Dogs Don’t Cry

At HOPE, we're always talking about the horrors that stray dogs face on the streets. We all know how tough life is, for a dog who doesn't have a home. But once in a while, we get a call about a neglected pet, and it breaks our hearts. A home should be a warm, loving, safe place, not a cold, damp prison. Once we adopt an animal, we are responsible for its life. They will have no other source of food, love, or comfort except us. We are all they know.

Joey, a 7 to 9 year old Silky Terrier, had a miserable home. For a large part of his life, he lived in a tiny cage in the corner of a toilet. His world was dark, dirty and lonely. He didn't get walks. He didn't get to smell fresh air. He didn't receive any affection, or get any acknowledgement that he was even alive.

Life wasn't always like that. When Joey was young, he too knew happiness. He had a loving owner, Mama, who would give him hugs and kisses. But one day, Mama was moved into a home for the aged... and Joey was moved into a cage in a toilet.

He missed Mama. He didn't understand what had happened, or where she had gone. He didn't know that his life had changed forever. As he got used to his new surroundings, he waited hopefully, anxiously for Mama's return.

But time passed, and Mama did not return. His naive hope slowly turned into despair, then lifeless depression. His family slowly stopped paying any attention to him. They did only bare minimum to keep him alive. They didn't groom him or give him showers. His meals came only once every few days, when they remembered to feed him. He was shriveling up, becoming skin and bones.

His very first bath after his rescue

According to the wife, Joey's owner would beat him when he was noisy. But Joey lived in a cage, so we're not sure how he was beaten. Maybe he was brought out of the cage to be beaten - in which case, it's no wonder that he would make noise. Even if he did receive a harsh beating, it was still an opportunity to leave that tiny hell. Maybe the owner opened the door just enough to stick a foot in to kick him, or maybe he just hit the outside of the cage. Who knows what creative ways of abuse Joey had experienced?

Maybe it was after one of these beatings that Joey's ear became so badly injured and infected that he could no longer hear. Maybe it was an ear infection left untreated. There was pus flowing out of his ear, and the ear was so swollen and heavy that it was hanging down, instead of perking up.

Badly infected ear filled with pus 

A kind woman had heard about Joey's plight from an ex-colleague. She saw his picture, and decided to foster him. She met him for the first time on 15 August 2015.

"His spirit was low, his teeth badly decayed, his left ear badly inflamed and infected and a body which is made up of skin and bones. I looked into his eyes and I wondered what made him live. Hope, I guess? Hope to be loved again. I fed and bathed him but I know he needed much more. He needed immediate medical help. I contacted HOPE Dog Rescue. Immediately they set up an appointment with the vet.

On the day of the appointment, they took over Joey’s case and did a blood test to check on his organ functions, ultrasound and urine test. Joey has 3 stones in the kidney area and one at the prostate, near the bladder. His urine was acidic. The vet suggested to do a surgery to have the stones removed and at the same time, sterilize him. It was also needful to clean his badly decaying teeth. Joey was given some antibiotics and steroid pills for his inflamed ear, and medication to clean his ear. He was also placed on a special diet due to his kidney stones.

Let’s hope the surgery can restore his hope."

Sweet little Joey at the vet

Imagine our shock and disgust when we were called to take Joey's case. A pet that was so badly neglected and abused that he needed immediate medical attention. Joey was skin and bones. He was peeing blood. He had pus flowing from his ears, which were so painful that he would instinctively snap and bite if we tried to touch them. His teeth were so rotten that we could smell them from a distance. He also had extremely poor eyesight.

Joey's pee

Badly decayed teeth that you could smell a mile away

Nails weren't as bad as we expected

Although Joey is almost blind, he can still see shadows up close. If your hand goes near him, he will growl and be very fierce. He must have been so badly abused for his behaviour to have become like that. Imagine a senior dog having to muster up all his energy to be fierce, to have to protect himself.

