at the clinic wasn’t helping. His condition deteriorated, the ringworms didn’t go away and poor Matthieu became an old cranky dog. He was temperamental, he bit his masseuse and he howled in his cage. Despite all that, we loved him and understood what he was going through. Mr Aziz had shared with us that Matthieu had lived in his factory as an alpha dog. He was always the first to eat and when he ate, no other dogs went near; they waited patiently till he was done. Matthieu was the leader of the pack, a dog used to freedom and fresh air yet now he was cooped up 24/7 in a cage for three months, putting up with the barking and mewing of other smaller creatures he had never ever seen before. From being mobile, he now had to drag himself around . . .  . .anyone in that situation would feel like biting and fighting back too. Our volunteers took turns to take him out for walks and to sit outside the clinic with him, chatting for hours while Matthieu lay outside and fell asleep to their droning. However, these outings were soon limited by the vets as Matthieu had ringworms and they were concerned it would pass on to the other pets. Poor Matthieu was once again confined to his cage.

Then a week back, an angel came into our lives; Bee Yan called and offered to foster Matthieu temporarily till his ringworm cleared and he goes for his surgery. Temporary? That was good enough for us! We arranged for his discharge and Leslie and Marion went down to transport Matthieu to his new foster home. Matthieu was elated with his very own car porch! Freedom to move about, a view of the garden, sunshine and fresh air! We can’t thank Bee Yan enough for offering Matthieu temporary boarding and all the extra work she and her family have put into caring for him. With his new place, our volunteers are now able to visit Matthieu almost daily to exercise and walk him around the garden, sit and chat with him and he had his very first bath in almost 10 years!

Elated at having his very own car porch

Jin Hui and Leslie giving Matthieu his very first bath!

Matthieu thanks all the volunteers who have taken turns to deliver food to him religiously for the past 3 months. He has finally put on some weight.

Eyes that show courage and resilience

Matthieu has now been cleared of the ringworms but the poor boy seems to be riddled with one health issue after another. Foster Bee Yan noticed that his pee had fresh blood in it, although previously his pee was a reddish liquid that was diluted. So Leslie and Marion took Matthieu back to The Animal Doctors for a check. It was a bittersweet reunion at The Animal Doctors. Matthieu dragged himself around the clinic reception saying hello to all the staff who had cared for him, receiving loving pats in return.

Watch Matthieu's journey. He has come a long way:

The vet said she would treat Matthieu for Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) and see if the blood clears within two weeks. If it doesn’t, then she would need to carry out an ultrasound. The vet was concerned it would be something cancerous but we won’t be thinking about that for now.

Once again his surgery needs to be postponed.

I have been asked many times, not just with Matthieu, but with our other rescue dogs as well, why didn’t you put them down? My answer is, why should I? They are not in pain or suffering, they are eating well and relatively happy. Look at Matthieu today. Look at that cheeky grin on his face! Do you think he was ready to give up on life? If he was, he would not have hung on for two weeks, waiting for help to come. Would you have been able to put a dog down, knowing he had spent 10 rough years on the road, surviving unthinkable hardship and when help finally came along, to take the dog to the vet only to end his life? I am incapable of such an action. I would have thought, after 10 years of hardship, he has finally been saved, let’s give him a few good remaining years if we can.

Look at that cheeky grin and how happy he is to be alive! How could I possibly have put him down?

This doesn’t mean we have not put dogs down. We have. Contrary to popular belief, we don’t try to save the world but we do try to save them within our means, albeit a hand to mouth existence. People tell us this isn’t the way to go, we can’t survive on a hand to mouth existence, but we have come thus far and if I have to do it over again, without a doubt, I will. We are blessed that we work with understanding vets who allow us credit and know that we will pay up when we can afford to. 

Matthieu has suffered 10 long years, living his life as a stray, not knowing what tomorrow had in store for him. He doesn’t ask for much, just a garden to move about without hurting himself and a family to show him that his 10 years of waiting . . . struggling . . .is finally over.

Priceless smile!

Today when I visited Matthieu at his foster home, for the very first time since his rescue. . . .  .I saw him wag his tail. No amount of money can buy that wag!

To adopt Matthieu, please email fiona@hopedogrescue.org

Video credits : Leslie Kok. Matthieu’s maids in waiting : Sherry, Leslie, Lisa, Buven, Jin Hui, Marion and Isabelle.