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.

Think No More

Are you a racist? Do you discriminate against others because of what they look like or where they’re from? Would you deny them the same rights that you enjoy?

Why, then, do people look down on stray dogs? Why do families prefer to buy pedigree pets from shops, instead of adopting a mongrel? Is it because they don’t fit into their definition of beauty? Is it because they are dirty from having lived a life on the streets?

Just like us humans, dogs cannot choose where they’re born or who they’re born to. That doesn’t mean that street dogs deserve any less than pedigree dogs who have been bred for sale. They have the same feelings, they need the same love, and if anything else, they deserve it most for having suffered so much and being so brave.

We complain about how disgusting the food from the office cafeteria is, or how our food contains certain icky ingredients that we don’t particularly like. But these dogs don’t even know where their next meal will come from, or when it will be. They may not even survive till then.

When we rescue them, we see the hope slowly come back into their eyes. It can take months or years, but we can see them growing stronger and happier, as time passes. They’re content. Their tails wag. They’re happy just because they get regular meals shoved through their cage doors a few times each day. They’re happy with the few hours of attention they receive each week. They’re happy because they have a safe place to sleep at night.

But yet, it breaks our hearts that they don’t know how much better life could have been, if only they were born fluffier, smaller, or fairer. It saddens us to know that some of them may never know what it’s like to be part of a loving family. They aren't given the chance to love and be loved, because they’re “ugly”, just a stray. They have only ever known how the cold floor of a kennel feels, seen the human world from the inside of a cage, or how gravel feels under the belly. Meanwhile, people continue to pass them over, opting instead for that doggy in the window.

Why can’t we find them homes? We know that they may not look like the doggy version of a runway model, but we don’t think that makes them any less amazing. They each have their own unique personality and are so full of life. They have such a capacity for love, and we really believe that they deserve to be loved in return. No matter what they look like, no matter how slim the chances are, we will never stop hoping that one day, someone will see them as the special dogs they are and bring them back to their forever homes.

Matthieu

Cooper the puppy



Fat Girl Brown

 Happy enjoying her stick

You've read about Matthieu and Cooper, street dogs that have suffered all their lives. Matthieu is estimated to be about 10 years old, while mini Cooper is all of 7 mths; their pain, you can only imagine.

Happy, a female local cross breed, has been living at the kennels for the past 7 months, abandoned and tied overnight outside a veterinary clinic. Fat Girl Brown, a female local cross who has spent her entire life (5 years) living on the streets and rescued recently when her sister passed away from distemper and she was left alone.

These local dogs are affectionate, highly intelligent and a pleasure to have. They are incredibly lovely dogs, but they’re big, brown, or black. Happy is obviously happy and energetic. She’s also lean and black, and not what people would describe as “cuddly”. Fat Girl Brown is shy, affectionate and calm, albeit some separation anxiety. These dogs are sweet-natured, and suckers for pats and cuddles. They need families to look after them and care for them, because their probability of survival back on the streets is not high.

Happy playing at the dog run on her weekly outings with volunteers



Happy and her guitar motif on her chest

Please, do not buy pets and encourage the puppy mill business. Instead, consider adopting a rescued or needy animal. You’ll be surprised at how much love they can give, and how rewarding this relationship will be.

Fat Girl Brown

If you would like to adopt or foster any of the dogs above, please contact fiona@hopedogrescue.org. Adopt a mutt, they're the best thing that could ever happen to you!

Note : Dogs adopted from HOPE Dog Rescue all undergo a thorough medical check up inclusive of blood works for tick fever, heartworm, kidney and liver functions, skin culture for ringworms, checking of teeth, ears and eyes, as well as microchipping, sterilization and vaccination. All our rescue dogs are put on Heartgard and Frontline. We spare no costs in ensuring the well being of our dogs.

Written by Elena Lin

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.

Mini Cooper's Update

It has been a month since Cooper's surgery. Since his story was published, we have been getting lots of emails enquiring about his wellbeing and we are extremely heartened by that. 

Cooper is now with foster, Sandra, who gives him love and care in every way she can. Sandra saw Cooper at the vet and called us immediately requesting to foster him. She had fallen in love with him at first sight. But that's Cooper. He has that effect on everyone. You only have to meet him once to be irresistibly drawn by him.



Super cute!



Able to stand and walk although his legs are not very strong

A little wobbly on his legs

He looks thin because he should not put on too much weight for now

Under the loving care of Sandra, Cooper is getting stronger day by day. Although he is able to walk now, he is still supposed to get cage rest for another month and not exert himself too much. And for this, Sandra bought him a kids stroller from the Salvation Army to push him around when the family goes for walks so that he does not feel left out!

A gift from Cooper when we visited him - a baby tooth!

Lisa taking Cooper for a walk at the park



Enjoying his outing. Cooper is rather calm for a puppy

At Cooper's first review, three weeks after the surgery, Dr Landon said that Cooper’s legs are healing although it would take some months before he sees the full outcome of the surgery. We felt that Cooper’s legs seemed to be at an awkward angle and were concerned that in the long run, it might be affected by wear and tear. It is still early days as it has only been a few weeks after his surgery. However, the plan for Cooper now is to monitor him for another two months and if his legs still look awkward, he may need to undergo one final surgery to break his bones and fuse it back the proper way. This would only be the last resort as we definitely don't want him to go through more pain. This poor boy has already suffered enough in his short 6 months life span than what most dogs had gone through in their entire lives.

Two days back, Cooper was sterilized and received his second vaccination. We thank Sandra for sponsoring the procedure. While Cooper was under general anesthesia, he had an xray on his legs. Dr Landon has seen the second set of xrays and has mentioned to give it another two months before he re-examines Cooper. Cooper still has mild ringworms and as soon as this clears, will undergo hydrotherapy to strengthen his muscles. 

Mini Gorgeous

Waiting at the Vet

He is now able to bear weight on both legs although his left leg is not as good as we would like it to be

Walking on his own

Sandra has shared with us that Cooper is getting stronger in both of his back legs and is now able to sleep on both sides, which he was not able to do previously. He is no longer in need of pain relief tablets and is in much brighter spirits. He is a curious little puppy and is just starting to enjoy his new lease on life now. Sandra is giving Cooper basic obedience training, and enjoys watching him grow into a confident dog. Cooper is now toilet trained, roams the house freely, gets on terrifically with the family dog, as well as the children at home. 

 

Cooper and his foster, Sandra

At his foster home

Standing quite well and wagging tail

Sitting comfortably for long periods of time



Enjoying his belated X'mas presents from Sandra



Chewing to his heart's content!



Pretty boy

Please give me a home …...

We would like to thank everyone that had helped with Cooper’s surgical fee. We are also very thankful to Sandra and her family for fostering Cooper and showering him with so much love, something he had never experienced before.

Should you wish to give Cooper his forever home, please email alicia@hopedogrescue.org 

Cooper is a darling to have as part of your family; he has a sweet disposition, is obedient, a fast learner, gets on well with dogs and loves children. What more could you ask for in a puppy?

Written by Esther Low. Photographs courtesy of Sandra.