Am browsing the SPCA website and I see a silky terrier that does not look like the real mccoy due to its lack of silky hair. They do that sometimes. They shave the dogs or cats when they come in.
I find it funny when they shave the dogs at SPCA. People turn up at the cages and go 'Shih Tzu?' Then they look at the dog and go 'nah'.
It also reminds me of what my secretary Pauline did. She shaved her sister's dog & her 2 year old nephew refused to acknowledge it. He kept asking "Where's Teddy?". She pointed to the newly bald Teddy and said "this is Teddy", but the little boy took a good look and said "No. Not Teddy".
The funniest thing was - she said she decided to shave the silly dog because it had not the sense to run away from the toddler, who took great delight in pulling its hair. It would only lie there and growl softly; and when she tried to remove him from the toddler's grasp it would move itself back again. It loved the attention, despite the pain.
Jul 6, 2008
Jul 5, 2008
Excuse me while my horse kicks you repeatedly in the face.
I've read something quite unbelievable today. There's been an article in today's newspaper - "Diners at two restaurants near the Bukit Timah Saddle Club who feed the race horses have been told to stop the habit". At the end of the article, was the following:
Mr Siew seems to think that being unable to afford a horse himself grants him liberties to molest other peoples' race horses. His statement is offensive because there are laws which are at odds with his very peculiar and selfish statement. These very same laws protect us from being robbed on the streets in broad daylight, and breaking these laws make us felons, regardless of how poor we perceive ourselves to be.
The owners themselves have very good reasons for not wanting unwelcome visitors in the stables. Visitors have been known to feed the horses inappropriate food, which in minor cases could result in slight discomfort to the horse (and this can affect the performance of a racehorse); in serious cases, a horse could become colicky, which could be fatal.
The owners are also afraid because they know some visitors have not been very considerate and are afraid of the consequences should their horses one day snap and give some silly visitor a well-aimed kick.
The fact is, there are just too many people who have not the faintest idea that they are provoking an animal, and they tend to react badly after having being bitten, scratched, or kicked by a thoroughly harassed animal.
I've met a boy at SPCA who insisted on continuing to imitate one of our dogs when it was snarling at him, and he thought it was great fun to press his face against the door of the cage when doing so. After spending what seemed like a very long time watching him and his father, who stood behind, chuckling at his boy's antics, I couldn't stand it any longer and tried to point out as mildly as possible, that he was provoking the dog and that could result in him being bitten. It was only then did the father realise that he should be telling his son to stop too. But seriously, parents, please stop your kids, because I think it is most rude of me to think that I have to instruct you as to how best to be a parent.
Another time, I left a family of 4 in the cattery and went to pat some of the dogs. I found myself being followed to the sink when I went to wash my hands by the father of the family, who was in a bit of a panic because a cat had scratched him.
Yes, there probably has been cases of people having bad reactions to cat scratches. Yes, you probably should wash and scrub the scratch well with soap and water. No, I hope you aren't one of the few unfortunate individuals who need medical attention for a cat scratch. Don't worry, I've got scratched twice before myself. Cats are like this, they tend to get a bit irritated after you lavish them with too much attention and get tetchy.
The father left me then, somewhat mollified that he might not die today after all, and that was when doubt crept into my heart and I wondered - what were you doing to the cat anyway? Because seriously, I can't trust any of you to be alone with the animals. I don't know what type of person you are, yet.
One couple who were spotted touching the horses and taking photographs of them said they did not notice the signs.
Mr Siew Jian Ming, 25, a production manager, said: "We thought that it is open to the public. Anyway, I think we should be allowed in as we hardly get to see horses in Singapore. Horses should not be confined only to the rich who can maintain them," he said.
Mr Siew seems to think that being unable to afford a horse himself grants him liberties to molest other peoples' race horses. His statement is offensive because there are laws which are at odds with his very peculiar and selfish statement. These very same laws protect us from being robbed on the streets in broad daylight, and breaking these laws make us felons, regardless of how poor we perceive ourselves to be.
The owners themselves have very good reasons for not wanting unwelcome visitors in the stables. Visitors have been known to feed the horses inappropriate food, which in minor cases could result in slight discomfort to the horse (and this can affect the performance of a racehorse); in serious cases, a horse could become colicky, which could be fatal.
The owners are also afraid because they know some visitors have not been very considerate and are afraid of the consequences should their horses one day snap and give some silly visitor a well-aimed kick.
The fact is, there are just too many people who have not the faintest idea that they are provoking an animal, and they tend to react badly after having being bitten, scratched, or kicked by a thoroughly harassed animal.
I've met a boy at SPCA who insisted on continuing to imitate one of our dogs when it was snarling at him, and he thought it was great fun to press his face against the door of the cage when doing so. After spending what seemed like a very long time watching him and his father, who stood behind, chuckling at his boy's antics, I couldn't stand it any longer and tried to point out as mildly as possible, that he was provoking the dog and that could result in him being bitten. It was only then did the father realise that he should be telling his son to stop too. But seriously, parents, please stop your kids, because I think it is most rude of me to think that I have to instruct you as to how best to be a parent.
Another time, I left a family of 4 in the cattery and went to pat some of the dogs. I found myself being followed to the sink when I went to wash my hands by the father of the family, who was in a bit of a panic because a cat had scratched him.
Yes, there probably has been cases of people having bad reactions to cat scratches. Yes, you probably should wash and scrub the scratch well with soap and water. No, I hope you aren't one of the few unfortunate individuals who need medical attention for a cat scratch. Don't worry, I've got scratched twice before myself. Cats are like this, they tend to get a bit irritated after you lavish them with too much attention and get tetchy.
The father left me then, somewhat mollified that he might not die today after all, and that was when doubt crept into my heart and I wondered - what were you doing to the cat anyway? Because seriously, I can't trust any of you to be alone with the animals. I don't know what type of person you are, yet.
Jun 1, 2008
Quick Bites
- While leading the dogs back to their kennels today, 3 of them were strong enough to drag me behind while they explored the great big doggy world. It was comical, me flying behind them on leash.
- There's a beautiful Rottweiler at the SPCA today. She's lovely and has a very sweet nature.
Sky - The dogs get little chew toys which are shaped like poo. No idea what are they for - never seen the dogs vaguely interested in them. We've got them in varying sizes.
Poo Chew
I asked Tigger. He has no idea too. - Managed to get a great cat picture with my very very horrible k770i camera phone.
she's lovely isn't she? - There are parents who specially bring their kids down to SPCA to educate them about pets, which I think is great. Met one dad who awarded his son with trips whenever he did well; the father was considering letting his son adopt a dog too if he did well for PSLE.
Today I met a mother and heard her saying that she brings her kids regularly, and hopes that it will encourage them to volunteer when they are older.
May 11, 2008
Speak no evil
(Everything in this post and blog is my own personal opinion, and in no way reflects that of the SPCA or its staff and other volunteers.)
Happy Birthday to me! And I spend this first hour of being 25 years old, reviewing the mistakes I have committed as a new volunteer at the SPCA.
The biggest problem a volunteer can have begins with the question "Excuse me, do you work here?" This question usually leads to questions that I am not comfortable with, because they have not formally trained Kennel Helpers to deal with the typical questions families who have made that special trip all the way to the SPCA have.
The SPCA has Counsellors who are trained to answer questions and also screen potential adopters for the kennel animals, and this better-PR-trained team of individuals can be easily identified by their bright red polo-shirts. But of course anyone would ask you first if they saw you fussing over and spoiling huge Benji in his cage, and apparently not in any danger (yet) of being mauled to death by Benji and the great big teeth he has. And, regardless of the fact that I had redirected their questions, some people will still come back to me to ask "so how is that dog?".
So come the questions, and the probably inappropriate answers.
I once made the mistake of saying a bit too much (it really was something rather innocent and naively indignant; like "yes their owner left them both here!!") , only to realise too late that the usual Counsellor on Sundays had been frantically waving her arms at me hoping I would direct the visitors' attention to her for politically correct answers. I bit my tongue, mind plunging into a deep dark valley of regret, where the souls of poor abandoned pets at the SPCAs roamed for eternity because of the stupidity of their inexperienced Kennel Helpers. These stupid Kennel Helpers, who had said the dumbest things and spoilt any chance of them being adopted by a decent family. Luckily, those 2 Golden Retrievers were adopted within the fortnight.
I am probably not in any position to question the SPCA methods since I have no instruction in their methods of potential adopter screening, not to mention the fact that SPCA does seem to have a rather high successful adoption rate (based on un-scientific statistical methods - since February, I've only known of 2 dogs returned after being adopted). But I wonder if we sometimes disclose too little information about the pets awaiting adoption. Information which might affect the chances of their adoption, especially for the dogs. Because as a volunteer, I do learn things about the dogs in my fortnightly Sunday morning interactions which I feel are not conveyed in the dog's description on the SPCA website and at the SPCA shelter.
It could be simple things that could melt an undecided adopter's heart - like Toto loves to show you he loves you by bringing his toys to share when you come home. But Toto hates pink socks and they provoke him to attack them, but you love wearing pink socks and decide after a week that you had enough of this crazy dog who took to attacking your ankles and adoption had been a big mistake. It could be something very basic - JOEY DOES NOT SHARE FOOD (see note 1 below); hence Joey started fighting with your other dog when you thought they would get along fine during the adoption screening period. It could be something more sinister - Baby had a terrible experience when he was a pup, and needs time and love to build trust in you. Baby is most loving and adorable when he sees familiar faces but acts like he wants to attack strangers - no one might take him home if the staff or volunteers at the SPCA don't because no potential adopter will return again for Baby if they don't understand his history.
We all want the best for these animals. There is nothing sadder than seeing the same little dog, cat or rabbit faces month after month, or seeing a familiar dog returned not long after he left. But once you start talking to these people who might make a huge difference to the life of one of the animals at the SPCA, where do you decide to stop?
(Note 1: Yes, that is a quote from the American sitcom, 'Friends'.)
Happy Birthday to me! And I spend this first hour of being 25 years old, reviewing the mistakes I have committed as a new volunteer at the SPCA.
The biggest problem a volunteer can have begins with the question "Excuse me, do you work here?" This question usually leads to questions that I am not comfortable with, because they have not formally trained Kennel Helpers to deal with the typical questions families who have made that special trip all the way to the SPCA have.
The SPCA has Counsellors who are trained to answer questions and also screen potential adopters for the kennel animals, and this better-PR-trained team of individuals can be easily identified by their bright red polo-shirts. But of course anyone would ask you first if they saw you fussing over and spoiling huge Benji in his cage, and apparently not in any danger (yet) of being mauled to death by Benji and the great big teeth he has. And, regardless of the fact that I had redirected their questions, some people will still come back to me to ask "so how is that dog?".
So come the questions, and the probably inappropriate answers.
I once made the mistake of saying a bit too much (it really was something rather innocent and naively indignant; like "yes their owner left them both here!!") , only to realise too late that the usual Counsellor on Sundays had been frantically waving her arms at me hoping I would direct the visitors' attention to her for politically correct answers. I bit my tongue, mind plunging into a deep dark valley of regret, where the souls of poor abandoned pets at the SPCAs roamed for eternity because of the stupidity of their inexperienced Kennel Helpers. These stupid Kennel Helpers, who had said the dumbest things and spoilt any chance of them being adopted by a decent family. Luckily, those 2 Golden Retrievers were adopted within the fortnight.
I am probably not in any position to question the SPCA methods since I have no instruction in their methods of potential adopter screening, not to mention the fact that SPCA does seem to have a rather high successful adoption rate (based on un-scientific statistical methods - since February, I've only known of 2 dogs returned after being adopted). But I wonder if we sometimes disclose too little information about the pets awaiting adoption. Information which might affect the chances of their adoption, especially for the dogs. Because as a volunteer, I do learn things about the dogs in my fortnightly Sunday morning interactions which I feel are not conveyed in the dog's description on the SPCA website and at the SPCA shelter.
It could be simple things that could melt an undecided adopter's heart - like Toto loves to show you he loves you by bringing his toys to share when you come home. But Toto hates pink socks and they provoke him to attack them, but you love wearing pink socks and decide after a week that you had enough of this crazy dog who took to attacking your ankles and adoption had been a big mistake. It could be something very basic - JOEY DOES NOT SHARE FOOD (see note 1 below); hence Joey started fighting with your other dog when you thought they would get along fine during the adoption screening period. It could be something more sinister - Baby had a terrible experience when he was a pup, and needs time and love to build trust in you. Baby is most loving and adorable when he sees familiar faces but acts like he wants to attack strangers - no one might take him home if the staff or volunteers at the SPCA don't because no potential adopter will return again for Baby if they don't understand his history.
We all want the best for these animals. There is nothing sadder than seeing the same little dog, cat or rabbit faces month after month, or seeing a familiar dog returned not long after he left. But once you start talking to these people who might make a huge difference to the life of one of the animals at the SPCA, where do you decide to stop?
(Note 1: Yes, that is a quote from the American sitcom, 'Friends'.)
May 5, 2008
Good things come in pairs
It's not very often that dogs who turn up in SPCA end up being caged with another. But we've had 2 pairs in the last month I've been there.
Bubbles and Baby
These 2 GR boys were adopted not long after I saw them on the 20th of April. Hopefully (and I think they did, see below) they were adopted together and are happy in their new home.
Sherry the Golden Retriever and Yao Yao the Chihuahua
This funny pair attracted lots of attention today at SPCA, with Sherry being so big and Yao Yao so tiny. I heard that the SPCA would prefer both dogs being adopted together, as, in the Pet Counselor's own words, separating them would make them pine for each other, and develop into post-adoption depression.
It's great that the SPCA takes such things into consideration when evaluating the suitability of families wanting to adopt dogs. Of course, adopting a dog is difficult enough, let alone two, and I wish both pairs all the best of luck in their new homes. Because the saddest thing is seeing a dog returned after having been rejected by their new home.
***
I just got back from Vietnam. The Vietnamese really love their small dogs, and I've seen a few hundred Chihuahuas in the one week I was there.
The mystery: where did all the cats go?
After almost 5 days, I finally saw my very first cat in Hanoi - a white long haired cat with blue eyes, tied on a string to the back door in an alley. The next cat I saw was another white long-haired cat tied to the entrance of a guesthouse. Most bizarre. But somebody suggested that it might be some kind of good luck charm.
I then learnt that Vietnamese eat dogs; then actually saw for myself dog meat being sold on the roadside on my way to Halong Bay (there was a Vietnamese sign advertising sale of dog meat, and a dog cage with 3 medium size dogs locked underneath); and heard speculation that the Vietnamese eat stray cats.
Chihuahua as pets made sense now: they ate relatively little, making it an economical choice for most Vietnamese who did not have the means to support a larger dog. Plus, little skinny Chihuahuas would not tempt your neighbour into stealing and killing it for dinner. But I couldn't fathom eating stray cats as most of them would seldom grow substantially larger than a Chihuahua. Stray cats are not totally extinct in Vietnam though. I finally did hear some feral cats running about rooftops at night in Hanoi, and visited 2 shops which kept local cats as pets.
An American volunteer at the animal shelter who I see every fortnight at SPCA made me laugh when she told me this morning that she had previously rejected a posting to Vietnam because she felt that her 2 huge 10kg cats would not be safe in Vietnam and could end up as her (prospective) Vietnamese cleaning lady's dinner one fine day.
Bubbles and Baby
These 2 GR boys were adopted not long after I saw them on the 20th of April. Hopefully (and I think they did, see below) they were adopted together and are happy in their new home.
Sherry the Golden Retriever and Yao Yao the Chihuahua
This funny pair attracted lots of attention today at SPCA, with Sherry being so big and Yao Yao so tiny. I heard that the SPCA would prefer both dogs being adopted together, as, in the Pet Counselor's own words, separating them would make them pine for each other, and develop into post-adoption depression.
It's great that the SPCA takes such things into consideration when evaluating the suitability of families wanting to adopt dogs. Of course, adopting a dog is difficult enough, let alone two, and I wish both pairs all the best of luck in their new homes. Because the saddest thing is seeing a dog returned after having been rejected by their new home.
I just got back from Vietnam. The Vietnamese really love their small dogs, and I've seen a few hundred Chihuahuas in the one week I was there.
The mystery: where did all the cats go?
After almost 5 days, I finally saw my very first cat in Hanoi - a white long haired cat with blue eyes, tied on a string to the back door in an alley. The next cat I saw was another white long-haired cat tied to the entrance of a guesthouse. Most bizarre. But somebody suggested that it might be some kind of good luck charm.
I then learnt that Vietnamese eat dogs; then actually saw for myself dog meat being sold on the roadside on my way to Halong Bay (there was a Vietnamese sign advertising sale of dog meat, and a dog cage with 3 medium size dogs locked underneath); and heard speculation that the Vietnamese eat stray cats.
Chihuahua as pets made sense now: they ate relatively little, making it an economical choice for most Vietnamese who did not have the means to support a larger dog. Plus, little skinny Chihuahuas would not tempt your neighbour into stealing and killing it for dinner. But I couldn't fathom eating stray cats as most of them would seldom grow substantially larger than a Chihuahua. Stray cats are not totally extinct in Vietnam though. I finally did hear some feral cats running about rooftops at night in Hanoi, and visited 2 shops which kept local cats as pets.
An American volunteer at the animal shelter who I see every fortnight at SPCA made me laugh when she told me this morning that she had previously rejected a posting to Vietnam because she felt that her 2 huge 10kg cats would not be safe in Vietnam and could end up as her (prospective) Vietnamese cleaning lady's dinner one fine day.
May 4, 2008
ASPCA RESPONDS TO OUTCRY OVER “STARVING DOG” EXHIBIT
(reproduced from ASPCA website )
Late last week the ASPCA issued a press release in response to the tremendous outpouring of public concern over a 2007 art exhibition by Costa Rican artist Guillermo Habacuc Vargas that featured an emaciated dog. Because reports on the duration of the exhibit and the condition and fate of the dog vary widely—including those issued from the Nicaraguan gallery involved and Vargas himself—it is impossible at this time to know conclusively what happened, or if the images and stories flooding the Internet are real. However, the ASPCA understands and shares the outrage felt by animal lovers over this alleged act of cruelty that, if true, sadly is not a criminal act in Nicaragua.
“The ASPCA is opposed to cruelty to animals of all types, in all societies,” says ASPCA President Ed Sayres. “However, it is also not the policy of the ASPCA to condemn entire communities or countries for the cruel acts of individuals. What we need to do is step up our efforts to educate the public on the humane treatment of animals so that such events do not occur again.”
Online activity regarding this incident has increased steadily over the last several weeks after many websites have reported that Vargas is planning to participate in the VI Central American Visual Arts Biennale later this year in Honduras.
While the ASPCA’s programs are limited to the United States, we are a member and supporter of the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA). WSPA and member society the Honduras Association for the Protection of Animals and their Environment (AHPRA) have persuaded organizers of the Honduras Biennale to make AHPRA official exhibition observers. Additionally, although Vargas has stated that his exhibit will not feature a dog, the Biennale has agreed to codify rules prohibiting animal abuse. WSPA has also indicated to the ASPCA that it will increase efforts to enact stronger animal protection laws in Nicaragua.
The ASPCA asks supporters to advocate on behalf of animals through their own actions by supporting international, national and local animal welfare organizations, and by educating their own communities about how to detect and combat animal cruelty. To add your voice to the chorus of those working for the humane treatment of animals, please visit www.fightcruelty.org to take the ASPCA’s Pledge to Fight Animal Cruelty.
Late last week the ASPCA issued a press release in response to the tremendous outpouring of public concern over a 2007 art exhibition by Costa Rican artist Guillermo Habacuc Vargas that featured an emaciated dog. Because reports on the duration of the exhibit and the condition and fate of the dog vary widely—including those issued from the Nicaraguan gallery involved and Vargas himself—it is impossible at this time to know conclusively what happened, or if the images and stories flooding the Internet are real. However, the ASPCA understands and shares the outrage felt by animal lovers over this alleged act of cruelty that, if true, sadly is not a criminal act in Nicaragua.
“The ASPCA is opposed to cruelty to animals of all types, in all societies,” says ASPCA President Ed Sayres. “However, it is also not the policy of the ASPCA to condemn entire communities or countries for the cruel acts of individuals. What we need to do is step up our efforts to educate the public on the humane treatment of animals so that such events do not occur again.”
Online activity regarding this incident has increased steadily over the last several weeks after many websites have reported that Vargas is planning to participate in the VI Central American Visual Arts Biennale later this year in Honduras.
While the ASPCA’s programs are limited to the United States, we are a member and supporter of the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA). WSPA and member society the Honduras Association for the Protection of Animals and their Environment (AHPRA) have persuaded organizers of the Honduras Biennale to make AHPRA official exhibition observers. Additionally, although Vargas has stated that his exhibit will not feature a dog, the Biennale has agreed to codify rules prohibiting animal abuse. WSPA has also indicated to the ASPCA that it will increase efforts to enact stronger animal protection laws in Nicaragua.
The ASPCA asks supporters to advocate on behalf of animals through their own actions by supporting international, national and local animal welfare organizations, and by educating their own communities about how to detect and combat animal cruelty. To add your voice to the chorus of those working for the humane treatment of animals, please visit www.fightcruelty.org to take the ASPCA’s Pledge to Fight Animal Cruelty.
Apr 15, 2008
Baileys, Bernice & Bernie
Baileys, Bernice & Bernie
Originally uploaded by iwadesu
This is by far my favourite photo for now. 3 in a row! And so cute!
I had to carry them out of their kennel and they were absolutely adorable.
Tails
Found the ASPCA website. It's very professional and attractive. Of course, looking at the careers page, they have professional full time staff to manage it, which SPCA Singapore probably does not have at the moment.
I especially like the ASPCA's system of colour-coding the animals in the adoption shelter to better suit potential families. Check out their Meet Your Match system. (They even have a link for shelter professionals to assist them in implementing the system in their own shelters.)
Also recommend their dogs and cats adoption pages. And of course their information pages.
***
I met a cat owner at the cat show, an 'ang mo' who told me he was trying to find vegetarian cat food for his cats.
Cats are carnivores, and cannot live on vegetables alone due to the absence of some very important nutrients and vitamins in a vegetarian diet, hence vegetarian cat food is full of synthetic minerals and vitamins.
Currently, this vegetarian cat owner is importing his food from back home, and it costs a bomb. As far as I know, he has not found his vegetarian cat food in Singapore yet. There is no market for it.
It never occurred to me that cats might have to go vegetarian because of their owners. It brings up a lot of interesting, never-thought-of-before questions.
Judge's table at cat show
I especially like the ASPCA's system of colour-coding the animals in the adoption shelter to better suit potential families. Check out their Meet Your Match system. (They even have a link for shelter professionals to assist them in implementing the system in their own shelters.)
Also recommend their dogs and cats adoption pages. And of course their information pages.
I met a cat owner at the cat show, an 'ang mo' who told me he was trying to find vegetarian cat food for his cats.
Cats are carnivores, and cannot live on vegetables alone due to the absence of some very important nutrients and vitamins in a vegetarian diet, hence vegetarian cat food is full of synthetic minerals and vitamins.
Currently, this vegetarian cat owner is importing his food from back home, and it costs a bomb. As far as I know, he has not found his vegetarian cat food in Singapore yet. There is no market for it.
It never occurred to me that cats might have to go vegetarian because of their owners. It brings up a lot of interesting, never-thought-of-before questions.
Judge's table at cat show
Apr 2, 2008
A Cat like Muffin
Everybody wants a cat like Muffin.
Muffin, Persian, with a hint of Maine Coon. Blue-grey with yellow eyes. He surveys his strange surroundings calmly. He lets you pet him, but is not keen to be picked up. He's quiet. He is a gem among all the 'local' breed cats at the SPCA.
This morning, a middle age lady and her husband have chosen him. He is just like my old cat, she tells the pet counselors. It died over a year ago. We found him one day outside the house and kept him for 12 years, but he had breathing problems and we had to put him to sleep.
Muffin has lost his reticence and is pawing the lady affectionately. He reaches out with both paws through the bars of the cage, and places them on the sides of her face, a gesture that looks as if he is caressing a face that is very dear to him. I think he is the reincarnation of my cat, she tells me later, weaving Hindu mysticism into the lives of the cats at the shelter.
But Muffin already has somebody waiting to adopt him, and the Indian couple is placed on the waiting list. A few days later, Muffin goes to a new home, and somebody must have been disappointed.
Everybody wants a cat like Muffin, except the person who left him at the SPCA.
Muffin, Persian, with a hint of Maine Coon. Blue-grey with yellow eyes. He surveys his strange surroundings calmly. He lets you pet him, but is not keen to be picked up. He's quiet. He is a gem among all the 'local' breed cats at the SPCA.
This morning, a middle age lady and her husband have chosen him. He is just like my old cat, she tells the pet counselors. It died over a year ago. We found him one day outside the house and kept him for 12 years, but he had breathing problems and we had to put him to sleep.
Muffin has lost his reticence and is pawing the lady affectionately. He reaches out with both paws through the bars of the cage, and places them on the sides of her face, a gesture that looks as if he is caressing a face that is very dear to him. I think he is the reincarnation of my cat, she tells me later, weaving Hindu mysticism into the lives of the cats at the shelter.
But Muffin already has somebody waiting to adopt him, and the Indian couple is placed on the waiting list. A few days later, Muffin goes to a new home, and somebody must have been disappointed.
Everybody wants a cat like Muffin, except the person who left him at the SPCA.
Mar 21, 2008
Hands on approach
If you do go to the SPCA, do take time to play with the animals, with the assistance of a staff or volunteer. For potential animals which you are considering adopting, this could prove crucial in determining if you and the animal are suitable for each other. In the long run, the animal benefits from it too.
