Robby Finds A Reason To Live Again

JB SPCA chairman Ranjeet Singh Bhullar (left) with Harvey Yap, Wong U Ginn and Dr Edwin Singam with Robby.

Pic below shows Joanne Carlo and Robby.  

Robby's story appeared in the Johor Streets, a pullout of the New Straits Times, today.

CHUAH BEE KIM 

JOHOR BARU: AFTER a Rottweiler was rescued from a house in Taman Perling here, he was diagnosed with suffering from distemper by a veterinarian.

A decision was made to put the three-year-old dog to sleep.

The dog had been suffering from fever for three days. Neighbours who felt that something was wrong alerted its owner but he ignored them.

Harvey Yap, 73, and his neighbour Wong U Ginn, 19, then informed the Johor Baru Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

Yap and Wong, both animal lovers, noticed that the dog, which was chained up round-the-clock, was not eating well and had maggots around its anus.

Wong, who lives next door to the dog’s owner, claimed that the owner seldom fed the dog.

Streets had highlighted the 
plight of the dog several months ago.

That time, the dog was reportedly well but had been chained up round the clock.

JB SPCA vice-chairman Dr Edwin Singam responded to the call last Tuesday but the neighbour declined to hand over the dog until the state veterinary department intervened.

By then, the dog could not eat and hardly moved. For the first two days, it had to be on a drip.

Dr Singam confirmed that the dog was dehydrated and underfed.

Volunteers took turns to care for the dog at the clinic. Among them were Yap, Wong and Joanne Carlo.

On Aug 8, Carlo turned 22. That was the day, the dog was to be euthanised. But Carlo pleaded for the dog not to be put down on her birthday.

That evening, after Carlo left the clinic, the dog miraculously got up and wobbled around the room apparently looking for Carlo.

By Saturday, the dog now renamed Robby was strong enough to stand up and eat.

However, the fever had left the canine twitching for life.

JB SPCA chairman Ranjeet Singh Bhullar said people who do not love animals should not be allowed to keep pets.

Ranjeet said the SPCA is also looking for more volunteers to help and rehome dogs like Robby.

“Robby was very sick but he found a reason to live because of the care shown by the dog lovers,” he said.

Happy Birthday Joanne

Updated

Robby was well enough to stand up and eat his meal at the clinic. Picture was sent to me via WhatsApp at 7.19pm.

Original post

For all those who have prayed and sent well wishes to the Rotweiller, I want to say my heartfelt thanks. The  three-year-old male dog renamed Robby seems to be on the road to recovery.

It was initially decided that the dog be put to sleep on Friday because it could hardly eat nor move due to distemper, but JB SPCA volunteer Joanne Carlo (pictured above, left) who turned 22 on that day asked that the dog not be put down on her birthday.

Joanne spent her birthday looking after Robby at the clinic. After she left the clinic in the evening, another volunteer said Robby got up and wobbled its way around the room looking for Joanne. 

Robby has found a reason to live. However, the distemper virus will leave the dog twitching throughout its lifetime.

The important thing now is for Robby to go to a new home that will give it all the love and care that an animal deserves.

Once again, thank you all for the well wishes.

Johor Baru SPCA chairman Ranjeet Singh Bhullar (left) with vice-chairman Dr Edwin Singam (right) at the veterinary clinic. Standing next to Ranjeet is former race car driver, Harvey Yap, and beside him is Wong U Ginn.

Both Harvey and U Ginn have constantly urged Robby's owner and his wife to show more love to 

their pet. Robby's owner moved into the neighborhood about a year ago. They also pointed out to the 

owner recently that something appeared to be wrong with Robby but their good intention was ignored.

On Aug 5, the neighbours alerted SPCA and Dr Edwin responded. The owner allegedly declined to entertain Dr Edwin. The Johor Veterinary Department had to intervene and that is how this Rottweiler got rescued from a home that showed it absolutely zero love.

Many lessons to be learnt here

1. Be a kind and responsible pet owner and guardian. Don't let it come to this.

2. Be a volunteer. The SPCA needs volunteers for the rescue and re-homing of dogs like Robby and all those which are homeless.

3. Be aware of what is going on in your neighbourhood. Be guardians of the neighbourhood.

I could go on but I guess I'll stop at 3. I want to take an afternoon nap.

Emotionally Stirring and Funny

Highly recommended.

A movie that can make you care for the characters is always a great movie. The Guardians of the Galaxy, directed by James Gunn, succeeded on that score.  It is entertaining, funny and stirs emotions as well. The movie's a real winner.

My favourite character is Rocket because he is really really funny, intelligent and has this endearing naughtiness. I also like Groot who didn't seem much like hero material at the start of the movie, but he is a true hero to the end.  Groot's childlike and innocent quality makes him very lovable.

Chris Pratt was comfortable in his role as Star-Lord, and so were Zoe Saldana and Karen Gillan playing sisters Gamora and Nebula respectively.

Indifference and Ignorance

We would like a bigger budget allocation for environmental conservation and protection, Dato Seri Najib Razak.

The authorities are urged to create greater awareness of the importance of taking care of corals in Johor.  Pic by Dato Dr Siow Kuang Ling.

by Chuah Bee Kim

JOHOR BARU: A 71-YEAR-OLD doctor and an award-winning inventor, Datuk Dr Siow Kuang Ling, recently called on environmentalists and the relevant authorities to create greater awareness of the importance of taking care of corals in Johor.

