When
I renewed my passport, I made a promise to myself that my first passport stamp would
be to a meaningful and memorable destination which turns out to be Noah’s Ark
Natural Animal Sanctuary (NANAS).
Since then, I always find a chance to return
to Noah's Ark whenever the opportunity arises, to relive the good old memories and
to seek new ones. The ark has been my respite away from the hectic city life, a
soul invigorator and I look forward to these volunteer visits where I can spend
an entire day just being free and contributing to the ark. Noah’s Ark is a rare place as it is where the
animals outnumber humans.
I did not know what to expect during my first
visit to the ark. I stepped out gingerly, in awe of the many plantations
surrounding the ark. Before I knew it, many canine residents came up happily to
greet me. I was slightly overwhelmed by this reception of that many dogs in one
place. I had to navigate my way through the many furry bodies to ascend the
stairs to the main area for visitors. Do
dress very casually during the visit to the ark. I would discover later on that
human speech is not all that necessary within the sprawling grounds of the
sanctuary given that majority of its residents are dogs, cats, rabbits, horses
and monkeys. The main house, reminds me of being in a villa, somewhere in Bali
perhaps due to its rustic feel.
Raymund
the founder and official ‘pack leader’ is chirpy and wise, the person that you
know can easily swing from light-hearted chatter to serious talk. He peppers
his conversations with tales about animals with plenty of humorous quips. He is
very actively dedicated and emotionally connected to his cause that I
envisioned him to be, having spread awareness on animal rescue and welfare for
years. His belief that every animal has a right to a happy and healthy life has
helped save thousands from euthanasia, though it has been no easy feat.
He
employs a hands-on approach towards the care and maintenance of the animals at
the Ark. The last we spoke while gazing at the horses grazing, he told me that how
he spends time treating rain scalds on some of the horses. The horses are
allowed to roam freely on the grounds at certain times of the day. They make
quite the impression tottering amidst the tall trees that Raymund takes charge
of maintaining and trimming off the excess or overgrown bits. A total of 10
horses call the Ark home, with a new member, DJ joining them 5 months ago.
On my first volunteer trip, I signed up to help groom and bathe the
horses. I remember the walk there was accompanied by the ‘free-ranging’ dogs. I
met a couple of three-legged ones, eager for affection and attention, which I
gladly reciprocated. Being
three legged does not diminished a dog’s eagerness to connect with visitors. On arrival at the stables, I was told by one
of the regular volunteers that to get acquainted to a horse, it is essential to
let it know you in depth.
Hold
out your hand to signal that you pose no threat. Alternatively, do it the
Native American Indian way – blow your breath in a calm and casual stream right
into a horse’s face. I can safely say that none of those methods have landed me
in trouble. The horses are of friendly temperament, save for the occasional
‘love bites’ they plant on each other, and on the odd human or two. I wonder if
any of the dogs has been love-bitten, considering some eagerly drink from their
horses’ share of water and some even confidently enter the stables to nibble on
poop. Yes, to my amusement and wonder, I learnt that horse poop is good for
canine digestive health.
I
am not the best groomer around so I was grateful for the horses’ patience. With
several of my newfound volunteer friends, we managed to bathe a few even. It
can be disarming at first to get so close to a gigantic beast, which could
easily paralyse me with a swift kick.
Yet,
as I went on, I realised how delicate these creatures are. It amazes me that
something so elegant and majestic, several hundreds of kilos heavier than I am,
can be more of a flight than a fight animal.
I am
not horse person to begin with, having never kept a horse for a pet and being
brought up in a country which does not allow you easy access to one, so upfront
contact was a whole new experience for me.
I
guess you could say that my interest in horses stemmed from the curiosity of
wanting to understand their sensitivity to human emotions and feelings better. Hearing
about the atrocities that racehorses are subject to once their ‘prime time’ is
up further moved me to pay a visit to the horses at the Ark, where most of them
are former racing champions.
That
being said, I was just as besotted with the other animals. The cats at the Wisma Kuching gave me an oddly calming sensation of euphoria –it is the feeling of
being surrounded by so many contented felines that it sends you into a peaceful
Zen-like state. Of course, you can imagine that when you see so many around you
stretching their lithe frames with smiles etched across their faces, you would
feel inclined to do the same. Upon
entry, you will be greeted by the few dogs who consider themselves cats deep
down inside as they stay with the cats at the Wisma Kuching.
At the sanctuary, no ailment appears to diminish or
compromise the quality of the lives of the animal residents because of
Raymund’s determination. I cannot reiterate enough how often I thought I have
caught the dogs actually smiling. I brought my partner here for the first time
on my third visit. He was evidently charmed and observed that each animal there
seemed to have its own unique personality.
 |
| Starbuck the one-armed macaque. |
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| My partner getting his dose of animal loving. |
Before
you embark on a trip to the Ark, please do note that the Ark is not like a farm
commercialised for tourism, or a generic piece of land to showcase the
generosity of some humans. It is not just all fun and play. A huge amount of
energy, resilience and finances are needed to ensure its smooth operation on a
daily basis. Every animal has their previous histories and plights, but
remember that they underwent trauma and abandonment before finding their second
chance through the ark.
The animals at the sanctuary, though seemingly
numerous, are just a handful of the many more out there who lead lives
curtailed by cruelty and harsh treatment. Do visit the ark with an open mind
and think of an idea of how you can contribute to a more widespread campaign of
animal welfare. Make sure you talk to Raymund and the regular volunteers, who
are some of the warmest people I have ever met on how you can consciously help.
by Nadia AR
