Noah's Residents

Noah's Residents

Monday, December 29, 2014

Friendship with the Animals


A meaningful one word summary to describe my Noah’s Ark Natural Animal Sanctuary (NANAS) experience would be “Wonderful”. The word alludes to the fact of the presence of nature and animals, all living in one place in harmony which elicits the feelings of wonder, astonishment and extra ordinariness

That is  me with Princess taken in 2009.

As an animal lover, it is an unforgettable experience and my most memorable experience previously was bonding with Princess, the German Shepherd who has sadly passed on.

I felt the sense of freedom that the animals were entitled to at Noah's Ark as the animals were allowed to run free with the horses across the sprawling grounds of the sanctuary. I observed that they engage in various fun activities such as rolling in the mud for a refreshing afternoon spa and playing among themselves. Judging from the animals, I can tell that Princess was happy throughout the days she spent at the sanctuary.



My sanctuary experience begun on 29 September 2014 when my cousins and I visited the Noah's Ark as we love animals very much.  Other than just having cats and dogs, the sanctuary also have ex-race horses which have the privilege to retire amidst the love and care that are shown to them daily.



When I saw the horses, I was afraid and intimidated as horses were huge and they towered over me like giants. Uncle Clement, a Noah's Ark volunteer showed me the proper way to approach the horses and to feed them. He showed me Canto-Pop, a small and energetic dog that was chasing the horses without hesitation. Despite my apprehension, he patiently encouraged me to feed the horses and pet them to gain their trust. Soon I started to have more courage to interact with them and to me; they were gentle giants with a renewed personality that came with their freedom.



My cousins and I are grateful to Uncle Raymund and the volunteers for making our stay a memorable and learning experience in teaching us to care for animals, big or small and to connect with them on a personal level which is with our hearts.

I was elated that I made friends with Prisma and even tried horse-riding.  My cousins and I enjoyed interacting with the sanctuary’s many animals and were grateful for the opportunity to see the animals.  

We would definitely visit again if we could!

By Jacqueline Loo







Thursday, December 25, 2014

A True Christmas Miracle

25 December 2012 will be a Christmas that holds a special significance in my heart.

My husband and I chose a new route for our Christmas morning walk with Eva, our golden retriever. Not long into our walk, Eva suddenly froze and looked ahead which is unusual as she is an extremely laid back dog! Nothing really fazes or catches her interest, unless it is food.

I followed the direction of her gaze which drew me to a 3-foot deep drain. Huddled together were 2 female puppies, not more than 3 months old, one black and one white. While my husband was holding on to Eva, I clambered down into the drain with the intention of saving them. However, the black puppy scampered away, leaving its sibling rooted on the spot. 

   

At a quick glance, I thought I saw a red collar on the white puppy. But on closer examination, I was shocked that the red collar was actually a ring of exposed flesh with two ends of a steel hanger crossed, pulled tight, then twisted in a vice grip around the puppy’s neck. The puppy’s tiny neck was garroted, the steel wire slicing through the tender flesh of her throat, like knife through butter. The poor puppy was letting off intermittent painful yelps and was quavering in pain. Cautiously, I approached her. She wanted to dart away but she could not as she did not have the energy to.  Quickly, I scooped her into my arms with her whimpering pitifully.

With my bare hands, I tried to remove the wire around the puppy’s neck but it was too tightly wound to be pried open. It was a public holiday, all the veterinarian clinics were closed and I was determined to find help for this puppy. Thus, I cradled the little bundle in my arms and raced home with my husband and Eva behind me.

Upon reaching home, I tried to slide a cutter under the twisted wire to try and free her from her agony. The wire was too deeply embedded into the puppy’s flesh that it made her winced and arched away to the corner of the wall. I came up with another plan which was to use pliers and gently unwound the twisted wire to loosen its hold on the puppy. It worked and the puppy was freed from its painful ordeal. 

Gently, I flushed the dirt and cleaned the exposed neck wound with a mild solution of chlorhexidine. The puppy just sat there frozen, her eyes wide and bewildered, except her chest rose and fell mightily, betraying her fear from the horrific experience. 

Next, I whipped out my mobile phone and snapped two photographs of the wound and the puppy to Raymund Wee, founder of Noah’s Ark Natural Animal Sanctuary (NANAS). He told me that I did an excellent job at cleaning the puppy’s wound as he had showed me the correct procedure of wound cleaning before. Raymund told me that he could connect with the puppy through her sorrowful and wistful molten brown eyes. He has seen many cases of animals that are abandoned on the streets, having little to eat and being the target of abuse by people. Like all street animals, they yearn for security and safety. After looking at the photographs, Raymund told me that her home should be at the sanctuary.

To prevent the puppy from injuring herself and to get some rest, I placed her into a cage. By late afternoon, she began to move around and sniff at her cage. She was a different puppy as her eyes sparkled with mischief as she wagged her tail excitedly. I treated her with some roast chicken that was left over from Christmas Eve which she gobbled down. I thought to myself, “What a voracious appetite!”

Now, she was a happy rambunctious puppy again, giving us lots of little licks to show her appreciation and running around in circles that expressed her evident joy. The once shocked and anguish look was replaced by angelic and trusting eyes. Despite the nightmare of being almost strangled to death with a wire that was put onto her on purpose, my husband and I knew that deep down, all she wanted was to love and be loved. Both of us rejoiced in her speedy recovery and her indomitable spirit.



I shudder to think if we had not found her, she would have suffered a slow and painful death from the garroted neck and the infection to her open wound. For some reason we decided to change our route on Christmas Day; and our Eva’s eyes and nose, which normally are fixated only on food, this time it was on the puppies. It must be God’s timing and mercy.

The true meaning of Christmas is centered on the birth of Jesus Christ and ushering of hope unto the world. Through God’s grace and mercy, this puppy was given a new lease of life. To remember and celebrate on this special day, I decided to name her “Christmas” which is a fitting reminder that miracles do happen and that we are called to as their guardians to protect, love and care for them.


By Siah Li Mei

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Set stricter rules for pet cafes



Source: The Straits Times
Date: 23 December 2014



Source: The Straits Times
Date: 19 December 2014

Monday, December 22, 2014

Merry Christmas from Noah's Ark





Dear Friends of Noah's Ark,

As 2014 draws to a close and with the upcoming Christmas celebrations, we would like to wish our loyal supporters season greetings and express our heartfelt thanks for their continued commitment to the sanctuary and its many residents.

To herald the animals' festive season, we are launching the "Ark of Giving" which is to grant our 600 dogs, 300 cats, 10 horses, 4 monkeys and other small animals their Christmas wishes.

If you would like to be part of their festive giving, these are some of their items on their wish list.

Christmas cookies
The Barkery, our ever loyal  supporter has offered to organise a "Christmas For The Shelter Dogs" in support of the dogs at Noah's Ark till 31 December 2014. 

They will be baking cookies for our dogs. If you wish to contribute to their party - the costs of the cookies are as follows:
(a) 500 g of cookies for $25 
(b) 1 kg of cookies for $48

Do help to bring the festive cheer to the dogs at Noah's Ark . In addition 25% of all sales proceeds will be donated to the various animal welfare organisations all of whom are participating in this Christmas drive.  To place your orders please click here

Supplements
There are also a number of geriatric cats and dogs residing in the sanctuary and they are in need of supplements to keep them fit and healthy.  

If you wish to contribute  to the purchase of their supplements, please email to Noah's Ark CARES.




Special diet for pets with medical needs





Many of the senior dogs and cats at the sanctuary also have special dietary needs. As such, we are appealing for a/d and k/d tin food.  a/d is required for nutritional support of pets recovering from serious illness, accident and surgery and k/d is for cats with kidney issues. Sadly these animals do require their clinical special diet for any quality of life.  To contribute towards the animals special diet, please email to Noah's Ark CARES   

Tin food donation drive
Similarly to boost the immune system of our sick dogs and cats that are recovering from surgery and medical aid, Kakato tin food is also needed. It costs $77 per carton for 24 tins. To place an order please email to Noah's Ark CARES.


