On our walks together, we see lots of stuff, ant hills, flowers and more! I like the place where we live, its full of buildings (flats) but there is a little green hill there and I like to think its just for me!
Ant City -very much like the one I did my business on yesterday. If you see it, you will realise you can't really know its an ant hill unless its daylight. So its not my fault I "ahemed" in it. Sorry ants
Pretty flowers in the wild
He takes me for my walk walks anytime I want to go.
He lets me have the blanket. That me after I attacked it. When it gets too hot, I just wriggle out from under it.
I like to put my paw on his paw cos I love him.
Hou
This is Sharon's best friend's parents' doggie, his name is Patch. Check out his "dog tattoo" on his fur!
Poor Patch, do you have to be locked up just like me, when people "who scream at the mere sight of anything furry" visit?
In the day I am Director of Security in a little apartment. By night, I have to keep my two humans entertained. Since I am a good natured Doggie, I let them do whatever they want! Sigh...
PS: they make me do a lot more things that can't be publicized!
Heres what Sharon got me from the Gold Coast (it was on sale!) It was a Large but me thinks its too tight as every laughed when I sat down (something about seeing my rolls?)
Karen received this from Ricky (Action From Singapore Dogs). If anyone has information of Jeri, please get in touch with Ricky or any of the kind souls at ASD, ok? Jeri looks like my pups and me when I was a little pup, so please have a heart and return her back to where she belongs...
Here is the email from Ricky:
Hi everyone
We have a case of one of our puppies, Jeri, a 3 month old brown female local cross breed that was kidnapped
What had happened was this girl Karen had enquired about adopting the puppy and fufilled the criteria over the phone. She was referred to the foster's place to view the puppy and wanted to take the puppy back immediately
As this was not our usual practice, we did not agree but she cried tearfully and put on a emotional show, and we finally agreed, but on condition she left her particulars, so that we could follow up with the adoption papers
Later, she refused to pick up calls and we discovered that the address was also a fake one. Unfortunately then, the fosterer had not asked for her I/C to verify the particulars
It has been 2 weeks plus and after seeking out recourse, including making a police report, we are appealing to you to give us any info on this girl as we fear for the safety of the puppy
Her name is Karen, age about 21 years old, short haired, petite build, she claims to be working as a stylist, shampoo girl. We believe she has a boyfriend/husband by the name of David and it is possible she may have another dog.
The telephone numbers given were
91711275, 64556217
She gave an address Blk 706 #09-379 Yishun St 71 (there is no such unit number)
Please keep a lookout for anyone who has a puppy like Jeri
and call us immediately at 98801137 or 92590698
If anyone can obtain any information on the actual address based on the numbers above or knows them, please call us also, all we want is to have Jeri back again
A reward will be given to anyone who can help us recover Jeri safely.
Please dessiminate this email to as many people in the dog community as possible. If she can cheat us, it is possible she may target other trusting people as well
Rgds
Ricky Yeo
ASD
www.asdsingapore.com
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. I hold that, the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man"
-- Mahatma Gandhi (1869 - 1948)
It seems that Blackie might be adopted into a loving home soon! I was overjoyed when I read this news, I ran all over the house and did cartwheels/ spins in the air! You know, for stray doggies like us, the happiest day of our lives is the day when we get welcomed into a new home with a loving family. (I will NEVER forget the day when I became a part of Sharon and Jules' family!) We are also like our human counterparts...we need lots of love too! It might not be cheap to keep a dog; considering that our medical bills cost way beyond that of humans, but the unconditional love and loyalty that we can offer is definitely something that money cannot buy or compensate. I pray hard that Blackie would soon find a wonderful home and a loving owner and I believe that St Francis (my favourite saint) is also praying for her! God bless Blackie!
AFTER OUR REPORT, MP ACTS TO SAVE STRAY. IF WORSE COMES TO WORST...
I'M WILLING TO ADOPT BLACKIE
February 26, 2007
OW far would an MP go for her constituents?
Far enough to adopt a stray dog to keep her constituency happy.
Ms Lee Bee Wah, MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC, said: 'I don't have a dog. Since the residents have such a strong bonding with the dog, I'm willing to adopt it.' She was responding to The New Paper report on Blackie on Chinese New Year's eve.
The Compassionate Ms Lee
Ms Lee has received about 30 e-mail messages from the public after the story appeared, urging her to save Blackie, the stray mongrel, that has become a pet cause among residents of Yishun Street 81.
LIVING IN VOID DECK
The 4-year-old dog had been living at the void deck of Block 825 for the past three years.In that time, she became a friend to the children and other pets in the neigbourhood, a companion to the elderly, and provided solace to those who lost their loved ones. The residents call her their 'ambassador of love'.
She had managed to do what any MP or grassroots leaders would hope to achieve: A common bond within the community, and harmony among neighbours. But two weeks ago, someone alerted the Centre for Animal Welfare and Control (CAWC) of the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) about Blackie. When the CAWC officers tried to impound Blackie, they were stopped by some of the residents. If Blackie were impounded, she would have been put to sleep.
One group of residents were so determined to save Blackie that they gathered the signatures of 76 people living in 11 blocks in the estate to stop AVA from taking the dog away. Afraid that AVA officers would return for Blackie, resident Jimmy Ng decided to keep Blackie in his parent's kampung house at Lorong Buangkok, off Gerald Drive.
The residents then sought their MP's help to save Blackie. Ms Lee said: 'I've received a lot of response not to kill Blackie. It'll be good to keep her.' Nine readers have also written to The New Paper on Sunday after our report, telling us how they are touched by the unity of the residents. Two of them have even offered to adopt Blackie.
A reader, who identified herself only as Bee Cheng, wrote: 'I am pleasantly surprised to see how a stray dog can foster bonding among people in a neighbourhood, regardless of race and religion.' Dr Tan Chek Wee, from Geylang East, is touched by how Blackie has brought out the 'kampung spirit' among the residents. He even wrote an e-mail to Ms Lee.