When we did the ultrasound scan, we saw stones in his bladder, kidney, and prostate. We scheduled his surgery to take place as soon as possible. In surgery, Joey's blood pressure plunged when he was under anesthesia, which was worrying, but the vet managed to bring the pressure back to normal. She said that some dogs are just sensitive to general anesthesia. Poor Joey! Luckily, the vet managed to complete the surgery and sterilize him.

Poor Joey's vision is so bad, he only sees shadows 

The big stone in his prostate has been removed. The clinic will send it to a lab for a biopsy test. The stones in Joey's bladder are no longer visible. The vet mentioned that they have been flushed out by pee, a side effect of the medication that Joey is taking for the blood in his pee.

The infected ear has been flushed and most of Joey's rotten teeth have also been removed. The good news is that the clinic managed to save some of his teeth by cracking off the tartar build up.

Sweet Joey looking really cute with his muzzle during the vet check

The vet also advised that we put Joey on a renal diet, probably for life, as she was concerned that he might be prone to having stones in his kidneys. Since he's already a senior dog, he may not be viable for surgery to remove any more stones in the future.

Overall, the surgery was successful and Joey will be kept in the clinic to be monitored for a few days before he is discharged. Joey has gone through so much. We're so glad that he has finally received the care he needed. We look forward to him starting his life anew, in a proper home where he is wanted and loved.

Poor Joey will be warded for a few days till his condition stabilizes 

If you can help with poor Joey’s vet bills, please email hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg

Hello Goldilocks (Bailed Out From AVA)

Our volunteers spent 5 hours with Goldilocks. That’s what we call her, the sweet stray that we just bailed out from AVA.

Just out from the pound, terrified and soaked in pee

We had been feeding her on the streets for the past 4 years and two days back she was caught by AVA. Fortunately a feeder informed us and this morning we went to bail her out. As a norm with all our rescues, we send them to the vet right away for a full medical. She had previously been sterilized so today was a blood test for heartworm, tick fever, kidney and liver functions.  She was also vaccinated while at the vet.

Ear tattoo to show she has been sterilized 

Sweet Goldilocks. Traumatized, tired and worried 

Blood test results revealed that although her kidney and liver functions were good, poor Goldilocks has heartworm (both baby and adult worms), tick fever and low red blood count. We will start her on treatment as soon as we can afford it. Vet estimated her to be about 5 to 6 years old, although the fur on her muzzle is white from years of tough living on the streets. We have been overwhelmed by many new cases recently, namely Jubilee the National Day poodle (who also had heartworm), Baby’s never ending vet bills, Danny Boy and a new case of a severely abused Silky Terrier.

Her extra "tail" of badly matted fur

Goldilocks is very sweet, showing no signs of aggression when the vet checked her, drew blood from her or opened her mouth to examine her teeth. Poor Goldilocks smells moldy and damp, her long coat soaked in rain and mud over the past many years that she has lived on the streets. When we took her out from AVA, her entire body was soaked in pee, she must have been terribly traumatized when she was caught and locked in the small cage at the pound, thinking that she was the next in line to be put down. Thank goodness we managed to save her life.

Her tail is so badly matted, she looks like she has an extra tail. The fur on her tail is so long that she steps on it when she walks and it drags and picks up all the mud and soil from the roads. We have never been able to pat her all these years, as she often kept her distance at arm’s length, thus we were never able to trim the long fur on her tail. We wonder how they managed to catch her. Today was the first time we patted, touched and hugged her, after 4 years of feeding her. It was nice to finally meet her and say Hello in person.

So sad that a beautiful dog has to live this way.

While at the vet, many a times she had tried to make a dash for the door but we were unperturbed because having worked with strays for many years, we almost can read their minds. They will try to escape, not because they don’t like us, but simply because they don’t know our good intentions and the streets are all they know.

If you can help with Goldilock’s vet bills, foster or adopt her, please email hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg We have nowhere for her to go as we do not have a physical shelter or fosters. As she is a fresh rescue, it is preferable that for temporary safety measure, she goes to a home with no dogs.

*Goldilocks is small in size, weighing just 15kg and HDB Approved.