The following is an excerpt from an email I received from the SPCA Volunteer Coordinator, Serena.
Being a volunteer with the SPCA in the shelter area is not only about cleaning the animals and shelter. It is essential that we all try to spend more time actually hands on with our animals. Being hands on with them and giving them care, attention and play time is really important. With some animals it will help to build their confidence and feel good again and in some cases help them to realize that not all humans are horrible and cruel. Finally your time spent with the animals could help them to become more adoptable.
Mar 17, 2008
Adopt me
After hanging out at the SPCA for consecutive weekends, I still cannot decide whether I like dogs or cats more. Cleaning dog cages is definitely the messier job, but dogs are such uncomplicated animals.
Cats are small and lovely, but unpredictable. Actually I think it does not matter whether it's a cat or dog, I'd like a quiet pet who would be contented to sit still and let me fuss and pet it for hours on end without complaining.
I think I need a soft toy (instead).
Rabbits however, remain totally alien to me. Though this last weekend, supervised by an experience full-time staff in the cats and small animals section, I finally learnt the 'right' way to grab a rabbit from its cage: position your hand ready, and grab the back of the rabbit's neck. The element of surprise is extremely important. But this method looks like it hurts, so I continue to hold them under the front legs, supporting their bums.
For cats, it seems they don't really mind all that much being hoisted under their front legs as long as you are confident.
Back to adoption. I'm here because my mother would not let me bring a dog or cat home. She still does not seem to be relenting on that point, so I can probably forget about adopting as long as I live under her roof.
Favourite adoption candidates of the week:
Time to sleep.
Cats are small and lovely, but unpredictable. Actually I think it does not matter whether it's a cat or dog, I'd like a quiet pet who would be contented to sit still and let me fuss and pet it for hours on end without complaining.
I think I need a soft toy (instead).
Rabbits however, remain totally alien to me. Though this last weekend, supervised by an experience full-time staff in the cats and small animals section, I finally learnt the 'right' way to grab a rabbit from its cage: position your hand ready, and grab the back of the rabbit's neck. The element of surprise is extremely important. But this method looks like it hurts, so I continue to hold them under the front legs, supporting their bums.
For cats, it seems they don't really mind all that much being hoisted under their front legs as long as you are confident.
Back to adoption. I'm here because my mother would not let me bring a dog or cat home. She still does not seem to be relenting on that point, so I can probably forget about adopting as long as I live under her roof.
Favourite adoption candidates of the week:
- This lovely Chihuahua called Rudy (male, 6 years old) who is really hot stuff. Going soon
Spot (black dog x-breed, 2 years old) who is pending
Moo Ping, (brown dog x-breed 5 months) whose name sounds really close to my boyfriend's brother - Thomas (black & white cat 1 year old) because last Saturday, he spotted me from outside, mewed at me, then happily allowed me to place him on my lap and let me fuss over him. Though he started chewing my hand at the end of it all. I do not like being chewed.
Time to sleep.
Mar 15, 2008
Drei
Blink the cat is the Houdini his generation. I arrived early this morning and was amazed to find an opened cat cage. Blink appeared not long later, calm and maybe a bit smug at having escaped. I later learnt, Blink has managed to open any cage they tried to keep him in.
Blink has other virtues including the ability to look cute and innocent after his obvious cage-break, the tenacity to resist attempts to place him back inside, and beauty, for he is slim and sleek with endearing features. I was going to add that he didn't run too far, but none of the SPCA cats really attempt to leave the compound. The big strange world outside is too intimidating for most. And they are cared for, spoilt and fed well in SPCA
Blink has other virtues including the ability to look cute and innocent after his obvious cage-break, the tenacity to resist attempts to place him back inside, and beauty, for he is slim and sleek with endearing features. I was going to add that he didn't run too far, but none of the SPCA cats really attempt to leave the compound. The big strange world outside is too intimidating for most. And they are cared for, spoilt and fed well in SPCA
Mar 14, 2008
New SPCA Website
The SPCA website has just been updated and looks really professional and sophisticated now. Go check it out here
Mar 10, 2008
Zwei
Cleaning dog poo has a greater fear factor than cat poo, though climbing into rabbit cages might be just as bad (thank goodness I was not on small animal duty last Saturday, there was a whole new wall of rabbits to deal with).
I thought I saw 4 volunteers rostered for dogs duty on Saturday, but only 2 of us turned up. And me, the obvious rookie was naturally adopted by one of the full time SPCA staff to deal with 11 (approx.) dog kennels, while my other brave volunteer counterpart dealt with the 6 back cages alone.
Steps to cleaning the dog kennels:
My duty involved mainly scooping dog poo, depositing it into the pit; squeegee-ing the water and wiping the crates; feeding the dogs and washing up afterwards.
After cleaning was done I stayed behind to mingle with the dogs, and horrors - Nice dogs play rough too. But lucky me, the largest dog there, a German Shepherd has not turned rough on me yet, though the neutered fellow did have a rather perturbing habit of flashing me his privates whenever I was near. Other than that, he happily stayed still to let me pet him.
However, the yellow lab retriever I previously loved has fallen from grace because he treats me like I am his largest walking chew toy and I have bruises on my arm for it. Since he did not draw blood, I assume the wrestling game was without ill intention. I hope. I don't like being treated as merely a chew object.
I thought I saw 4 volunteers rostered for dogs duty on Saturday, but only 2 of us turned up. And me, the obvious rookie was naturally adopted by one of the full time SPCA staff to deal with 11 (approx.) dog kennels, while my other brave volunteer counterpart dealt with the 6 back cages alone.
Steps to cleaning the dog kennels:
- Enter kennel, leash excited dog(s)
- Tie dog away from kennels to facilitate cleaning. Puppies and small dogs are to be kept in the small cages or enclosure.
- Use doggy poo metal scoop to remove dog poo from cage (takes skill. see note 1)
- Move doggy poo to the cesspit SPCA has on its premises (icky. see note 2)
- Splash copious amounts of disinfecting detergent into kennel
- Thoroughly hose the kennel enclosure. At the same time, change the waters in the water bowl.
- Use huge squeegee to push water into the drains. Take cloth to wipe dog crate dry.
- Drag reluctant dog back into kennel again.
- Feed hungry dog.
- Remove empty food bowl; or remove partially empty food bowl after 10 minutes. (tricky. see note 3)
- Wash the food bowls
- Note 1: Smearing doggy poo the wrong way increases the amount of surface area to clean.
- Note 2: My guess is a special truck comes to drain the cesspit on a weekly basis. After half an hour, the pit turns into the hottest leisure zones in town for all kinds of pests, especially cockroaches and flies. Highest fear factor of all.
- Note 3: Some dogs are food aggressive. I've been warned that some dogs may bite.
My duty involved mainly scooping dog poo, depositing it into the pit; squeegee-ing the water and wiping the crates; feeding the dogs and washing up afterwards.
After cleaning was done I stayed behind to mingle with the dogs, and horrors - Nice dogs play rough too. But lucky me, the largest dog there, a German Shepherd has not turned rough on me yet, though the neutered fellow did have a rather perturbing habit of flashing me his privates whenever I was near. Other than that, he happily stayed still to let me pet him.
However, the yellow lab retriever I previously loved has fallen from grace because he treats me like I am his largest walking chew toy and I have bruises on my arm for it. Since he did not draw blood, I assume the wrestling game was without ill intention. I hope. I don't like being treated as merely a chew object.
Mar 3, 2008
Ein
Volunteer sessions on Sunday mornings begin at 9.30am. This morning I arrived at 9.20am, to find myself being stared at by 4 cats sitting high on their perch in the cattery while waiting for the other volunteers to arrive.
After a quick new volunteer orientation of the premises (which basically consisted of learning where the kitchen was, bowls and cleaning materials kept), me and A., who was awaiting the release of her A'level results got down to cleaning the cages of the cats and rabbits.
Cats are fine, they get airy wooden enclosures, use a litter box and the SPCA has mostly short haired breeds. The rabbits have newspaper as bedding which most of them enjoy shredding, shit and pee on the newspapers and they tend to drop more food on the floors. Plus rabbits were house in both the wooden 'condominiums' (maximum 3 levels) and in iron cages which were dark and deep. Imagine having to stick half your body into an iron cage to wipe the back of it. Note that the rabbits seem to all pee at the back of the cages, and some scraping is needed to remove the newspapers. I held my breath each time I stuck my head in.
Removing the occupants of the cages was a tiny bit of a challenge as well. The cats seemed willing enough to be grabbed by me, though a few did unleash their claws, hooking themselves onto the sides of the wire doors or worse, getting tangled to my t-shirt. The rabbits either despised or were terrified of me. Granted, I have zero knowledge of rabbit body language, and did not really know how to hold the first rabbit I attended to (though I figured they seemed happier if I supported their bums once I got to the second rabbit). All the black rabbits (3 in total) gave me baleful "you idiot, don't you dare" stares when they realised I was watching them while weighing my options as to how to extract them with minimal fuss. One of the cute brown dwarf rabbits proved super elusive and hopped from side to side to prevent me from grabbing itself. I won after 5 minutes, but the delay and lack of grace in the operation definitely made me feel that the rabbit had outsmarted me.
Volunteer 0 - Rabbits 1
A. encountered problems with cleaning Toby the cat's cage, for he is currently the heaviest cat in the world and A. could hardly carry him at all. Plus, he seemed determined not to move anywhere we wanted him to, and not to be carried. I managed to lift him out, complained about his weight, then floundered as he resisted going into the picnic basket, receiving a minor scratch, and about 5 minutes of turmoil as I pondered the possibility of dying from bacteria on a cat's claws.
Finally we managed to make him move to the picnic basket by showing him that his breakfast was waiting for him in there.
Volunteers 0 - Big Black Cat 1
Kittens are really cute, and the SPCA currently has 2 mostly white kittens, Jasper and Jazz housed together. They were vocal, demanded my attention, and would not stop mewing pitifully while I cleaned the nearby cages. They also enjoyed reaching out with their tiny paws to pat my waiting fingers. Then one of them patted me on the head while I cleaned the rabbit cage below theirs, and I hopped back in shock, scaring the poor kitten who scrambled backwards as well. There's nothing like having a few unexpected pats on the head from inquisitive kittens and I recommend it to everyone. A. herself had to deal with the black kittens who attempted to escape from her whenever she tried to transfer them between their cages and the picnic basket.