HELP FOR BLACKIE
RC chairman Sahul Hameed Kadir has since met some of the residents to discuss how to help Blackie. Ms Lee said: 'There are always two camps - people who want to keep the dog and those who don't. We shall let the residents decide if they want the dog. Of course, we hope to find a win-win situation.'
When told of the last-resort possibility that their MP, who lives in Serangoon Gardens, may adopt Blackie, housewife Dulcie Lim, 59, said: 'That's good. Let her adopt! Tolong. I trust my MP, that she will take good care of Blackie. Serangoon Gardens would be a nice area for Blackie to live.'
READERS SAY: LET BLACKIE STAY
THANK you very much for doing a feature on Blackie. It was a lovely article. I am not a dog lover, neither do I live in the estate mentioned. But I strongly feel that Blackie should be allowed to remain in that estate. From your report, many people hold the dog dear and value her presence in the neighbourhood as a source of joy and affection. The Government is always holding meetings, forums and the like to find out how to build the 'HDB heartware'. Sometimes, social ties depend not on pre-arranged functions and places for people to 'connect', but a common concern for someone or an animal that brings people together in unexpected ways. Kindness and compassion - isn't that what we want to see in our people?
- Neo Kai Ling
IT was really touching to read the story on Blackie. I really hope the dog will get to stay with the residents.
Our treatment of animals is a reflection of our society's progress. I read the AVA's reply with great disappointment. It is the same type of reply that I have read in other articles. We are always talking about being innovative and inclusive, but do our actions show likewise? Let's hope Blackie's case will change the lives of all strays in Singapore.
- Seah Bee Leng
THANK you for a wonderful report. We are presented with many gifts in this little island, such as our fantastic 'hardware' (upgraded estates). Yet I feel a sense of hollowness in the software as I see people looking glum or littering our public places. Reading how Blackie has made alive the endangered 'kampung spirit', I feel a ray of hope for our future. I can only hope that the AVA will be more sympathetic in applying 'man-made' rules. After all, Singapore has been rabies-free for 50 years, and there are also anti-rabies vaccines available for Blackie. Blackie is gentle not just to humans but also to cats. She is indeed a good role model for some of our delinquents. I hope that the MP, Ms Lee Bee Wah, will keep this 'kampung spirit' going!
- Dr Tan Chek Wee
There was an intersting article in the papers recently on one of my friends named Blackie. She's the resident stray at a block of flats in Yishun and the wonderful residents are petitioning to their MP to keep her there as their mascot and symbol of social integration, harmony, bonding and love....Please pray for Blackie so that she will not be impounded and put to sleep. Strays like us, really need a louder voice as many fail to see that just because we are not purebred pedigrees, we are lesser doggies.
That's no stray, she's our ambassador of love
By Joyce Lim
February 18, 2007
A MONGREL has managed to do what grassroots organisations, religious bodies and Government organisations have long strived to achieve: A common bond, a warm sense of belonging and harmony among neighbours.
Blackie the stray has become a pet - and passionate - cause for a residents from 11 blocks at Yishun Street 81. They are a diverse lot - young, old, married, single, - from all races and religions. Alas, today, the last day of the Year of the Dog, brings news that Blackie's days may be numbered.
Blackie has been living in Yishun Street 81 for the past three years. In that time, she has touched the lives of many of the resident there so much that she has brought residents from 11 blocks together to fight to keep her alive.
Blackie The Yishun Stray
Last week, someone complained to the authorities about the four-year-old dog. And so Blackie may now be put to sleep. That has marshalled the residents from Yishun Street 81 into action.
First, a resident took Blackie to a kampung in Lorong Buangkok, off Gerald Drive. Then came the petition. Residents gathered the signatures of 76 people living in 11 blocks in the estate to stop the authorities from taking the dog away. They wrote to their MP, Ms Lee Bee Wah, to intervene. (See other report.) A resident, Madam Dulcie Lim, 59, described Blackie as their 'ambassador of love'.
HELPED THEM BOND
'Before, I didn't know many of the residents here,' she said. 'Most of us kept to ourselves. But Blackie has helped us break the ice and even bond with each other. Isn't that what our Government always wanted to achieve?
'Blackie has done so much for this neighbourhood. It is not fair that she has to leave this place. We all love Blackie and we want her back.' In the letter to their MP, the residents wrote about how Blackie has become an integral part of their community.
'We sincerely hope that you, our good MP, can understand this strong bond we share with this very special dog... spare the neighbourhood the heartache of losing this dog,' the residents pleaded with their MP.
Blackie, who is known as 'Xiao Hei' (Mandarin for little black one) was found abandoned at Yishun Stadium three years ago. A resident spotted her and brought her to Block 825. That became Blackie's home.
But last week, the Centre for Animal Welfare and Control (CAWC) of the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA), received a call from Ang Mo Kio-Yishun Town Council about two stray dogs in the area.
On 8 Feb, the CAWC team checked the site and spotted Blackie. Five residents spotted the officers from their flats and rushed down to save the pet. Fortunately, she was not impounded that day.
AGAINST HDB POLICY
The residents were told that Blackie cannot be kept at HDB void decks as it is a public place. Under HDB policy, Blackie is too big to be kept in a flat.
HDB residents can keep one dog of an approved breed such as silky terrier or Maltese because they are smaller and more suited to living in flats. Said a resident who wants to be known as only Priscilla: 'We were so worried that the AVA officers would return for Xiao Hei. So for the time being, we've housed her in a nearby kampung.'
The 52-year-old housewife said: 'I've known Xiao Hei for three years. Every day I would buy $2 worth of roast meat for her from the market. She is a good dog and never bites anyone.' Added Madam Lim: 'Blackie is very friendly. She even shares her food with the stray cats. 'I've seen how she would let the cats eat first. When she feels that they have had enough, she would shoo them away and eat her share.'
Blackie’s Human Friends Lobbying For Her
A resident claimed that she saw Blackie trying to save a kitten which had fallen into a drain. Madam Hasmisah Mohd, 42, unemployed, said: 'I heard a kitten crying for help but I couldn't find it. It was Blackie who led me to the injured kitten inside the drain.' Ms Joyce Koh, 31, another resident, said: 'Whenever she saw my car driving into the carpark, she would run behind my car. She would then wait for me to park and walk me to the lift.'
Poly student Ashwin Gunapathy, 19, said that there are more than 70 residents vouching for Blackie. He said: 'We want her back in the neighbourhood and we are all willing to put our names down to apply for a licence so that she can stay here.' He was among the 30 residents who met this reporter at Block 825 last Monday.
Madam Juliana Tan, 53, said: 'I lost one of my daughters over a year ago. She was 28 when she died of a blood disorder. 'I used to be afraid of dogs, but I don't know why I started talking to Blackie about my dead daughter. I was mourning and Blackie gave me solace.' Madam Tan lives with her younger daughter in a three-room flat.
A couple, Madam Soh Oi Chue and her husband, Mr Tang Yeo Soong, recalled how Blackie would accompany them to the market. She said in Mandarin: 'At 7am, Blackie would be at the foot of the block, waiting for us. 'She would follow us to the market where we would buy her her favourite duck's neck. I miss Blackie terribly.' Mr Tang helped to bathe Blackie and clean up her makeshift home daily. He said: 'Our three children have already grown up. Blackie is like our little daughter. Some of us even chipped in to have her sterilised.'
When Blackie was knocked down by a car last December, it was Ashwin's father, Mr Gunapathy, who took her to the vet. The fees came to $200. He also helped move Blackie to his temporary home.
The New Paper team tagged along with a few housewives last Wednesday to meet Blackie in her new home. She wagged her tail and ran towards the housewives when she saw them and jumped on them. It was a touching scene. Madam Lim said: 'We call ourselves the desperate housewives. But we are not desperate for men. We are desperate to save Blackie.'
Home for Blackie might be answer
SHE was pleasantly surprised when some residents asked her to help save a stray dog.
'I believe what they told me is genuine. Apparently there are people who want the dog and some who don't,' said Ms Lee Bee Wah from Ang Mo Kio GRC. 'We'll handle this the same way as we have handled stray cats. We will do a survey to see how many residents want to keep the dog in the neighbourhood.
'If the residents feel so strongly about keeping the dog, we will be able to find a solution without breaking the law.' Like finding someone who lives in the vicinity to take in the dog, added Ms Lee.
Mr Madhavan Kannan, head of AVA's centre for animal welfare and control, told The New Paper that they are unable to accede to the residents' request and have advised them to find a home for the dog. 'The residents may keep it in boarding farms at Pasir Ris Farmway or Seletar Farmway till they find a home for the dog,' said Mr Madhavan. For the purpose of rabies control, AVA impounds dogs found wandering in public places.
Mr Madhavan said: 'Although some dogs may be tame, there could be times when a dog can turn aggressive and may attack another person's pet or children. 'There are also people who fear the physical presence of stray dogs at the common areas of an housing estate. Some people are also disturbed when dogs come close to them and sometimes sniff.'
Since Blackie is not allowed to roam freely in public areas and she is considered too big to be kept in a HDB flat, would Ms Lee then consider building a shelter for her at the void deck? 'I don't rule out that possibility,' she said. It will all depend on the survey results which her committee members are helping to conduct.
1. Blaming your farts on me... Not funny... Not funny at all !!!
2. Yelling at me for barking.. I'M A FRIGGIN' DOG, YOU IDIOT!
3. Taking me for a walk, Then not letting me check stuff out. Exactly whose walk is this anyway?
4. Any trick that involves Balancing food on my nose... Stop it!
5. Any haircut that involves bows or ribbons. Now you know why we chew your stuff up when you're not home.
6. The sleight of hand, fake fetch throw. You fooled a dog! Whoooo Hoooooooo What a proud moment for the top of the Food chain.
7. Taking me to the vet for "the big snip", Then acting surprised when I freak out Every time we go back!
8. Getting upset when I sniff the crotches of your guests. Sorry, but I haven't quite mastered that handshake thing yet.
9.Dog sweaters. Hello ???, Haven't you noticed the fur?
10. How you act disgusted When I lick myself. Look, we both know the truth, You're just jealous.
Taken from an email Sam and Anya's human sent.
I am crying like a crazed doggy, I just visited Fei's blog and horrors of horrors was led to this page Prisoners of Greed. I think I am going to puke my dinner out.
I think the worst thing for these doggies, something even worse than death, is not being able to die. Some of them live for years and years in horrid conditions. Do you know what I mean?
On a good note, Sharon just realised that linking a blog is so simple! Apparently the icon to link was always there. Sigh, now she has to find out how to link doggy blogs on her side bar. Anyone?
Monday was New Years Day so that was a public holiday but in Singapore, the 31st of December, Sunday was also Hari Raya Haji so to make up for that, Tuesday was also a public holiday.
So I thought, wooopeee, days of walks and laying in bed, snuggling. Boy was I wrong!
Jules and Sharon were so busy running around, running errands, buying groceries, washing the bedsheets and vacuming and mopping away. Sharon was in a bad mood and kept on sweeping and mopping even over my paws and tail. She made my paws all wet. I decided to not make any protesting doggy sounds though.
And yesterday I stole a chocolate biscuit and Sharon yelled at me so loud, I thought my doggy heart would break in fear.
And last night Jules slipped and bumped his head. Boy he looks like a vulcan! There is a huge bump in the middle of his forehead. There was 24 hour doctor near by so Jules just took some Ponstan and went to bed.
We didn't even get a chance to go feed the poor doggies. I feel so sad for them. Its not as simple as we thought. They still are terrified of us. Trust is never simple to build up.
This year is not looking so good. But I have faith, things will look up soon and I am going to have the best doggy year ever!
After all I have them and they have me.
I wish for every stray to have a loving home
I wish for peace for all
I wish for people to stop running away from me in fear (even when I am leashed)
I wish people wouldn't judge me by the breed I am
I wish I could run around for a while in a BIG HUGE field of green, smell the flowers, pee in the grass
I wish I had a small little patch of green to call my own. I could bury my bones there and dig a huge hole :)
I wish I could walk around without fear of being caught cos I am an illegally kept doggie. :(
I wish, I wish...
Whats your wish?
Also another thing Sharon wants me to write about - never use human medication on a doggie's wound. She used Zambuk on me and it itched like mad! So I scratched like a dog with a million fleas. And the wound was always red and sore. She's all guilty now but I told her I understood and love her anyway. FR. CLIFFORD AUGUSTINE OFM
There were so many animals this year, I hardly had any place to move around! A few doggies got a little too close to me (I'm paranoid about my personal bubble) and I actually growled and snapped when some of them tried to smell my butt. I think it's really rude to do so and it's definitely not appropriate to do so during the Animal Blessing ceremony! It's OK at a social canine gathering, but not when the prayers are being read!
BROWNIE GETS BLESSED BY FR. CLIFFORD!
Anyway, Sharon and Jules were in a hurry as they had to rush back to work and to set their examination papers/ study for their own papers. Fr. Clifford instructed the crowd to form 3 queues (where the Brothers were) and he informed the crowd that the Brothers would bless their pets. Karen caught Fr. Clifford's attention by waving frantically and when he saw us, he was so happy; he immediately gave me a blessing on-the-spot and we did not have to queue up! Yippee!! Jules had a short chat with Fr. Clifford and in less than 10 minutes, we were out of church and on the way home! It was a frantic day as Sharon and Jules were tied up with work, but despite their tight schedules, they still made time to take me to church and I love them so much for all the sacrifices that they make for me! I'm the luckiest doggie in the world and I have the best owners!!
JULES HAVING A CHAT WITH FR. CLIFFORD
Before rushing home, we stopped by at the vet's stall. The vet was around to give free medical check-ups. When she lifted my onto the table, there were so many people staring at me, I was a little shy. But the vet said that I had excellent fur (thick, well-kept and shiny), a little plague and tartar on my teeth (been stealing sweets from Jules) and that I had to lose a little more weight. She complimented Sharon and Jules on doing an excellent job in my health! Wow, I was so relieved to hear that! The vet's so nice, she gave me some samples of Eukanuba and Science Diet to try. If it tastes good and improves my health further, I will get Karen to buy them for me during X'mas.
BROWNIE GETS HER FREE MEDICAL CHECK-UP
Time really flies! It's the Animal Blessing Day again at church! It's a very special day to honour all of God's Creatures (big and small) and the Franciscan Friars celebrate this very unique occasion to honour St. Francis of Assisi who happens to be the patron saint of animals and the environment.
I love St. Francis. He's my favourite saint because he loves all of God's creatures and I'm sure that since I've been a good girl for the past year, St. Francis loves me too! Boy, I was so excited about the animal blessing because it's the only day in the year where I get to see all sorts of animals! When Jules opened the boot of the car, I hopped in immediately and it took him and Sharon about 5 minutes to get me out! I refused to leave the car as I feared that they would drive off without me!
BROWNIE IN THE BOOT
Every year, the faithful will bring their pets in for blessing. This year, besides the dogs, cats, birds and fish, someone actually brought in a snake! I'm scared of snakes, so I did not go near it! It was also an eventful day for everyone as there was a pony at church for the kids to ride for a small fee. There was also a cow and a calf that were specially brought in for a cow-milking demonstration. The milking session was in the morning and I missed it. I heard that the kids had a lot of fun milking the cow (but I'm not sure if the cow felt the same way!)
BROWNIE & THE COWS
THE HUGE MOTHER COW
I managed to get up close and personal with the cow and her calf when we went to church later in the evening. It was the first time in my life seeing a real cow (I was thinking of steak!) and truthfully, I was a little scared of her size as she's huge and her horns kinda made me a little weary! I wanted to play with the calf, but the poor fella was scared of me! I think he's been surrounded by too many doggies who were thinking of their dinner!
Anyway, I was soon distracted by the other doggies (of all shapes and sizes) and very soon, I was among the furry canine crowd; I forgot all about the cow and her calf till it was time to go home. I managed to say goodbye to the bovine pair before they boarded the lorry that would take them back to their farm where they belong. Do hope to see the cows again next year!
THE COW GOES HOME!
I hate it each time the phone rings. Everytime when it starts ringing, Sharon and Jules will get excited and they will have to run to answer it. When it concerns work matters, they are filled with anxiety and I feel quite worried when I sense the tensed anxiety. At other times, when the phone rings, Sharon and Jules have to leave the house immediately because they have to go out and someone is waiting for them at the foot of our block to pick them up in a car and to drive them away to some faraway place. All these phone calls deprive me of my love, attention and my hugs/ cuddles/ kisses. Hence, I associate the ringing of the phone with something negative.
I vowed to get even with the phone one day and I did just that. I observed that in order for the phone to stop ringing, someone had to pick it up. If the handset was off the cradle, it would not ring. So, when Sharon and Jules were at work, I managed to use my nose and push the handset off the cradle. When they came home, they were so exhasuted, they did not even notice my little prank!
One day, Sharon tried to call Jules at home. His mobile phone was switched off as he was trying to get the batteries charged. Sharon called and called but she could not get through as the phone was off the hook. Needless to say, she got upset and told Jules that he should not be so careless and leave the phone off the hook. Jules told her that he did not do it and nevertheless, both were equally puzzled as to why the phone was constantly off the hook (this was even after when they made sure every morning to check that it was on the cradle before setting off to work).
Then, Sharon found out that I was the culprit! She woke up (earlier than usual) one morning to make breakfast and she caught me red-handed (or should I say 'red-nosed' since I used my nose) in the act! The handset was quite heavy and it took me about six attempts to knock it off the cradle with my nose, but I managed. Sharon was so stunned that she did not even scold me. After a while, she realised why I did so and being such a wonderful and forgiving master, she did not reprimand me.
I guess Sharon knows how much I love her and Jules. When she told Jules about it, he was so impressed by my keen canine observation and intelligence that he gave me a huge hug! Needless to say, everyone else who has heard about my little telephone prank is impressed too!
Anyway, the phone is now place on a high table (which I can't reach) :-( and Sharon and Jules have both affirmed me that now when the phone rings, they will promise not to run to it and if they have to leave the house, they will give me a hug and a kiss first before they go. Sounds like a fair deal to me!
Singapore welcomed her first guide dog in its history! Please say "Hi" and give my new friend, Kendra the labrador retriever, a very warm welcome! I'm extremely impressed by Kendra. She had her overseas training in the USA and I am sure her new owner, Mr. Kua, loves her very much! By the way, Kendra is a special guide dog for the visually impaired folks like Mr. Kua. I am sure he must be very proud of her too! Kendra is considered as a 'working dog' as she has to follow him everywhere he goes. Kendra becomes Mr. Kua's pair of eyes and she actually acts as his guide. She can't hold his hand because she's not as tall as him and she can't grasp his hands with her paws, so Mr. Kua holds Kendra via a harness and Kendra guides him safely through the crowds, through traffic and through all sorts of obstacles. Wow! She is one smart doggie indeed! And a very brave one too!
I want to be a guide dog too, but I would have to leave home and be away from Sharon and Jules and I can't bear with that! I am sure they won't want me to leave home too! Also, this article here states that guide dogs are trained to resist FOOD!!! Jules think I won't make it pass that test as I'd go ballistic the minute I smell food! You should see me when he comes home with bags of grocery shopping. I'd run round the bags, sniff and poke my head into the bags to see what he has inside! Sometimes, I'd succeed in running off with a piece of roasted chicken that he buys from the supermarket counter! Poor Jules has a hard time chasing me round the house and wrestling me to get back his precious piece of chicken dinner! I can't help it; it's an instinct and I guess being a stray doggie in the past, I still have this 'food for survival' instinct in me.
Sharon also mentioned that guide doggies are trained to be calm, to maintain their composure at all times and that they are trained to ignore the distractions of other people. Now, I am sure I would fail that test as I love people too much and I love making new friends! I love giving guests to our home 'million-dollar welcomes'! I'd jump on my two hind legs as high as I can so that I can reach their lips and kiss them! It scares some people off, but most people find it amusing and they love it! If I was a guide dog and out on the street, I'd run amok and try to kiss the lips of everyone I meet! Now, that would definitely spell disaster, chaos and mayhem for the visually impaired person that I am supposed to be guiding! Can't help it; Brown Monster here represents LOVE with a capital "L".
So, I guess a full-time career as a guide dog for the visually impaired is totally out of question. Sharon and Jules think that I am more suitable being a guard dog for the home than a guide dog! So, I'll stick to my day job as full-time K9 security manager. The benefits are excellent. I get food, boarding and most crucially of all, I get lots of LOVE!!
I always get upset when I read or witness acts of cruelty towards animals. It makes me cry sometimes. But recently, an article warmed my heart and made me smile again. Please read the article on Kara, my very special doggie friend. She was left with fatal injuries by a road accident years ago, leaving her paralysed. Poor Kara suffers from urine/ bowel incontinence and she has to wear a diaper as her hind legs don't function anymore. Thank God for the wonderful souls at ASD (Action For Singapore Dogs) as they not only managed to rescue her and take her to a vet, but they also got her adopted!
Kara's owner, Ms. Felicia Choo, is really a maganimous human being with a heart of gold and she loves Kara unconditionally despite Kara's disabilities. It is people like Ms. Choo that keeps doggies like us going and it is people like her who gives us hope that there are still good people around and that has kept our faith in humankind intact. There was a point of time (as a battered stray) when I had lost all hope in humans. Sharon restored my faith back in humankind. I think Kara must be feeling the same way about her owner too! God bless Kara and Ms. Choo! God bless Sharon too!!
Oral hygiene. It is very important, I think. Well, actually I think it is very important because I see Sharon and Jules brushing and flossing their teeth every morning when they wake up and each night before they go to bed.
I used to think that they were eating and licking some creamy foam off the toothbrush and I used to wait at the toilet door; thinking that it was a treat for me. It was only when they had spat out the foam and rinsed their mouths (after seeing it for a few times) did it sink into my doggie mind that they were not consuming that tube of 'thick, white cream'.
I tried to play with their toothbrushes while they went to work but I was not able to grasp hold of them with my paws. Sharon has a battery-operated version and the first time I switched it on, I had a rude shock as it made my entire head vibrate and I had a nasty headache for the entire day. Boy, I wonder how Sharon bears with it; it must be really painful for her! Then, I tried flossing my teeth but that did not work either as I had floss all over the counter, over my paws and all around the floor! I made an entire mess and I had to clean up before they came home!
Then, Karen saw a doggie 'toothbrush' that day at the pet shop. She decided to get it for me. Besides that, she also got me a tube of doggie toothpaste (the brand is St Francis; named after my favourite saint!). The toothpaste happens to be cinnamon-flavoured...yukk! I wished that they had beef, chicken or lamb flavoured toothpaste! That would be yummy!
Anyway, I had my first experience of tooth-brushing the other day. Jules said that I had 'garbage breath' and he said that it was time for me to get my teeth cleaned. So, Karen did the honours and it wasn't a very pleasant experience, but hey, I had beautiful pearlies that shone like ivory after that! So, it was worth the hassle after all! And Jules said that I smelled of cinnamon after that! Sharon said that she loved my new fresh and minty breath! Well, I rewarded Karen with lots of doggie kisses!