Buy a gift of hay for the horses
For $50 you can buy a bale of hay to feed the horses.  Or you can donate on behalf of your friend as a Christmas Gift in their name.  To buy a bale of hay, please email to Noah's Ark CARES
.



Pet Sponsorship


Wan Wan
 Topaz
Topaz
Clyde
Yankee
 Shalom
Shalom
Royale
    


























Last but not least, we have our "Pet Sponsorship" program that enables people to sponsor an animal at Noah's Ark as a Christmas or Birthday gift for themselves or a friend. It would be an ideal gift for  people who love animals but are unable to adopt one. On confirmation of a sponsorship, the guardian will receive a certified photo of the pet and a letter describing the pet in greater detail and with its latest updates. 

We can safely say that for all our animals, it would be their best Christmas gift as it is a token of love from an animal lover to them.  Please click here to view the list of sponsored animals at the sanctuary and email your sponsorship from to Noah's Ark CARES

On behalf of all the animals at the sanctuary, we thank you once again for your continued support in bringing some Christmas cheer to them

Once again, may we wish everyone a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Best wishes.
Ms Chew Gek Hiang
President
Noah's Ark CARES

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To contribute and support our work for the animals

If you wish to:
  • To sponsor a pet programme
  • To sponsor some of our pet food
  • To sponsor medical aid for the animals
  • To support our spay and neuter programmes
  • To upkeep the sanctuary for the the residents - Buy a Brick
  • To make a contribution
You may write a cheque to Noah's Ark CARES and mail it to:
42 Cairnhill Road, #02-01 Singapore 229661

To make a fund transfer, you may transfer it to the following accounts:
  
Bank: DBS
Account type: DBS Current
Account No: 012-900823-0
Account Name: Noah's Ark CARES
Branch Code: 012
Bank Code: 7171
Bank: OCBC Bank (OCBCSGSG)
Account No: 501-827745-001
Account Name: Noah's Ark Companion Animal Rescue & Education Society
Branch: OCBC Head Office
Branch Code: 501
Bank Code: 7339


Upon transferring, please send us an email in order for us to track and to acknowledge.

To keep in touch with our work  Like us on Facebook 

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Better to use existing pet adoption facilities

voices

I have long supported the adoption of pets, rather than buying them from pet shops, but I was surprised by the report “Animal adoption centre may open at East Coast Park” (Dec 15).
The animal welfare organisations should tap existing resources, rather than create a new facility.
Having a new adoption centre might lead to repercussions rather than progress; some pet owners might be under the misconception that they can abandon their pets there for the centre to tend to the animals’ needs.
The idea that was mooted treads a fine line. It was proposed that this common space would be for people to coexist with animals in society, but this might threaten the well-being of the animals at the centre.
East Coast Park is normally packed on weekends, and if there are crowds wanting to view the animals, this might cause the animals to be stressed and affect their health in the long run.
Once animals are stressed by environmental factors, they may react and cause injuries.
Having an adoption centre in a popular park would not increase adoption rates. Individual animal welfare organisations have their own in-house adoption centre and hold adoption drives in pet shops and public spaces.
These are adequate, even though it is still hard for them to find homes for the animals. To move forward, society’s mindset must change. A new adoption centre only means more overhead costs.
The priority should be to hold collaborative adoption drives, so that people can view the animals on selected weekends.
It is also important that the organisations focus on ensuring that potential adopters are committed to an adoption through interviews, which gives a better indication of their readiness to own a pet. Legislation acts only to deter people from abandoning or neglecting their pets.
It is not necessary to build a new adoption centre. Let us use existing adoption facilities and increase the frequency of adoption drives to increase adoption rates. Education and awareness efforts at such events would help foster tolerance in the community.
Darren Chan Keng Leong
Source: TODAY
Date: 17 December 2014
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Animal adoption centre in the works


SINGAPORE - East Coast Park is being earmarked for a spot where visitors can interact with dogs, cats and rabbits as the animals roam freely. If they get on well, the visitors could even take them home to keep as pets.

Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin revealed yesterday that such a facility is being considered, in an effort to encourage people to co-exist with animals and adopt pets rather than buy them.

Speaking on the sidelines of a charity car wash at The Grandstand, the MP for Marine Parade GRC said: "East Coast is a great family area and we are trying to see whether we can have dog runs and get different welfare groups to come together and promote greater awareness of animal welfare issues.

"We do have a lot of people who like pets and animals but we also have a lot of people who are uncomfortable, so I think the key thing is to find and create the common space."

As part of a larger push to encourage people to adopt animals, he said his grassroots leaders are also in discussion with the Cat Welfare Society about extending a pilot project, in which residents can keep cats in HDB flats, from Chong Pang to Marine Parade.

The HDB bans cats from its blocks as they can cause a disturbance to neighbours. Mr Louis Ng, chief executive of wildlife rescue group Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres), said the new rent-free animal adoption centre will not just be about increasing the animal adoption rate here.

"It is an area where we can learn about animal behaviour and increase our tolerance of these animals in our community," said Mr Ng, who has joined the People's Action Party and volunteers in the Kembangan-Chai Chee ward under Mr Tan. "If you see dogs or cats in the community but you are scared of them, here's an area where you can go and our volunteers will be there to assist you in overcoming your fears."

Details such as the timeframe and possible site for the project are not yet known, as Acres and Kembangan-Chai Chee grassroots leaders are still in talks with the Ministry of National Development. If realised, it would be the first hub of its kind.

Student Ross Lam, 18, who volunteers at an animal shelter every week, said: "Many of our animal shelters are in far-flung areas such as Pasir Ris Farmway, and people hardly go there.


"By having this at a popular public area, people can see the animals running freely instead of in cages, and perhaps they would be more open to adopting them after they learn how to approach them or look after them."

Source: The Straits Times
Date: 15 December 2014

Visit by Ngee Ann Polytechnic final year veterinary students



As final year veterinary bioscience students, when we heard that we would be visiting Noah’s Ark Natural Animal Sanctuary (NANAS), we knew that hopes for a normal day would be replaced with an exciting learning journey for us.  Upon arrival to the sanctuary, we were greeted with a warm welcome by Lynda and Clement who are Noah’s Ark CARES Singapore volunteers.


Alas, it was pouring heavily and we were not able to explore the sanctuary and that was when Lynda invited us to visit their in-house Animal Birth Control (ABC) Clinic to have a first-hand viewing experience on a quick feline neutering procedure done on a street cat. 

This was where we met Raymund Wee, the founder of Noah's Ark.  The clinic conducts surgeries which range from eye inoculation and leg amputations. Raymund explained to us that many veterinarians from Singapore and overseas volunteer at NANAS. The sanctuary does give aspiring veterinarians and technicians a chance to have practical scenarios where we can hone our skills.


We were definitely in luck as it was by chance that we got to witness several surgical procedures including the neutering of a large canine and it was really an eye opener for us. The reason was that some of us have not witnessed a shelter surgery up close before. With the assistance of the volunteer veterinarians, Noah's Ark is able to sterilise 20 to 30 street animals a day. Sterilisation is the only humane solution to control the street dogs and cats population from getting out of hand.


“Standing beside the operating table and watching the procedure being done reminded me of why I wanted to be a veterinarian back then. Listening to Raymund sharing his passion and witnessing the love he has for the animals was an inspiring moment and that, reminded me of my initial aspirations. Even though the journey towards being a veterinarian may seem daunting and long, just standing there in the sanctuary surrounded by the animals living out their second chance is proof that with determination and perseverance, one can make a difference. It was a great trip, a good experience and a newfound inspiration for me. I would be glad if there was another opportunity to go to Noah's Ark and perhaps maybe a chance to volunteer and be exposed to a learning experience.”