Black Is Beautiful. Adopt Blake

After having spent nearly two years in commercial boarding, Blake has finally gotten the chance to know what it feels like to be in a foster home surrounded by a loving family and a fellow dog. Having lived on the streets before he was rescued and subsequently in commercial boarding after his recovery, we were initially apprehensive about his integration into a proper family and if he could get along with the children and the resident dog.

This is his story http://hopedogrescue.blogspot.sg/2013/12/blake-victim-of-animal-cruelty.html

We didn't need to worry. Our reservations were put to rest as the foster came back to us with a glowing report on his behaviour! Blake is a curious boy who loves his walks. He used to pull on his leash out of excitement but will stop doing that once he calms down. He has learnt how to slow down upon command.

He is not fussy with his food and behaves himself during showers. His affable nature allows him to get along extremely well with the children at home, and he is also especially gentle with them and happy with their attention. When the resident dog tries to play with him, he remains calm and collected. Both dogs like to share their toys and treats and he has not displayed any signs of food aggression nor has he ever dashed for his food despite having lived on the streets. In fact, he will wait for his command before he starts eating. Impressive!

Blake is the perfect dog. He displays no aggression towards strangers. He is very smart and knows how to indicate that he needs to pee by pacing around the house or staring out of the window. He knows he needs to wash his paws after a walk and willingly allows his foster to clean him. Without a doubt, Blake has shown that he can fit into a home and integrate with people and other dogs alike. He is a fast learner and all he needs is a bit of patience. His foster strongly feels that he is a very sweet dog and deserves a home where he can be loved and share his love. We think so too, so will you be the one to give him the forever home he deserves?

Blake is a local crossbreed, estimated to be 2+ years old, healthy, sterilized and fully vaccinated.

He is not HDB approved.

Email hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg to give Blake a forever home. 

Oh Danny Boy!

A Family Service Centre in Ang Mo Kio contacted us and asked if we could help them with a case. An elderly lady is no longer able to provide adequate care for her 7-year old Maltese, Danny, since she has been diagnosed with 4th stage breast cancer. She could have easily abandoned Danny to see to her own needs, as many dogs have been dumped for far more trivial reasons. However, her love for Danny prompted her to seek help from her social worker to re-home him as she felt that he deserved better than what she could offer and wanted to make sure that his new family could provide him with the care that she no longer could due to her illness.

Skin under Danny's neck is extremely crusty

Two volunteers took the afternoon off to meet with the social worker to go visit Mdm H and Danny. Expecting to see a sad, neglected dog, we were surprised to see a very happy, easy-going, and pleasant Danny. He was not even dirty or neglected as badly as in past cases that we have seen. His nails were a bit long, but not to the extent that they were curling in on themselves. While Danny had not left the home in his 7 years, not even for a walk or a trip to the vet, Danny’s happy demeanor showed us that Mdm H loved him a lot, and had cared for him to the best of her abilities.

His ears are also dry and crusty from long term skin issues 

Mdm H lives a very frugal lifestyle. Her diet consists mainly of rice and bread, and Danny’s too. He eats anything from 3 to 5 meals a day. Basically he eats whatever and whenever she eats. He is not obese, but a bit overweight from all the rice and bread. She cannot afford to send him to the groomer's. But she cuts his fur when she has the energy. She bathes him when she has the strength. For a person of her age and with her condition, it is obvious that she loves him very much to tend to him so. That she was adamantly insisting we take him away is also testament of how much she loves him as she worries for his welfare should anything happen to her. In fact, she had suffered a mild stroke a few months back and was warded in hospital for 2 days. During this time, poor Danny was home alone with no food or water as they only have each other. She has recently started to sleep in the living room so that should she collapse or pass on, people passing by can easily peep in from the corridor window and realise the situation and help Danny as soon as possible.

Imagine being this red, sore and itchy for most of your life. It's not a very pleasant feeling

Skin issues left untreated for a long time

Even the skin on his face and around his eyes are red and itchy

Although the original purpose of our visit was to take Danny away and try to re-home him, we hesitated to do so as it was very obvious that they love each other very much. It is well documented that dogs can bring joy to the sick and help take their minds off their discomfort. So instead, we offered to help with his care, so that they can still enjoy each others' company, while taking the stress of worrying about Danny's welfare off her so that she can focus on getting well.