Today, I was really disturbed after reading this report online. It really makes me upset when I read of such cases and it makes me really grateful to know that I have two loving owners and a wonderful family who would never dream of committing such unforgivable acts of atrocities to me or to animals. Please be kind and compassionate to us. We are not able to speak or express ourselves using language like humans. And granted that sometimes we drool, shed fur or poop at the wrong times/ places, such heartless acts of cruelty do not justify our mistakes at all. The 'crime' does not deserve such 'punishment'. We definitely do not deserve such treatment. I have posted the full report below so as to create awareness to all and to plead to my human friends to be kind, patient, compassionate and loving towards their furry friends. No one would dream of inflicting such hurt and pain on their own children, so no one has the right to do this to animals. If someone has a problem with anger management, he/ she has the chance seek counselling with the professionals to deal with their anger and not take it out on innocent beings like us. I'll sign off today with a very heavy heart...please put yourself in the shoes of the animals that are ill-treated; that would allow you to emphatise how we feel. The only difference is that we are not able to speak or fend for ourselves; while humans are able to. Have a heart, please!
Animal cruelty on the rise
Wednesday July 26, 2006
LONDON (Reuters) - A worrying rise in animal cruelty occurred last year with an increase in convictions and cases including a cat boiled to death in a washing machine and an owner sawing off his dog's leg, the RSPCA said on Wednesday.
The animal charity said their inspectors had also seen an alarming increase in neglect and mistreatment of pets.
"2005 will go down as one of the most violent towards animals," said Jackie Bullard, RSPCA director general.
The charity said the number of convictions secured for animal cruelty had risen by 20 percent while there had been a 6 percent rise in the number of cases reported and investigated.
In addition, the number of animals that did not have access to water had increased by 104 percent to 25,784 while almost 35,000 did not receive suitable veterinary treatment, a rise of almost 80 percent.
There are about 13 million pets in the country with just over 50 percent of households owning one.
The RSPCA said neglect was the common cause in most cases and had led to one of their largest ever probes involving 271 animals -- mainly dogs -- kept in a small property in Lancashire.
"Sadly, despite our best efforts, there are those who continue to ignore our messages and treat animals with brute force instead of compassion," Ballard said.
In one of the most horrific cases last year, Holly Thacker, 34, from Norwich was jailed for putting her cat Fluffy into her washing machine on boil wash.
Fluffy lost all her claws trying to escape and would have suffered for up to 10 minutes before dying.
"In the seven years I have been working for the RSPCA I have never come across anything as heartless as this," said inspector Rob Melloy after the case went to court.
In another incident, Griffith Prosser, 36, was banned from owning pets for 10 years after the RSPCA found he had sawn off the front leg of his dog Bumper who had been injured in a car crash.
Other cases included a man jailed for cutting the throats of his two pet dogs, a 17-year-old youth who kicked his puppy to death and a dog hung from a top floor balcony by his back legs because his owner said it would improve his pet's fitness.
JULES IS MY PILLOW PAL!
When I was a stray, sleeping was always a big issue. It was an issue because of safety and it also involved a matter of life and death. If I slept too soundly, I might not hear the footsteps of the dog catcher and if I was caught, I would end up in the pound. In the worst case scenario, I might be put to sleep if I had spent too long a time at the pound because I would cost money, time and resources to the SPCA. So, as a stray doggie, I never had a decent night's sleep. I often slept in some deep storm drains (risking drowning should the flood waters come), at the car parks (risking being run over by cars), near the trash collection area (risking disease). I also slept near some houses a few times, but each time, I got chased away by nasty people. Some threw stones at me, some used sticks to beat me and one particularly nasty guy even threw a bucket of water over me. I caught a nasty cold and almost died from an infection.
As a stray, I used to make my own bed out of grass, old newspapers, discarded old clothes and cardboard boxes. It was nice to have a bed as it kept me warm and dry during those cold and rainy nights. A bed also gave me some soft comfort against the hard, stony and rough asphalt road. Sometimes in my dreams, I would dream of having a nice, decent bed with pillows and cushions. But, when I woke up, I'd always end up crying because I knew that it was only a fantasy and a dream, and that as a stray, it would be impossible. In fact, I was lucky to be alive and to wake up each time I slept because anything could have happened to me while I slept out in the open. Really, sleep was a luxury and having a bed to call my own was a fantasy.
That was until I met Sharon and when Sharon officially took me home and made me her doggie! Sharon's got a heart of gold! When she first found me, I was heavily pregnant and she was so kind, she allowed me to sleep on the sofa at Mummy's living room! Wow! That was like a dream come true! After I had my pups (they were all adopted), Sharon gave me a plastic tub (for doggies) to sleep in. She'd line the tub with a nice, soft towel and I'd snuggle in each night to get my good night's sleep. Soon, I became too big for the tub and I ended up sleeping anywhere that I fancied in Mummy's house. Sometimes, I'd sleep near the door; at other times, I'd sleep in front of Daddy's/ Mummy's room. There were also a couple of times when I sneaked into Sharon's room and slept at the foot of her bed.
Then, Sharon married Jules and I moved in with them. Now, I've got two lovely owners who love me to bits! Guess what? My dream of sleeping on a bed with soft pillows is now a reality because I sleep with Sharon and Jules on their bed with them! It's so nice when I get to snuggle in between them and to smell them! I really feel so secure and it's such a wonderful feeling!
Jules loves me so much; he even shares his pillow with me! Never mind the fact that I drooled into his ears a few times! He's perfectly OK with that! In fact, he says that he likes my dog breath and my doggie smell! I tried to share Sharon's pillow once, but my tongue ended up in her ears and she had a horrid nightmare about some huge, slimy slug crawling into her ears and laying its eggs there! So, I don't share her pillow as I don't want to give her scary nightmares anymore!
And besides a pillow, I also get to be covered by a blanket! Sometimes, I'd play a game of tug of war with Sharon and Jules over the blanket and it's fun! When I feel warm, I'd walk to where their feet are and I'd sleep there. I try to walk on tiptoe, but most of the time, I'd wake Sharon/ Jules up by walking across the middle of the bed past midnight!
I love sleeping with my masters because I get lots of hugs, cuddles and kisses from the both of them! And as a reward for being an extra good doggie, Jules either sings me a lullaby or he allows me to bring my favourite toy to hold in bed! Life can't get any better than this!