We headed around the sanctuary for a short tour after the rain had subsided. We visited Huggy boy, a rescued Gibbon and the horses at the stables before spending a lot of time in the cat wisma. Everywhere we went there would always be a welcoming party of several of the 600 dogs that call Noah's Ark their forever home. Seeing a 3-legged dog run as if he had 4 legs was really something, we found out his name was Blade! It made us realised that the sanctuary accepts all sorts of animals and that they are all entitled to their own form of freedom.


At the stables, we were introduced to Melody, a 31 year old rescued pony from Tang Dynasty in Singapore when it closed its doors in 1999. She has remarkably exceeded the usual 20 -30 years lifespan of a horse. Although she has difficulty biting the carrots, we fed her like any other seniors by cutting it into smaller pieces for her. Melody still ages gracefully and beautifully for a white mare! Unfortunately, not many horses are as lucky as her, those deemed incapable as a riding horse would be deleted (put down) as they are of no use to the riding facilities. 



Noah's Ark has stepped in to rescue some of these lovely horses and from what I observe, they have settled down happily in their retirement home. Each horse at the stable has a story of its own and it is definitely worth visiting the sanctuary to relive those childhood memories of being up close with horses! 



If you want to learn more about the horses, do visit the Noah's Ark Natural Animal Sanctuary blog to get to know more about the 10 horses residing in the sanctuary.




Amongst the dogs, cats, rabbits and primates were a wild boar and two ball pythons which intrigued us to the variety of animals that call the sanctuary home. The cat wisma was a two storey bungalow located by a quiet lily pond where the felines would just relax and look at the greenery to watch time pass by. There was also a dog named Jasmine that spends her whole life amongst cats as their protector! 







Towards the end of our visit, Clement showed us how to handle the 2 ball pythons and allowed us to have a feel of the 2 ball pythons.  We took some last pictures with the ball pythons before heading back.



 

In our eyes, the sanctuary is seen as a safe and peaceful haven for animals to live out the rest of their lives with dignity. It is a sad reality that many dogs and cats are abandoned, abused or neglected on a daily basis. Some suffer the fate of waiting in a shelter for the right owner and most will not know the true meaning of freedom and love. 






As students, we hope that people’s mindset will change for the better to be more socially accepting of animals. We are also glad that Noah's Ark has made so much difference in the lives of many animals that have pass through the gates of the sanctuary. We will definitely be back at Noah's Ark to help out!

Contributed by:  Dennis,Esther,YuLin and the rest of group!


Sunday, December 14, 2014

We will miss you Tesmo




Tesmo

Rescued in 2013 
Passed away peacefully on 14 December 2014
Est. Age 5 yrs old


On Saturday, 13 December evening, Tesmo was in the clinic and he rested his head on Raymund's thigh.  Raymund said "I love you too." 

We never expected that it was Tesmo's way of saying good bye and he passed away peacefully this evening.

It was also Tesmo's way of showing his gratitude to Raymund for taking care of him during his stay at Noah's Ark.
Tesmo was an ex-show dog and he was given up by his owners because he was
Epileptic.

I recalled beginning of 2014, when Tesmo went into fits, it was Benoit, a Pyrenees Mountain Dog that alerted us by barking continuously to tell us that Tesmo was having a seizure. Kudos to Benoit for saving his life.

Tesmo will be missed by many friends who met him when they visited the sanctuary.  He has showed us that Dobermans are not as ferocious as what we think, partly we have been influence by Hollywood that they are used as guard dogs and their job is to attack and to chase the bad guys away.

Tesmo was a real sweet heart, he got along very well with all the toy dogs and they could share food and sleeping area with him.  He has never show aggression once towards anyone at the sanctuary, at the end of the day it is about respect.

Tribute to Tesmo

"When I look into the eyes of an animal.
I do not see an animal.
I see a living being.
I see a friend.
I feel a soul."


By Lynda