My First Visit to Noah's Ark

It was a lazy Thursday afternoon when my mother told me that we were going to  Noah's Ark Natural Animal Sanctuary (NANAS) the following Monday, 8 December ‘14.  Feeling curious and excited, I looked up on the internet about NANAS.

The most eye-opening fact about Noah’s Ark was the dogs were all free roaming. They take in abandoned, abused or injured animals such as dogs (some of them are 3 legged), cats, rabbits, monkeys and horses.  Still not believing it, I waited till Monday to see it for myself.

Monday morning arrived!  I hopped into the car in the late morning and went into Johor Bahru with my mother and her friends.  Reaching there, a few dogs greeted me as we drove into the compound.  I was surprised and so was my mother.  As we walked in, more loud barks greeted us.  I could see 3 legged dogs hoping around greeting us and the dogs were all very happy.

Excited to see the cattery, I made it through all the dogs that were barking and headed for the cattery. On the way, we saw some macaques and a gibbon in their enclosures.  We were told these monkeys were rescued from the wild as they were physically injured and not capable of surviving on their own in the wild.

In the cattery, the friendly cats brushed against me as if they were welcoming me!  I had a whale of a time in there just stroking the cats and feeding them. Heading out of the door of the cattery, we went to the stable where the horses are. 

I rode on a horse called Prisma which had participated in the 2010 YOG (Youth Olympic Games).  The horses at Noah’s Ark were ex racing horses that have outlived their 'career'.  If not for Noak's Ark, they would have been put to sleep already!  

On reflection, it is so sad and inhuman that they are used by their owners to generate income only. Once their economic useful life is over, the owners do not hesitate to end their lives.

I also visited the quiet rabbit hutch and petted the rabbits as they hopped around happily.

Looking at my watch, I noticed it was getting late. We donated some money as part of our contribution to support the effort of Noah's Ark.

 

That day, I went home exhausted but jubilant. It is a place I would recommend to animal lovers. When I mean 'animal lovers", I mean people who love animals no matter whether they are 3 legged, old or blind.

By Tan Mae-Vy, 10 years old