We received a call close to midnight from a security guard alerting us that a
dog was caught in a hit-and-run accident. His colleague had witnessed a motorist slamming
right into the dog. He told us over the phone that the dog was in a pretty bad
shape as his chest had started to swell up. We knew it wasn't a good sign but
little did we know that his injuries were so severe.
We received this picture via sms from the security guard
We rushed to the industrial estate where the accident
took place to assess the situation. When we first laid eyes on the dog, our instincts
and past experiences told us at once that it was a bad hit. While the dog did
not have many surface injuries, his petite frame would never be able to sustain
the impact of the hit. True enough, there was something odd about his leg. We
had to send him to the vet clinic. Yet another emergency case . . . .
The security guard carrying the dog from the grass patch where he had been lying for an hour after he was hit
The doctors did an X-ray scan which revealed that he had
a brachial fracture - his bone was completely broken. What's worst was that the
broken bone had pierced his chest causing serious internal bleeding and fluid
retention. The vet said that his broken leg may need to be amputated or be held
together by steel plates, depending on whether the nerves were damaged. If the
nerves were damaged, repairing the break would not be of any help. Either way,
it would warrant an operation which might amount to at least $5000. As for the
internal bleeding, the vet recommended against treating it at this point in
time as it didn't seem to bother him at this stage, and there were more
critical issues to treat.
Coaxing him out of the carrier
Look at his front left leg
Given the complexity and severity of this, we decided it
was best to consult the surgeons when they are on shift tomorrow. The dog is
put on morphine and pain relief patch right now to help him tide through the
pain tonight. We can't imagine how much pain his tiny body is in now. He was
still in shock when we left him at the hospital.
He had abrasions and a hematoma under his chest. The left side of his chest and leg were very badly swollen.
He had minor cuts on his front right leg as well
It is depressing and deeply saddening how vulnerable
street dogs are to man-made accidents. It is also appalling how selfish,
careless and irresponsible human kinds are to animals. Over the past few weeks,
we have received emergency calls weekly alerting us of grossly injured dogs on
the streets.
The circled area is where his bone has broken entirely
Poor Alfie. Imagine the immense pain he is going through
Look at the awkward position of his left leg
The red circle shows the broken bone. The red line shows where his chest should end but as you can see his chest has extended below the red line, which is terribly swollen with blood and fluids.
We urge everyone to please help our street dogs. The dog
that was implicated in today's hit-and-run accident had only started living in
the factory for a week before this happened to him. Their life may be
insignificant to some but to the animal-loving community, their life is worth
fighting for.
He doesn't even feel his leg, despite the awkward position its in
We named him Alfie. He is small and short. A sweet and cute little fella he is. The vet estimated him to be about 3 to 4 years old.
Please keep this little fighter in your prayers. If you
can help find a home for him or contribute to his medical expenses, please
email hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg
Whatever it is, we definitely cannot and
will not return him to the streets.
*Please note that all our @hopedogrescue.org email
accounts are not working at the moment. We apologize for being IT idiots.
Please use the above general email for now. Thank you.
Thank you Claire Chai and Lisa Goh for helping at the eleventh hour.
During our regular feeding rounds last Saturday, I received a call from
one of our volunteers. She informed me about an injured dog which Fiona had
spotted while driving past a factory. As we did not have a carrier with us, we agreed upon the rest continuing with the
feeding while Fiona and Lisa stayed with the dog and I would rush off to
collect a carrier. I was really excited while I was on the way to collect the
carrier as I have always wanted to take part in such rescue missions after
watching so many videos on dog rescue, knowing how much it would help and save
the poor dogs from death and suffering.
The dog was spotted by Fiona while she was driving and she had
immediately made a U-turn to go and check on the dog. Years of experience helps
and she knew the dog had an injury and was bleeding. As they pulled over, the
injured dog approached their van for food. Lisa put food for the dog, while
trying to apply medicine on his wound as he ate. The wound was really deep and
they could see a hollow. That’s when they decided to send me to get the
carrier. As this was the first time they had seen this dog, they didn’t want to
wait till daylight and risk losing the dog.