Having finished cleaning, feeding and providing clean water for the cats and rabbits, A. and I then proceeded to the cattery next door, a room enclosure where the few privileged cats could run about freely. There I had the honour of being chosen as the seat of choice for one of the Tabby cats as he gave instruction regarding how best to stroke and massage him. I never had a cat sit in my lap before, and it was really amazing.
Combined results:
Volunteers 0 - Cats & small animals 3
Maybe next time I could get a chance to clean the dog cages. There was this huge team in action this morning, and we all know dogs are active and vocal and it looked like great fun.
After a quick new volunteer orientation of the premises (which basically consisted of learning where the kitchen was, bowls and cleaning materials kept), me and A., who was awaiting the release of her A'level results got down to cleaning the cages of the cats and rabbits.
Cats are fine, they get airy wooden enclosures, use a litter box and the SPCA has mostly short haired breeds. The rabbits have newspaper as bedding which most of them enjoy shredding, shit and pee on the newspapers and they tend to drop more food on the floors. Plus rabbits were house in both the wooden 'condominiums' (maximum 3 levels) and in iron cages which were dark and deep. Imagine having to stick half your body into an iron cage to wipe the back of it. Note that the rabbits seem to all pee at the back of the cages, and some scraping is needed to remove the newspapers. I held my breath each time I stuck my head in.
Removing the occupants of the cages was a tiny bit of a challenge as well. The cats seemed willing enough to be grabbed by me, though a few did unleash their claws, hooking themselves onto the sides of the wire doors or worse, getting tangled to my t-shirt. The rabbits either despised or were terrified of me. Granted, I have zero knowledge of rabbit body language, and did not really know how to hold the first rabbit I attended to (though I figured they seemed happier if I supported their bums once I got to the second rabbit). All the black rabbits (3 in total) gave me baleful "you idiot, don't you dare" stares when they realised I was watching them while weighing my options as to how to extract them with minimal fuss. One of the cute brown dwarf rabbits proved super elusive and hopped from side to side to prevent me from grabbing itself. I won after 5 minutes, but the delay and lack of grace in the operation definitely made me feel that the rabbit had outsmarted me.
Volunteer 0 - Rabbits 1
A. encountered problems with cleaning Toby the cat's cage, for he is currently the heaviest cat in the world and A. could hardly carry him at all. Plus, he seemed determined not to move anywhere we wanted him to, and not to be carried. I managed to lift him out, complained about his weight, then floundered as he resisted going into the picnic basket, receiving a minor scratch, and about 5 minutes of turmoil as I pondered the possibility of dying from bacteria on a cat's claws.
Finally we managed to make him move to the picnic basket by showing him that his breakfast was waiting for him in there.
Volunteers 0 - Big Black Cat 1
Kittens are really cute, and the SPCA currently has 2 mostly white kittens, Jasper and Jazz housed together. They were vocal, demanded my attention, and would not stop mewing pitifully while I cleaned the nearby cages. They also enjoyed reaching out with their tiny paws to pat my waiting fingers. Then one of them patted me on the head while I cleaned the rabbit cage below theirs, and I hopped back in shock, scaring the poor kitten who scrambled backwards as well. There's nothing like having a few unexpected pats on the head from inquisitive kittens and I recommend it to everyone. A. herself had to deal with the black kittens who attempted to escape from her whenever she tried to transfer them between their cages and the picnic basket.
Having finished cleaning, feeding and providing clean water for the cats and rabbits, A. and I then proceeded to the cattery next door, a room enclosure where the few privileged cats could run about freely. There I had the honour of being chosen as the seat of choice for one of the Tabby cats as he gave instruction regarding how best to stroke and massage him. I never had a cat sit in my lap before, and it was really amazing.
Combined results:
Volunteers 0 - Cats & small animals 3
Maybe next time I could get a chance to clean the dog cages. There was this huge team in action this morning, and we all know dogs are active and vocal and it looked like great fun.
Feb 29, 2008
The Introduction
I probably first asked for a dog when I was 3, having chased 10 German Shepherd puppies around my grandmother's garden and deciding they were fun, but got a big fat 'no' from my parents. At 8 my parents gave me a baby sister and my grandmother tried to convince me she was better than a dog. There was an incident where my neighbour claimed I tried to walk my toddler sister like a dog (it really was a baby walking harness), but my precocious sister figured the harness had attracted quite a bit of unwanted attention, and refused to ever wear it again.
I continued asking for a dog over the years, and now, at 24, I've decided that if I cannot bring a dog home, I will go to where the dogs are. The day I made that decision I visited the SPCA website, got hooked, became depressed because of the large number of pets left with the SPCA every year, and asked my boyfriend to visit the place with me one Saturday.
And now I have volunteered, and this blog is my SPCA volunteer journal. Slowly I will save the world, cleaning one dog (or cat/small animal) cage at a time.
I continued asking for a dog over the years, and now, at 24, I've decided that if I cannot bring a dog home, I will go to where the dogs are. The day I made that decision I visited the SPCA website, got hooked, became depressed because of the large number of pets left with the SPCA every year, and asked my boyfriend to visit the place with me one Saturday.
And now I have volunteered, and this blog is my SPCA volunteer journal. Slowly I will save the world, cleaning one dog (or cat/small animal) cage at a time.
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