Remember my good old friend, Hannah? Well, she's in the headlines again! This time, the press reported about how well she has adapted to her owners and her home. I'm glad to hear that she's doing well despite her disabilities! She's strong and resilient; I guess all stray doggies are! We had it bad, rough and tough for us; so we know how to handle life better. Three cheers to Hannah!
(Notice that I look really blissful when Danny scratches my ears!)
Sharon, Jules and Karen decided to give me a belated birthday celebration over the weekend. Actually, my birthday is in June, but everyone was either down with flu or busy with work/ studies and no one was able to meet up for a gathering. Well, better late than never and I even had a very special visitor who popped by to say "Hi" to me!
I have not seen Danny for 10 months (that's a long time for doggies like me!) and it felt like it was 10 years! I missed him so much and I wanted to show him my new collection of toys, my snacks, etc...Anyway, when Danny walked through the door, I gave him the welcome of a lifetime! Karen and Sharon felt that I went overboard as I refused to leave him alone and I kept jumping up to kiss and lick his face! I would not even leave him alone for a moment when he sat down. When he started to pat me, I leapt up and licked his entire face! I just could not help it and I wanted to show him how much I missed him! Karen feels that I bully and take advantage of him and Sharon thinks that I have bad manners....but hey, I really missed him a lot and I could not help myself! Dogs are naturally very affectionate creatures and this is what happens when they see a long-lost friend or family member again.
(I miss Danny a lot!)
Anyway, Danny was so nice! He bought me a few packs of Cesar (my favourite!) and he kept telling me that I was a good girl! Wow, that really made my day! He even gave me a tummy rub and he said that I was the best doggie in the world!
(My long-lost pal is holding my birthday cake!)
Danny joined in the birthday fun and he took some lovely photos with me! I think both of us looked great! He sang me a birthday song and he helped me to blow out the candles too! I can't blow candles because the last time I tried, I almost burnt my precious whiskers!
I was sorry when Danny had to leave. I really did not want him to go and I wanted him to stay a little longer to keep me company. When he said 'goodbye' to me, I refused to move and I just laid down on the floor with a very sorrowful expression on my face. I don't like goodbyes and I really felt like weeping when he left. But Karen cheered me up and told me that Danny would pop by for a visit again. Once more, a BIG "Thank You" to my special long-lost friend for celebrating my birthday with me! Please come again and see me soon! I promise to be a good girl! I won't chew the house plants, I won't dig up the trash can, etc...I'll be very good; I promise!
(Trying to count the number of candles on my cake)
(I've got so many presents, including a rubber duckie and chocolate bone-shaped biscuits from Italy!)
(Yummy!)
(Karen looks frazzled cos' I am trying to lick her chin!)
(Jules cannot resist giving me a BIG hug!)
I am 4 years old! In human years, I'll be 28 years old! Sharon, Jules and Karen threw me a simple party and my long-lost buddy, Danny, was invited (see previous post)! We had a great time together! Karen and Danny made and decorated my cake. Sharon got me a rubber duckie and Beggin' Strips! Jules gave me lots of hugs and kisses. Sharon also helped to light up the candle on my cake! It was so fun!
After I blew the candles (with help) and ate my cake, all of them also had cake (a coffee walnut cake that was made by Karen). Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to take human food, so I was not able to try out Karen's cake. But I still like my meat-filled cake as it's juicy and yummy!
Judging from the photos, I had a fantastic and smashing time! Actually, with the kind of love I get from Sharon, Jules, Karen, Danny, Mummy and Daddy, everyday IS like a birthday celebration to me! Boy, I really am a lucky doggie to be blessed with a wonderful family/ friends that love, treasure and cherish me!
I decided to be a good doggie the other day and help Sharon and Jules tidy up the house. They've been so busy working and preparing for their exams; they hardly had any time left for housekeeping. When they were at work, I carried all their heavy textbooks and put them back in the shelves in the study room (my jaws hurt!). I also tried mopping the house with my paws (it was very difficult as I could not control the mop). I dusted the cabinets with a duster and that was tricky as I had to do a balancing act with a step-ladder while holding the duster in my mouth. I almost lost my balance a few times and it was quite scary! I also watered the plants but I ended up flooding part of the living room! Thank God the water puddles dried up by the time they came home!
Anyway, Sharon and Jules were pleasantly surprised when they found that the place was tidied up. Both of them were wondering who did it and till today, they never guessed that it was me! Housekeeping is tough and tiring! By the end of the day, my joints and paws were aching and I found it so hard to sleep! Jules was doing his reading that night and I went up to him and asked for a massage. Boy, it was so relaxing! I fell asleep during the massage! Sharon took this shot of me and she said that I was snoring very loudly! I must have really been drained!
Sharon took this unflattering shot of me the other day. I was sitting by the window and watching the traffic below. Jules thinks I look 'cute' and Karen says that I have the qualities to make it to the butcher's shop as rump steak! :-( Oh dear! Now, I'm getting worried....
My doggie snacks have been banned from the house until further notice. Jules is taking me for longer walks these days. *sigh* I wish the fats would just melt away and disappear into thin air!
Good doggies love their masters, their families and above all, they love God and thank God for their blessings. Good doggies also do not forget their less-fortunate (stray) friends who are out there suffering in the cold and who are without food to eat. Good doggies also remember their sick friends who are at the vet's and their long-departed buddies.
Good doggies always spend a moment or two in prayer everyday. For me, I say my daily prayers, but unfortunately, I can't kneel for long (unlike the doggie in this photo) as I've got painful knees, so I usually say my prayers while I am sitting down. But if my knees are better, I will start to kneel and pray like the doggie in the picture!!
Karen is reading this book called "Eat Not This Flesh: Food Avoidances From Prehistory To The Present" by Frederick J. Simoons. The book contains anthropological findings of the human diet from antiquity to modernity. In the book, it explains why people of different cultures and at different times choose to eat or to shun away from the following: pork, beef, chicken and eggs, horse meat, camel meat, fish and dog meat. (Yes! DOG MEAT!!!! *gasp*)
It appears that people either choose to eat or avoid the following due to cultural beliefs, religious beliefs, social class, economic status, geographic locality, psychological background, availability of food; amongst many other factors.
Scarily enough, I found out that dogs were initially domesticated by men for hunting and also for a ready supply of food (yep, the early humans ate dog flesh!). Some people of certain cultures avoid dog meat for their own beliefs. The Muslims and the Bango tribe of the Congo view dogs as dirty as they felt that dogs are filthy scavengers who ate trash from the garbage dump (I shower weekly with fragrant shampoo, so I'm clean!). In Indonesia, despite the strong Muslim presence, the Batak people from the Lake Toba region in Sumatra still consume dog meat to this day. The Bauri of Bengal and the islanders of Nicobar see dogs as sacred animals of worship and are thus forbidden to be eaten as food.
In the Indo-China region, both the Adi tribe and Apa-Tani tribe sacrifice dogs during their religious rituals. The Adi tribe have a very special dog meat delicacy and a well-liked festival dish is puppy stuffed with rice. According to the book, the puppy is first given an abundance of rice to eat; then, when it can eat no more, it is struck on the head, skinned, roasted and finally served along with the rice from its stomach. Yukk!! That's really vile and absolutely disgusting! Eeeeuw....boy, my stomach is turning....*help*....
The Annamese peasants from the Tonkin Delta region preferred red-haired dogs and black-tongued dogs and they often turned those poor canines into dog sausages! (Perhaps that was where the name 'hot dog' came from!). In the Chinese province of Hunan, suckling pups (pups still drinking their mother's milk) and puppy hams are a delicacy. There are also 2 special dishes. The first one is called "Stir-Fried Dog" and it is made by deep-frying chunks of puppy-flesh, then stir-frying them in oil along with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, green onions, bean curd and salted black beans. The second dish is called "Red-Cooked Dog" and it is made with cut-up puppy flesh sauteéd in oil with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, water, sugar and two types of bean curd. When it is nearly ready, rice wine is added and it is served wrapped in lettuce (think 'san choi bao'!).
After reading all those horror stories, I was so scared out of my wits that I avoided the kitchen for weeks! It is usually my favourite place at home! Sharon and Jules found it really strange and for a while, they thought that I was ill and they wanted to take me to the vet. I got really freaked out when I saw Jules sharpening his steak knife and butcher's cleaver with the sharpening steel the other day. He was carving a leg of ham and he wanted to feed me a slice of trimmings, but when he called me, I ran away and hid under the bed till Sharon came back!
With the spread of Westernisation, Christianity, Buddhism and Islam, the consumption of dog meat has been discouraged! Phew!! This is excellent news for me and now that I have overcome my fears, I believe that Karen, Sharon and Jules all love me very much and that they won't eat dog meat (or me)! Man's best friend should be loved and cherished; emotionally and not gastronomically!! To all my nice human friends out there: Please don't eat dog meat, ok?
I've got a German passport!! :-) But the authorities got the photos mixed up and I think they used some other doggie's photo instead...well, once the mistake is rectified, I will get to travel soon!! Yippeee!!
Karen measures and weighs me once a year. She's been trying to find me some doggie clothes but to no avail. Karen wants to get me a raincoat so that I will not get wet when I go for my walks during those rainy days. All the doggie clothes that she's seen at the pet shops are too small (for toy dogs). So far, she has not seen clothes catered to big doggies like me, so if anyone knows of any shops that sell clothes for bigger doggies, please let me know, ok?
Anyway, for those who are interested, here are my statistics:
Tip of nose to tip of tail: 119cm/ 47 inches
Tail: 27cm/ 11 inches
Neck: 39cm/ 15 inches
Stomach: 30 inches (I can fit into a pair of jeans!)
Everything appears to be constant, except for the stomach measurement which 'grows' each year! Hmm....I wonder why? :-)
Karen found satellite pictures of my house via Google Earth! Wow! I never knew that the world was such a big place! In where I live with Sharon and Jules, we've got 4 bedrooms, a living room, a dining area, 2 bathrooms and a kitchen! For a doggie like me, my house is a huge place and it is like a palace! But after I saw the photos, I've come to realise that the world is a really gigantic place to live in!! Here are some places associated with me:
MY HOUSE: the best place in the world!!
KAREN'S HOUSE: where I get pampered and treated to a day off for being a good doggie!
CHURCH: where I get my annual Animal Blessings from the wonderful priests at church and by St Francis of Assisi (the patron saint of animals and the environment)
So, those are some places that I hang around at...but most importantly, no place is a complete place without the love of my masters (Sharon and Jules) and my human family!
Sharon and Jules are back!!!! Yippeee!!!! Oh boy! I was so happy! When I saw Daddy's car turning into our little cul de sac and when I saw Sharon and Jules walk up to the front door with their luggage, I was overjoyed! When they entered the house, I was so happy, I wanted to bark for joy, but when I opened my mouth, nothing came out! Anyway, I shed tears of joy cos' I was really elated to have them back! I really missed them so much! Mummy and Daddy were both nice and accomodating to me, but I still miss Sharon and Jules a lot and there were nights when I could not sleep at 3am and I went to the window to bark for them to come back....Mummy ticked me off for disturbing the neighbours :-(
Anyway, despite being tired after a late night flight, Sharon and Jules insisted on bringing me home (they missed me too!) and Jules gave me a nice hot shower! Sharon dried my fur with a hair dryer and I curled into bed with the both of them! I really missed that! Needless to say, I had a great dream that night!
The next morning, Jules woke up and felt something poking into his tummy and ribs. Guess what? He found 4 of my whiskers on the bed! Haha! It's funny as I have never shed any whiskers before ( I shed a lot of fur)... Sharon and Jules both concluded that it must either be caused by extreme stress (of me missing them) or immense joy (of having them back).
My whiskers are now with Karen. She kept them in a small plastic case and she also took a picture of them! They aren't that long as my longest whiskers are still intact!
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