He hid under these lorries, away from us
It was terribly dark and dangerous for us, we could hardly see where we were going
They had tailed the dog into a factory which was muddy, slippery and poorly
lit. There, the dog hid under a huge lorry for security, away from us. The
whole place was filled with puddles of muddy water and petrol
spillage which set back our movement speed by a lot as it was really
slippery when stepped on. Not only was the floor dirty and muddy, the whole
factory area was fully packed with big cement lorries and some with their
containers half-way down. To add on to this already very bad surrounding,
there was no street light or any form of light which caused low visibility. We
had to move around the place very cautiously with the help of our phone lights
so as not to knock our heads as we crept around, in case we slipped and fell.
Despite the danger, the only thought on our minds was to bring the dog for the
required medical attention as soon as possible.
After more than half an hour, the dog was still hiding under one
of the parked lorries, refusing to come out even after coaxing him and
trying to tempt him with delicious food. Getting desperate, I went to knock on
the windows and doors of the different containers where I thought might have
workers, and also the security guard house. Knocking them as hard and loud
as possible to get the workers to wake up and help us with catching the dog.
To our delight, a worker finally came out from the security guard house
half-asleep. The worker told us that this dog was their factory dog and that
the wound had been there for about a week already. Describing the wound as a
very deep puncture hole which could be caused by the attacks by other dogs from
outside the factory. He said the dog’s name was Milo.
Watch Milo's video here :
Upon hearing this, I was feeling so sad for this dog as his living environments
was harsh. Little did I realise that although he was a calm and well-behaved
dog, other dogs would still attack him.
After roughly an hour of squatting, half-bend posture and slow cautious
movements while trying to coax the dog out, we finally caught him! He had
somehow trusted Fiona and went close to her and she talked and coaxed him to
slowly move towards the carrier. When he was close enough, she quickly shoved
him into the carrier and we slammed the gate shut! I was over the moon as we
were now able to help him and save him from his suffering!
Fiona and Lisa rushed him to the vet even though it was way after midnight
and midnight charges were sky high. Taking the dog to the vet was a priority.
The rest of the volunteers stayed behind to wash and clean up after stray
feeding.
Waiting for the vet to see him
After that, 5 of us went down to the vet to join the volunteers who brought him
there. At the vet, we had a better look at him in the bright light, he was very
good looking, like a bigger version of a Jack Russell Terrier, and his body was
lean and muscular from years of running and living on the streets. The wound at
his neck area was really deep and I could see the hollow gap in
between his outer layer of fur from his flesh. There was a
musky smell which I had never smelt before as this was the first time I was
involved in a rescue, but was later educated by the senior volunteers that this
was the smell of rotting flesh and maggots. Other than the deep puncture wound,
his chest area was also red and its fur was wet, we were concerned that
there were more puncture wounds and so
the vet gave him a shave around his neck area.
Poor Milo's neck wound
After shaving his fur we could see how badly infected his wound was
He was in so much pain and yet he trusted us to allow us to touch him and shave
his neck. After the shave, it revealed a very deep wound although there were no
maggots. The vet advised we sedate him in order to clean the wound thoroughly.
It was also less stressful for him. While some of us were with Milo, the other
half were in the car park washing and disinfecting the carrier.
By the time we left the vet, it was close to 3am. What a night it had
been. Excitement yet pain and sadness. But I was really happy that I was able
to play a part in rescuing an injured dog but at the same time feeling sad and
heart-broken that a stray dog have to lead their life in fear of being caught
and culled by the authorities, staying in such harsh environments, wondering
where would be the next safest place to sleep, not knowing when will be the
next time they are able to fill up their tiny stomachs and yet having to be a
strong in order to prevent the others from bullying them. Nevertheless, I was
really glad that he is now in safe hands and that the required medical
attentions are provided for him! He would be the inspiration to me for wanting
to save more street dogs in the future, to save them from their sufferings and
pain.
