A dream… Now, a beautiful reality!


I have just come back home from Bentong’s LLLF. I’m overwhelmed. What seemed an impossible task – to rehome the Ketam dogs, has now become a beautiful reality.

We reached LLLF at about 10.30am, after struggling for some time at SPCA to get the dogs on board the van. The journey was smooth-flowing, and we were driving behind the van. The dogs seemed to be enjoying the scenery – a welcomed change from being caged up for almost 3 months now.

But getting them into the van earlier was a formidable task. Poor things. Meta and Buddy were particularly difficult. They had been caged up before, when they were captured on Ketam and dumped by boat to Selat Kering to die. Then, they were trapped by rescuers, caged up again and brought back to safety. And, again, caged up at the shelter. Now, caged up again….and being transported? Where to, now? I truly empathised with their fear and lack of a sense of security. I do not blame them at all for not understanding what these two-legged humans who spoke in a complicated language, were doing to them again.

(Btw, Meta is the one featured in the newspapers, eating the carcasses while at Selat Kering. No wonder she is so traumatised. An animal communicator had visited her after her rescue and said she felt a deep sense of guilt for having done what she did, eating the carcasses of her own kind. But we want Meta to know that she is forgiven. Anyone would have done what she did in order to survive. It’s alright, Meta. You are totally forgiven. What the humans had done to you was FAR worse, and do they even feel any guilt at all?)

P.S. I just found out that it wasn’t Meta that we sent, but Luna. Sorry! Meta is going on the next trip.

Luckily Roli was on hand to help calm the dogs and carry them into the van. Without him, we could very well have had no trip at all. Roli had been looking after them throughout their stay at the shelter. He is a volunteer, from Switzerland.

At LLLF, we were welcomed by Bro Sui and his helpers. They had been busy constructing the temporary enclosure all of yesterday, and it was not completed yet. Bro Sui was very meticulous in supervising and helping (hands-on) with the work. And the farm dogs were very curious….”hmm, new friends? How interesting…” and so they came sniffing and wagging their tails at the van.

Our dogs were still quite suspicious. As I’ve said, I dont blame them at all. The poor things were so nervous they had poo-ed during the trip and Meta had vomitted too.

After seeing to covering all the possible gaps (for escape) in the enclosure, we were ready. Roli and Dr Jo (the SPCA vet) gave their thumbs-up. This is paradise – so, so nice, they said. Yes, it may be a humble abode, but it IS paradise for the dogs. To have some space to run about now, and to eventually be let out into the open space and be able to roam free IS paradise. To be safe…finally.

Now, came the task of carrying the dogs out of the cage in the van and into the enclosure. This time, it wasn’t so hard. It was as though they knew they are going to a better place now. This is typically reminiscent of the time we did the Puchong Dog Pound Rescue in 2006. The dogs can sense safety and love. They know.

Once inside the enclosure, the dogs very quickly displayed a change of temperament – they were clearly happy and relieved. The change was almost instantaneous and almost miraculous! Wow…to be able to stretch and walk about was fun!! We put out the vege dog kibbles for them and a few of them ate it up voraciously.

We spent some time inside with the dogs. Everyone who witnessed this entire episode could not help but feel a sense of warmth in their hearts. Finally….a home for these dogs. A forever home where they would have food to eat, clean water to drink, space to roam about, safe from harm and danger, and people (Bro Sui and his helpers) who care for them. The helpers were very concerned for the dogs – this could be seen from the way they had taken pains to build this enclosure. Some of them hugged the dogs too.

What more can a dog ask for? This IS paradise.

Picollo and Buddy were still reserved. Both stayed in a corner each and didn’t join the rest. BooBoo, Picolla, Liberty, Cuddly and even Meta were already socialising!

Bro Sui said this enclosure is just a temporary shelter to let the dogs adjust to the new surroundings. Once they are ok, they would be let free to roam around just like his 25 other farm dogs. Dr Jo quipped that for all you know, when we come again with the second batch, our dogs would already be roaming free and easy!

We then took a short walk around the vicinity to look at the lotus pond, the waterfall and the duck ponds. Soon, Bro Sui came in his jeep and announced that it was…..durian time! He had taken his helpers up to get a truckload of durians for us.

After taking our fill of delicious durians, it was time to go home. Roli wanted to see the dogs again and to say goodbye (for today) to them. The dogs were so happy to see Roli as we approached the enclosure. They wagged their tails joyfully and stood on their hind legs. BooBoo was already bullying some of the other dogs!! And Picollo and Buddy had joined the fold already. No more hiding in the corner.

We said our goodbyes (but we’ll definitely be visiting again soon, with the second batch) and left with a very happy heart.

A near-impossible task….now, a beautiful reality.

I thank the guardian angels of these dogs.

And on behalf of AnimalCare, I thank everyone who had joined us in contributions of cash and kind to make this project possible.

Our aspiration now is to continue providing dog food and veterinary help (through MissionHelp) to LLLF. LLLF too wants to provide its best to the dogs. Let us work together now, and ensure that more Ketam dogs will have a chance to a new and happy life. Please continue to support our Ketam Fund. We will continue providing food for as long as we still have funds.

“Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home…”

(More photos later, folks. I was not the photographer for the day. Am waiting for our volunteers to send me the photographs. They must be so, so tired. We all are. I could sleep until tomorrow!)


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2 responses to “A dream… Now, a beautiful reality!”

  1. Anonymous

    Roli wasn't quite sure how to leave a comment, so he wrote to me. I'm pasting his comment here:

    dear kahyein
    i just wanted to comment on your blog. unfortunately it didn't work somehow:(. so i'm trying on this way…hehehe.
    thank you so much for your fantastic report. it really makes me so happy to read about our animal transport again. i always thinking "our" dogs coz i simply love them so much. so good to know the dogs journey found now an end – in paradise. thank YOU, kahyein, very much again for you endless support to find a new home for this lovely animals. you are one of the mentioned guardian angels!
    thanks so much……
    ciao, roli

  2. whoa…. cukup efficient betul! LOL! so fast up dii!

    thanks for the great experience, albeit not much i could do. hope to help out more in the future 🙂

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