Pages

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Skeletons In The Island

I don't see myself as a very charitable person or a person who is exceptionally kind. Yin How is a lot more generous than me and he'll usually go to the orphanage once a month to pass them things like rice, milo, etc. And when we eat at the Malay stall for lunch, Yin How would purposely take a small fish or two to feed the stray cats there (when I'm at the stall, all I think of is getting food for myself). There were a few times he purposely bought char siew pau for a hungry stray dog at the coffeeshop. When I see how kind-hearted he is, I fall in love with him all over again.

For me, I feel very blessed with all the things I have. To most of us RM100 would mean just another pair of shoes, or a pair of jeans, or maybe a meal or two at Sakae Sushi or just a digit in our savings account. But to others out there, that same RM100 could even mean another day of living, another day of survival. So whenever I see a charity which touches me, I would donate. And today, this particular news really touched me.

I've got pampered fat dogs at home and when I think of all those starving dogs on the island, it makes me want to cry.




"The villagers of Pulau Ketam have been rounding up all the stray dogs on the island, and shipping them to three deserted islands close by. With nothing for them to eat and without being able to fend for themselves, they are starving to death. Some dogs have tried to swim back to the main island but drowned on their way. Starving, some of them are even forced to eat each other."




There is a group of people trying to help those dogs on the island. But boat ferry rides are expensive and resources are not plentiful. So if this story has touched you, please donate. You can read more about the story here.

I know people are not likely to donate to SPCA or any animal related charities. But whether you agree or not, dogs are innocent beings who have very real feelings. To a dog, a pat of the head would be the most meaningful moment of the day. They can feel happiness, sadness and they know what true loyalty means. And to them, you will be the most beloved person in their whole lives. When you are sad, they will be sad. When you are happy, they will be happy.

Most of all, they are innocent, suffering because of the wrong doings of heartless people.

Quote from Marley and Me,

"A dog has no use for fancy cars or big homes or designer clothes. Status symbol means nothing to him. A waterlogged stick will do just fine. A dog judges others not by their color or creed or class but by who they are inside. A dog doesn't care if you are rich or poor, educated or illiterate, clever or dull. Give him your heart and he will give you his. It was really quite simple, and yet we humans, so much wiser and more sophisticated, have always had trouble figuring out what really counts and what does not."


And to those of us who have dogs, we know this to be very true.

1 comments:

chiaoju said...

though i don't have a dog yet (yes, note the yet), but the quote from Marley and me is very true. love the book btw.

i've donated a small amount to the Pulau Ketam Project. i hope they will be safe.

*hugs for the doggies*