Written by Cecilia Huang
Note from Fiona : The following day, Milo was transferred from the
hospital to our regular vet clinic, where he is still presently warded. The
flesh around his wound was dead and it would have taken months for his wound to
close on its own, and so poor Milo had to undergo a second surgery to remove
the dead flesh and then have his wound stitched up. He was also sterilized and
ear-tipped. He has been at the vet for about a week and his wound is healing
well. His bill to date, with 2 surgeries, sterilization, and emergency charges,
has amounted to about $2000++. He is estimated to stay at the clinic for a week
more before discharge. We want his would to heal completely before returning him to his factory.
Having his dressing changed. Milo is such a pleasant dog
On Monday, I received an email from the factory where Milo was
rescued. It was an email sent by his factory workers and lorry drivers. One of
them had seen us taking Milo away, and saw on our shirts that we were from HOPE
Dog Rescue. They Googled and then emailed us and said they wanted to visit him
at the vet. We were impressed and amazed at how they found us and their concern
and love for him.
One of the workers, Eric, told me that Milo is about 6 years old and
that he had moved with them from Sembawang. The workers loved him and took
turns buying him chicken or vegetable rice for his lunch daily, saying he refuses to eat dog food.
After talking to them, they were agreeable to license Milo and we will
assist them in the process. We will also educate them on how to feed and care
for him properly. Eric also visited Milo at the vet once, despite his busy work
schedule.
Eric told us that they only noticed Milo’s wound a few days before we
did and the workers had taken turns catching
Milo to apply medication. Initially there were lots of maggots but by
the time we took him on Saturday night, there was none, although the stench of maggots
was still apparent. The workers had taken care of him and tried
their best to help him, despite their little knowledge on caring for a dog.
Better off than Amber, at least Milo has a family to return to
So when Milo is discharged from the vet in a weeks’ time, unlike Amber, we know he will have a family to return to.
HOPE 2014 calendars are now available at the locations listed below. At just S$10 per calendar, you can bring HOPE to many rescued and rehabilitating dogs. There is free delivery for orders of 11 calendars or more, so hurry and order your calendars by filling out the form here.
Baby Harper is our cover girl!
FEATURED DOGS
The making of the calendar is always a bittersweet journey, as we look back and give thanks to the lives that were saved, as well as reminisce and pay tribute to the lives we've touched but were subsequently lost. This year, our cover girl is none other than Baby Harper, the tiny soul with so much resilience to live on fearlessly and enjoy life as it is, despite her disabilities. We also give thanks to Ah Girl, the brave girl who spent more than 12 years of her life sleeping on cold concrete floors in a factory, but lived out her final days in the comforts of a foster home. There is Nora, a beautiful poodle that we rescued from a puppy mill, together with her friends Joey, Rob, and Sarah. Not forgetting our exotic beauty Lulu, and fun-loving Athena (previously named Fat Sister Brown) who have both found forever homes respectively after six years of living on the streets.
Lulu being photographed by Nick from Furry Photos
And Jaspar the malnourished and injured street dog with a maggot-infested wound so gory the vet thought he may not survive the night.
Jaspar's horrible wound
Jaspar today, with owner, Alice
Of course, we can't leave out our darling old man, Matthieu, who is temporarily with a foster home but awaits his own forever home.
Matthieu on the day of his rescue
Matthew at his foster home. Will someone adopt him?
This year’s calendar will also feature the popular Cotton girl who was abandoned due to her medical condition (Cotton suffers from seizures, which are now under control), our very special Happy who is always bursting with happiness and energy, sweet-natured Lucky whom we've rescued from a troubled past, Talia who was left in the open to brave the sun and the storms in a cage, Cookie the abandoned beagle-local cross and possibly a former breeding dog, and Momo and Sparky who have finally found their forever homes!
Cotton when she was found. She was abandoned.
Cotton is waiting for someone to adopt her!
CALENDAR DESIGN AND FEATURES In addition to the endless stream of cute doggy photos which will keep your eyes glued to the pages, we also want to stress that our calendar is specially designed to help the busy dog lovers keep track of their “dog appointments”. The calendar grids are bigger than normal calendars so you can easily paste stickers to remind yourself when you've last administered “Revolution” or “Frontline” and when your doggies are due for the next dose. You can also scribble some quick notes in each square to keep yourself organized – all in one place! We've also added some fun notes to remind you and your family to walk your dogs, give them a hug, and to take them for their regular vaccination and yearly checkups. All in all, the calendar is specially made for YOU and with your doggy in mind.
WHY PURCHASE HOPE'S CALENDAR? Purchasing our calendar will allow us to continue our journey in saving our furry friends, rebuild their trust in humans and try to protect more animals against unnecessary suffering. Buy our calendars as a meaningful Christmas gift for friends and family, or buy our calendars simply because you love dogs. The next time you see us blogging about yet another rescued dog, you'll know we couldn't have done it without you! For just S$10/- per calendar, you can buy a whole lot of kindness! Here's where the money goes:
Help with our vet bills for our rescued dogs. Vet bills inadvertently go up for dogs that require long-term medical care such as old dogs and dogs with skin issues, heartworm and tick fever. Not a day goes by without us worrying about bills.
Boarding kennel housing for rescued dogs that we are unable to find foster homes for. As we do not have our own shelter, we pay a commercial rate to rent space at these kennels.
Provide food for the street and factory dogs which often live in filthy conditions and get so desperate they would even eat rubbish and gravel.
Provide food to low income and senior citizens for their dogs.
Help with vet bills for low income dog-owners who love their dogs but cannot afford to take their dogs to the vet.
Support our spaying program, our more humane way of curbing the stray population and our fight against culling strays.
HOW TO BUY
The order form can be downloaded here. For orders of 11 calendars and above, you get to enjoy free delivery! Place your orders now and buy some calendars for friends and families at just S$10 each. For merchants or individuals who wish to sell our HOPE 2014 calendar in your shops or personally, please drop us a note at hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg
For mail order, please download and print the order form. Then mail the form along with your cheque (payable to "Hope Dog Rescue") to: Whiteclip / HOPE Dog Rescue 28 Maxwell Road Red Dot Traffic Building #03-11 Singapore 069120 For email order, please email hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg with the completed form and make a fund transfer. You can also purchase our calendars from one of the following participating merchants:
North
Dog
Haven Grooming Salon
5 Jasmine Road, Singapore 576580
Barks
& Bubbles Pet Grooming Studio
37 JalanRumahTinggi Singapore 150037
Tel: 64743115 * Calendars are sold at only $5 each, with the owners generously sponsoring the difference. Limited to 100 copies only!
Cakewalk
Blk 63B LengkokBahru #01-362, Singapore 152063
Tel :64721107
Pet
HQ
221 Boonlay Place, #02-112 Boonlay Shopping Centre, Singapore 640221
Tel: 64639177
Pet
Tails
27A LorongKilat, Singapore 598128
Tel: 68932988 / 85718262
Polypets
109 Clementi St 11 #01-27/29, Singapore 120109
Tel: 67795309
The
Pet Doctor
3 Pandan Valley, Pandan Valley Condominium, 1-311 ChempakaBlk, Singapore 597627
Tel: 64387779 West Coast Vetcare Pte Ltd 612 Clementi West Street 1 #01-300 Singapore 120612 Tel: 6777 7423
Yappily
Pets
Blk 217 Bukit Batok Street 21, #01-363 Tel: 96863205
So what are you waiting for? Order your calendar today!
HOPE would like to thank the following people for their help and partnership in the production of 2014's calendar: Big O Group Honeypot Nicholas Lee of Furry Photos Lisa Goh of WhiteClip for her well thought-out design for our calendar. If you like our calendar design and wish to contact Lisa, lisa@whiteclip.com