Watch a video of how he spends his time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMnxEfXK43E

Paws were sore from constant licking 

He hardly has fur on his legs 

Danny has very bad skin problems, most likely as a result of his poor diet. His paws are raw with open sores from constant licking. His knees and under body are also red and sore. His neck and ears are dry and crusty. His skin condition makes him smell a bit "yeasty". We offered to take him to the vet to get treatment for his skin condition, as well as for a full medical checkup since he has never had one. He would also need to be vaccinated and sent for proper grooming. Once he has been vaccinated, our volunteers will visit a few times a week to take him for walks. Our volunteers will also deliver fresh home cooked food to Danny every 2 days so that Mdm H will not have to share her food with him anymore. Danny's food will be pre-packed to make it convenient for her to just heat up one container per day for his meal.

Danny's Home

Giving us a smile despite his hardships 

Mdm H and Danny need our help. By helping him, we are taking the stress off Mdm H so that she does not have to worry about him and can focus on getting better. Please help us help Mdm H and Danny. If you can contribute towards Danny's vet bills, please email hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg Any little bit counts.

We hope to see you real soon, Danny Boy

Written by: Sam

ADOPT Horlicks (HDB Approved)

Horlicks is one of the sweetest boys you will ever meet. True to his name, he is super sweet, warm and endearing like the Horlicks drink! When you see him, you might think, hey he seems perfectly fine and healthy, why does he need to be rescued? Indeed, Horlicks is in the pink of health. He is also young, healthy, sterilised and microchipped. However, he is just not suited to living on the streets. We could not bear to leave him to his own devices. The poor boy used to live with his two best friends, Milo and Kopi, in the outer area of the factory that we rescued him from. When we went feeding, he would sit on the grass patch outside the factory, smile at us and wag his tail at us. He would retreat whenever we tried to go nearer to pat him though. That is how fearful he was of humans. He must have been the subject of lots of victimisation and bullying before. The poor boy…… As if being a stray was not tough enough, the factory owners vacated the premises and took Horlicks’ two best friends away with them to the new factory, leaving Horlicks behind to fend for himself (not because they did not like him but because they were unable to catch him). Although there were more than 10 other dogs and puppies belonging to another pack living on the inner premises of the factory, Horlicks could not join them. The other dogs would bark at him and bully him when he tried to get close to them. The poor boy was ostracised, sad and lonely. Our hearts broke to see Horlicks sitting on his own and looking lost and forlorn when we went to feed the dogs in the vacated factory.

Horlicks is now a changed boy. He is sweet, affectionate, playful and fun-loving. He is so adorable! He would entertain himself with his toys, throwing them into the air and attempting to catch them. It is almost impossible not to fall in love with him with his cute antics, sweet nature and Sharpei frown. Horlicks loves his food and is not a fussy eater. He also gets along fine with dogs and children and shows no sign of aggression at all. He is still timid and scared of being outdoors as he is a fresh rescue, but he is gradually beginning to enjoy walks outside. From having to spend up to an hour trying to coax Horlicks to walk, Horlicks can now play ball during his walks! So cute! We believe that with love and patience, Horlicks will soon blossom into a confident dog. Would you be the kind one to show Horlicks the love and patience he needs? Want to get your dose of Horlicks sweetness without having to buy a cup of Horlicks drink?

Email hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg today to adopt our pawfect Horlicks!

*Horlicks shows you his revolver tail wags and gives you lots of sloppy licks*

**Horlicks is a male, local crossbreed, about 1 year old, healthy and HDB APPROVED.

Written by: Weiling

Makeshift Friends

What did you do on National Day?

8 of us spent the morning with 3 dogs. These 3 dogs are the friends of Kimmy , who are still left behind in the makeshift sheds.

