Yeah, Well, Bite Me!

The past month has convinced me that the world is an insane, arbitrary and chaotic place. It doesn't help that my daily schedule is insane, arbitrary and chaotic. Every day is an endless stream not of cigarettes and magazines, but of research papers, assessments, volunteer commitments, needy rescued animals in need of medical treatment, local political issues, world political issues, home repairs, car repairs, housework, yardwork, animal care work, Trap-Vaccinate-Neuter-Rehome arrangements and promises and favours that I was wheedled into agreeing to. My flabber is totally gasted.

As for the title of this blogpost: I was bitten by a dog at the SPCA on Saturday while trying to break up a particularly vicious dogfight. I was in the midst of giving the Sick Bay dogs baths and tick treatment when a fight broke out between Bubbie (the victim) and Paris, Suki and their gang. We tried to separate the dogs using mops, brooms and streams of water from the hose, but it didn't work. I jumped into the affray because one dog had Bubbie by the ear and another dog had her by the neck. I was afraid Bubbie was going to die so I grabbed her and held her and tried to carry her to the surgery. Somehow I got bitten and sustained a very deep wound in one of my fingers. Now my finger has been cleaned up and stitched, but it is still in a lot of pain and I can't apply much pressure on it, so this adds to my irritability. Trust my hand to get injured when I have so much to do. Tsk.

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August 6, 2011:

Have you ever had the feeling that you have known a blogging buddy all your life, even though the two of you have yet to meet in real life? Have you ever felt that a blog friendship was somehow more supportive and more real than some of the acquaintances you have made in real life?

Zara and I felt that way about our friendship from the time we started blogging (on another hosting site) in 2002. We found more and more in common with each other after she graduated from law school and started legal practice. So when she disclosed her plans to visit Malaysia with her boyfriend a few months ago, I was elated. We finally got to meet a few weeks ago and she was every bit as I had imagined her to be. I was thrilled to play host and tour guide and I hope Zara and Rohan enjoyed the time they spent with me as much as I did with them.

Zara came bearing gifts of a huge bundle of Amar Chitra Katha comics and a box of soan papdi from Mumbai. I was overjoyed with her gifts -- it was like my birthday, Christmas and Lunar New Year all rolled into one. She didn't leave empty-handed either, as I had already purchased gifts from the Malaysian Nature Society gift shop for her, along with a copy of Lat's "Kampung Boy" and lots of zany band-aids, which are not available in India.

Our first stop for the day was Batu Caves. Despite the fact that the Battletank's radiator had a leak, we managed to arrive safely at a workshop and spent a few hours exploring Batu Caves while waiting for the radiator to be repaired.

I drove everyone crazy with my questions: "Why does Lord Muruga have a poonal? Can a deity be a Brahmin? If Brahmins are humans who are believed to be imbued with divinity, but the reverse is not true, then how can it be that Muruga wears a poonal in this image of Him? True, some humans can be incarnations of deities -- Krishna often appeared in human form -- but he is still an incarnation of Vishnu. