This is the case which was presented to us by the “agent” (name removed and replaced with XXX in the letter below) who had written on behalf of Ms Chai. We do appreciate anyone with good intentions to write on behalf of another who is not literate in English or BM, but please have the courtesy to inform us that you are writing on behalf of someone else.
The earlier emails from XXX were all full of inconsistencies so much so that we had to reject this application entirely. Finally, we felt it fair to contact Ms Chai directly over the phone to get to the bottom of this whole fiasco.
We also had to contact the vet about this dog to verify certain information. That did not help much because the vet said this dog was under XXX and not Ms Chai.
After obtaining a clearer picture from Ms Chai now, we have agreed to help her with the TVT treatment and neutering of two dogs and also the neutering of her other dogs in Mentakab.
The reason Ms Chai is sending these two dogs to a vet in Subang Jaya is that her vet in Mentakab does not provide boarding facilities. Ms Chai’s house and restaurant is already overwhelmed with rescued dogs, so she does not have anymore place to house these two TVT dogs. The Subang Jaya vet was arranged by XXX.
We have also spoken to Ms Chai’s regular vet in Mentakab and he confirms that Ms Chai has helped many street dogs with neutering and TVT treatment in the past. He also informed us that Ms Chai is in need of financial help.
Below is the translated appeal from Ms Chai:
Dear Dr Chan,
I am writing to appeal and urgently hope that you can review my personal profile and give me a second chance. First of all, I work at a Chinese restaurant in Mentakab (own by my brother in law) , the place where I was born and raised, and I do not have a high level of education. I attended a Chinese school and completed only secondary level education. Therefore, I can speak and write Mandarin only and cannot communicate in Bahasa or English. Despite not having a high level of education and a high salary, I want to inform you that I have been feeding stray dogs in my neighborhood for seven years. Every month, I spend two thousand on stray dogs (fresh meals) and neutering fees. This is the first time I am seeking help from an NGO because I have found two TVT dogs at the same time. I know that I must take immediate action to catch them; otherwise, TVT may spread to other dogs.
I confirm that I am not enrolled with any NGO and do not raise funds from others. XXX is from KL, and she told me about your organization. Unfortunately, I can’t write in Bahasa or English. Therefore, XXX is helping me translate my Mandarin script to English, and then I copy and paste the content to my Gmail account. For your information, XXX is not a professional translator; she knows that I can’t afford treatment for two TVT dogs at the same time. This is why she is asking me to apply through your organization. It is a very difficult decision for me to send the TVT dog to KL due to the lack of vet boarding facilities in Mentakab. I alone have been trying to catch the TVT dog for more than a month but failed. Without YYY’s assistance from KL, I would not have succeeded at all. So, I believe in teamwork spirit; being a hero alone does not work!
Before catching this TVT dog, the vet in Mentakab had already asked me, ‘Where is the place I should put the TVT dog?’ The vet is aware that my house is full of dogs. I have even used up the staircase area of my restaurant’s storeroom to isolate two dogs.
If you are asking how many dogs I have sent for neutering, I can’t provide you with the exact number. However, please consider giving me a second chance to contact the Mentakab vet and verify my profile, as I have sent numerous stray dogs, including TVT dogs, to his clinic. You can mention the name of Chun-Hua (‘春华’) Chinese restaurant for reference, or I am more than willing to accept a video call (number provided) from you to verify my personal data.
While I may not have a high level of education, I do understand the importance of neutering in controlling the number of stray dogs. Currently, I am taking care of 10 dogs at my house, some of which are ill and under medical treatment with isolation area. Additionally, I am feeding more than 20 stray dogs daily. I am schedule to send 4 males dog for neutering. However, I need to put this on hold as I have to take fast action on 2 TVT dogs.
I am passionate about rescuing stray dogs. Over the past 7 years, I have made every effort to help many stray dogs. I have also fulfilled my responsibility to reintegrate into society. Therefore, sincerely, I hope you will not categorize me as a dishonest person. I have no intention of deceiving anyone, including your organization. I apologize for the earlier mistake in XXX’s email about the absence of a vet clinic in Mentakab. If I do not meet the qualifications of the applicant after second review, I will respect your decision and the decision of your organization’s committee.
Thank you for your time.
Chai
This photo of the TVT tumour was sent by the vet. The vet expects the dog would need 4 chemo jabs. But each jab would have to be done under anaesthesia because the dog is fierce. There will be additional charges for the anaesthesia. We hope to obtain more information from the vet tomorrow.
Below is the 2nd TVT dog whom Ms Chai hopes to catch soon:
Some of the dogs fed by Ms Chai: