Roaming the Streets and Hungry for Home

THE INSPIRATION

This blog was inspired not with Milo, the mascot of ‘Homeless In Seletar” but with Joey. Little Joey, who was discovered with his sibling by the roadside, 2 black little creatures, shriveled, wrinkled, hairless, bloodied with pus-filled eyes, emaciated creatures which were later discovered, to our horror as little puppy dogs. They were approximately less than 6-9 months old. Puppy dogs who were literally starving to death, This story ends sadly with both not making it, succumbed to their sickness and life of hard abuse and neglect, but they created the awareness in us that in rustic, peaceful, beautiful Seletar, there were many like Joey, dying hungry, dying alone, dying sadly.

Joey’s sibling(behind). Too sick even to eat when discovered

The occasional feeding of strays, intensified into a more organised and sychronised effort. We want to take this further and thus this blog was started. To bring forth the awareness the ‘Homeless in Seletar” need. We want to cover more ground than those we are feeding now, as there are many out there, hungry and sick, but we also need more volunteers and aid - to buy food and medicine. Please support our cause. To see another "Joey" is heartbreakin. Do not let Joey die in vain.

MILO – Our Mascot

Milo was found in Seletar. He was known to us then as Brownie. There were two and by colour definition, named Brownie, male and Blackie, female who were always spotted together, the inseparables we call them. We would feed them and Brownie was the friendly of the two, extremely skinny, but big boned, handsome honey coloured dog with floppy ears and wavy bushy tail. He always looked like he was grinning. We wonder why - How can a stray perpetually hungry dog be happy but he was. Not asking for much but just some food and some water, please. Blackie on the other hand was extremely timid. The typical frightened stray, skinny, standing far away, watching us suspiciously, ready to scoot at the slightest movement or noise. We would call her and she would move even further, never come and we'd place food on a plate and stand far away as it will be a while before she’d come and investigate what we left behind. And we’d sigh and say if only she's more friendly, while Milo is enthusiastically wagging his tail and waiting for our food.

Who would have thought that it would be Blackie's suspicious and timid nature that would save her life and Milo's friendliness and trustingness that almost cost him his. Life is ironical.

September 16, 2008

That fateful morning, the scene was strange. The usual chirping of birds and peaceful surrounding seemed tense and deadly silent. The black female is missing and the lone brown male lumbered awkwardly towards us. With much difficulty, Brownie made his way to us and there was a strange object sticking from his neck. He sat in front of us that appeared to say, "Help me". The strange object was discovered to be a thick wire, very tightly around his neck, cutting into his skin. He could only pant for breath but he did slowly drink the water we offered and greedily ate the food – such was his hunger. When he apeared more settled and a full tummy, we approached and the wire was even tighter than we thought. It just wouldn't budge. It was cutting deep and Brownie let out a low growl, perhaps in pain but he didn't move from us, as if he knew he needed help and he could trust the Human who was feeding him all this time.

He followed the Human to the car and later to the office, docilely unlike his usual confident self, as if he knows it is safer to be with Human. He seemed exhausted and looked confused though, and lost and sniffed around seemingly like "where is Blackie" as he stared around very forlornly. He seemed to realise he is just lucky to be alive. The wire noose was finally removed with much difficulty, to everybody's relief. It remains at Pet Villas’ ALL's (Animal Lovers League) office that such cruelty to animals exist even in seemingly cultured Singapore.

We think that whoever tried to catch him had the wire noose around his neck and successfully did capture Brownie but he must have somehow broken free and ran away. His lower jaw was bloodied and bruised, and we suspect he must have bitten of whatever he could to get free. It could be official or 'unofficial' capture. Now, we have very strong reason to believe that is the ‘unofficial’ and more dangerous – he was meant as food.

Brownie (now renamed as Milo) has seen a vet for a full check up and has the necessary shots – antibiotics, vaccines and vitamins. He is being treated for heartworms and cannot be sterilised till his heartworm is cleared. We dare not let him go back to the wild where he has grown up and familiar with as it is no longer safe. Milo is now safe in the ALL’s boarding home - an exception they made for us as they are overfull. We will continue to pay for his stay there for as long as he lives if we can't find him a good home. That's the least we can do for him, since he fought so hard to live, we got to give him a chance. He is extremely lovable, very sweet natured, excellent with kids and one day, when we can keep him at home we will.

Right now we take him for a run every morning and visit him for longer periods during the weekends. He is adapting well and always excited to see us especially that Human who he adores. His eyes lights up in delight when he spots Human from afar. It is such a wonder to see that that kind of joy Milo gives to Human, such devotion only found in dogs.

Milo – Still thin but putting on weight slowly.

Milo – as he appears when he his rescuer visits so excited and happy. He will be allowed to roam free as soon as the other dogs are more familiar with him

Unfortunately the victim of Milo’s tale is Blackie. Poor Blackie, so sad and so alone We feel very sorry for her, as Milo always took care of Blackie when they were together. Blackie is so timid, intimidated even by the birds. Milo would always chase the birds who try to eat her food and stand next to her when she eats, After the noose incident, she was nowhere to be found.

We did eventually track her down 2 weeks later but she has become even more afraid, if that is ever possible. When we see her occasionally, now and then, she seems thinner. It is so sad. She has lost her best and only friend.

We are desperately trying hard to catch her as we think she may be impregnated by the other male dogs. We want to sterilize her but she is so deathly afraid of anyone, anything and would be the lone dog standing right at the back, away from the pack. And she'd rather not eat if she was alone. In a way it is good for her as she would be the hardest to get caught but in another, we fear she may starve to death. Milo was her strength and pillar. Now he is gone, she is subjected to bullies from the other dogs.

One of these days, we'll take Milo to visit the place where he once lived and see if he can track Blackie, although we are quite sure they have forgotten each other by now.

The last time we saw her, we shouted to her “Milo is safe” but I guess she didn't understand. I really wished she could. At that very minute I wished I spoke her language. And we told Milo as well that we would not stop feeding Blackie but I guess he doesn't understand too.

PLIGHT OF THE FRIENDLY STRAYS

Milo was a friendly stray - that's why he got caught. When we first started we thought by petting them, making them comfortable and humanizing them was kind, that was a lesson we quickly had to relearn.

Now it is to teach them to avoid human contact. Unlike Milo, his group of friends are more wary and would stay the distance and wait till we leave to investigate our food, and we want to keep it that way. We have learnt not to call them or try to pet them. We go in and out as fast as we can so they have no human contact. And when they are injured, try to mix medicines into their food and hope to God, they finish the food so they can recover. Not to be friendly is to save their lives.

Such is the irony of life.