Volunteers bathing the only male dog there, Marley

As we do each Sunday, we visit them, we split up the work among us so that we can get the most done in the 4 hours that we spend there. Some give the dogs their baths. The lucky ones get to walk and play with them. The rest were assigned to wash and scrub the sheds and clear the surrounding area of overgrown grass. While cleaning up poo, scrubbing slimy floors, and plucking at weeds do not sound very fun, we were more than happy to do whatever we could to make their lives in the sheds a bit more comfortable.

Our volunteer getting a good workout cleaning their makeshift sheds

Pails of water to last them the entire week till our next visit

The dogs are always very happy to see us. They can never wait to get out, and it was no different this particular day. Once they were out, they walked for hours and refused to stay still, as if making up for the rest of the days they were cooped up. It was adorable to watch them only stop for quick water breaks before starting up on their walks again, as if they would never tire!

Volunteer, Weiling, clowning around with Marilyn
*Marilyn is HDB Approved

Handsome Marley enjoying the attention

After the team was done cleaning the sheds, we placed the prepared food of cooked meat and liver down in the sheds. This is always the saddest part of the visit as once the food is placed inside, it is time to return the dogs to the sheds. These 3 have learnt that eating time signals the end of their time out in the open. It is always a struggle to get them into the sheds. They refuse to enter even with the lure of food and the volunteers always have to pull or carry them in. It was especially heartbreaking this particular Sunday, knowing that everyone else was out there celebrating the Nation’s birthday, while we had little choice but to cut short the joy in these dogs’ day and return them to confinement. Alas, they had to go back in, locked up in their makeshift sheds until the next Sunday, when they will be given another small taste of freedom. What a sad life!

Phoebe drying up after her bath

Marilyn loves her bath

Marley and volunteer, Peishang, enjoying the freedom for a few hours before going back to his lock-up

Marilyn and volunteer, Weiling (told you it was National Day!)

More information on these 3 dogs:

Marley – He is the cream colored, a Labrador lookalike and is estimated to be 5-6 years old. He is very sweet-natured and is always giving in to the other two girls. He is very obedient and walks well on leash.

Marilyn – She is the long-coated girl sharing the same shed as Marley. She is small like a Cocker Spaniel and HDB-approved. She is nice and affectionate to humans though she can be a bit bossy with the other dogs. She tries to bully Phoebe next door but is usually nice to her shedmate, Marley. She has been coughing quite a bit, and we suspect she may be suffering from heartworm, just like Kimmy.

This is how Marilyn drinks her water, with one paw in the bowl! 

Marilyn and her makeshift friends love humans. They're all very friendly and affectionate. 

Phoebe – The girl next door. Workers at the site warned us that she was very aggressive so no one had ever patted her. It turned out that she was just scared, not aggressive. It took us 2 weekends before we could finally pat or go near her. Now her sweet nature has started to shine through. When she sees us these days, she jumps on us in joy and is so affectionate and happy to be out of shed. Phoebe is estimated to be around 3-4 years old.

Gorgeous Phoebe. Don't her eyes mesmerize you?

Lunch time also means time to go back to their lock-ups, signalling end of their freedom

Kimmy being sick was a blessing in disguise as that was what prompted her rescue from the sheds. She is now in commercial boarding thanks to a very kind sponsor. Her 3 friends here are not as fortunate. Besides Marilyn who is starting to show signs of heartworm, the other 2 have no visible signs of illness. However, we cannot confirm this as they have yet to see a vet. At this time, seeing a vet would just be a waste of resources as their living conditions do not promote good health or recovery. Only if there are people who will step up to adopt them will we be able to send them to the vet for their much needed check up and treatment (especially in Marilyn’s case).

Getting another good workout, this time with Phoebe 

Marley contemplating if he should take a dip after his bath. Will the volunteers scream "Marley!!!"

If you would like to adopt them and give them the happy lives they deserve, please email hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg. Please make it so we won’t have to spend Sundays at the makeshift sheds again!

Sheds all clean and food is served . . . . . .

Back to their lock-ups . . . till we meet again.