Dr Siow, who took up diving seven years ago, said most of the corals in the state, namely in Pulau Rawa and Pulau Sibu, are dead.

“When divers, whether foreigners or locals, see all these dead corals, they are not going to come again.

“Johor has the resources but this lack of awareness is killing the resources that nature has blessed the state with,” said Dr Siow who has been to Indonesian islands like Komodo Island, Raja Ampat, Manado Island, Bali and Lembek Straits, and also to the Maldives and Johor.

He said the dying corals have turned either blackish or whitish and appeared to have dried up.
When there is no movement or signs of life around the corals, it is also an indication that the corals are dying.

To spread awareness of corals and marine life, Dr Siow is organising an underwater photography exhibition at Sutera Mall here from Aug 15 to Sept 1.

“I will put up 300 pictures in A3-size hardboard for sale from RM200 to RM300 each. Part of the proceeds will go towards charity,” he said.

Dr Siow said he could produce 20 copies of each photo which was taken in all the countries he had visited over the years.

“I took up scuba diving in 2009 and became an open-water diver before becoming a speciality diver (peak performance buoyancy) several years later,” he said.

“I believe that if the Johor government were to take care of its straits, and the corals, it can draw more scuba divers to Johor.”

Dr Siow said that divers should not touch any of the corals when they are underwater.

However, he said he had seen many, namely, Asian divers who do not abide by this rule.
“One should also never go scuba diving alone. It is important to request for two instructors, one to lead the group ahead and one to be behind the group.

“It is good to go in a group of four to 12 divers,” said Dr Siow.

Meanwhile, Malaysia Nature Society (Johor branch) chairman Vincent Chow said corals which are found in rivers near industrial sites become the first victims of industrial pollutants which are discharged into the sea.

As in the case of corals found in waters near resorts, Chow said the corals could be dead or dying due to diesel discharge from boats, climatic change and silting accumulated over the years.

“The resort operators do make an effort to protect the corals but nature lovers and the MNS would appreciate it if the relevant authorities like the Marine Parks and Johor state executive councillors in charge of the environment can give us an update on the conservation efforts being made to protect marine life."

“The relevant authorities are seen to care so little for the environment, even in its budget allocation,” said Chow.

He cited the Sungai Kim Kim and Sungai Masai, both in Pasir Gudang, as two rivers that are carrying industrial pollutants into the sea.

“The water current causes the effect to get bigger and bigger until the pollutants reach the islands.
“Besides this, there are also sewage discharge from households and logging works which cause sediment to build up over the years in other areas.

“It is the corals that get smothered when the silt particles get accumulated over the years,” he said.

Chow said he would not say all the corals are dead as it would depend on the sea depth and the vastness of the sea.

However, he urged the relevant parties to come up with more proper planning measures before giving the green light for the building of industrial parks so that the river eco-system is protected.

“We are losing our unique and fragile eco-system due to ignorance and indifference,” he said.

Companion For Life

The tests came back positive for canine distemper, and chances of recovery is slim.

Wong U Ginn is seen here comforting the Rottweiler at the clinic. The dog is hardly moving. 

The 19-year-old lives next door to the Rottweiler's owner. He said the dog would wag its tail and appeared very happy whenever its owner came home from work everyday,  but the heartless owner would never bother to look at the dog.

Sometimes the man and his wife even forgot to feed their pet, according to U Ginn. The couple also did not come and visit the dog at the clinic.

Why keep a pet when you can't spare some time and some love for it? 

A sad sad day ...

Dogs are meant to be loved. All breeds, and not only when they are cute and cuddly like Micky here. 

We picked her up at an abandoned house, and Mary has adopted her. See how comfy she looks in the arms of Mary in this picture taken on July 13.

In the latest pictures, Micky's grown quite a bit. She's playful and so eager to explore her new world. 

Pray For This Rottweiler

Last December, I highlighted the plight of this dog

My Christmas Wish

The Rottweiler's story also came out in the Johor Streets, a pullout of the New Straits Times.

Today I received news that the dog may be suffering from distemper. The dog was also dehydrated, underfed and has maggots around its anus.

Johor Baru Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) deputy chairman Dr Edwin Singam is seen here treating the dog at his clinic.  It could only be confirmed tomorrow by the good doctor (I'm saying this with sincerity) whether it is distemper, a serious viral illness.

Enforcement officers from the Johor Veterinary Department ordered the Rottweiler's owner to surrender the dog to them today.  After that, the dog  was handed over to the SPCA, and a dog lover named Harvey has offered to pay the medical bill.

Another SPCA member had, a few months ago, gone to the house and spoken to the owner.  The owner said he loved the dog, but his wife wanted the dog to be chained up all the time.  And since the dog had a home unlike some homeless dogs, we thought the dog would be okay.

I wish I had done more for this dog before it came to this.

Kudos to Dr Edwin Singam and Harvey and the enforcement team from the State Veterinary Department.  At least, the dog had been rescued.  Now, let's pray that the dog will be able to get through this.

If you notice any form of animal cruelty, do not keep quiet.  Act swiftly.

But no cruelty can beat this kind of cruelty "Chinese police beat stray dog to death in front of its owner" A barbaric and uncivilised group of lunatics. The human race is becoming a disgrace.  Please don't be like them.

Don't be like me either, "all talk and no action".

Be like Dr Edwin Singam, Harvey and all those who actively took part in the rescue of the Rottweiler.