ARTICLE CONTRIBUTED BY A READER AND PUBLISHED BY DAILY EXPRESS ON SUNDAY 5 JULY 2009 UNDER PEOPLE’S FORUM:

The article about the stray dogs in Kepayan in Daily Express (What the People Say Column) dated 26th June 2009, displays some of the prevailing values of today's busy society, such as pushing the blame for society's ills onto others, an unwillingness to get involved in solving problems, wastefulness and a disposable society, complaining rather than responsible action and a lack of compassion.

Strays usually refer to dogs. They are dogs before they are strays. We do not have to look far to see the value of dogs, assisting police to sniff for drugs, illegal DVD's, and people under rubble, guiding the blind, fearless and faithful, in protecting their owners and their property. So how do they end up as "strays"? Once, one of their forebears was owned by someone, but that someone acted irresponsibly to abandon his dog, and its pups onto the street. Now no kind hand gave it and its babies food, and it was forced to forage for itself. But where? Some other lazy people had thrown their rubbish onto the street, and not into the bins where it should go. It was lucky for the dog, because now it could tear open the plastic bags and cardboard boxes and eat the sparce leftovers, not nearly enough to satisfy the growling of its empty stomach. Then there were competitors, fights, wounds, skin disease, and eventually death from infection and starvation. In just a few short years the life was gone. And whose fault is it?

Every night there is tons of leftover food from the dinner table of hotels, restaurants and individuals. Outside the door, there are dogs just waiting for the fish heads, the chicken bones, and the rice, but the food is thrown wastefully into the bin. As the cooks get into their cars to go home, they do not even notice the sad hungry eyes lurking in the shadows, and once again man's best friend tries to sleep under the nearest car, its stomach filled only with air, waiting, waiting for food, or to die. And whose fault is it?

I like to mention what I have observed. It is a story of a stray at Lorong Satu where a little brown dog used to guard the corner of it. She scavenged food from where ever. Then one day, a car stopped at the corner. The owner of the car got out with a plastic bag. She barked at the plastic bag holder, and withdrew, watching from under the nearby car. The owner got back into the car and drove off. The little brown dog investigated the bag. Oh God! The whole bag was filled with rice and leftovers, enough food to satisfy her a whole day, She did not need to scavenge in the bins that night. Lo and behold the same car came by the next day, and the same thing happened. The neighbors were appreciating a quieter neighborhood with no rattling of bins. Little by little the brown dog knew the sound of the car and ran to greet it when it came by, she also recognized the owner and one day, allowed herself to be picked up, and eat from the back of the car. She called her friend and soon there were two eating in the back of the car. When the confidence was built up, the owner took them home. Strangely the dogs trusted the hands that had fed them. The next day, they were taken to the vet, and were spayed. No more puppies for either of them. No more puppies on the street. No more noisy bins, and no more mess on the footpath. The dogs stayed with the hands that brought the plastic bags and were named Squeaky and Ginger. Sadly Ginger died because of its age, and long-time neglect. Squeaky now helps guard its owner and the house with the same bark that once guarded Lorong Satu.

I have asked her so many questions and learned a lot of lessons from her on compassion towards animals, be they are cats and dogs of high breed or from the street, their life is the same. Within the heart of every stray lies a single desire to be loved.

How easy it is to solve the problem of the strays! All we need is responsible people with care and compassion. I hope the RSPCA and the relevant authorities can do something about the problems in the most humane manner! – Aqeela Abdullah.

Comments by Daily Express:

Your suggestion about the hotel leftovers to be used to feed the strays is commendable. But as I understand it, the local SPCA lacks even a shelter to house these strays. Perhaps it could seek the State Govt's help for a piece of land where to place all strays and the food collected from these hotels sent there on a daily basis by volunteers provided the food is not stale. Ideally there should be one such shelter in every town. DE.

Posted by webmaster on 14 Jul 2009, Tue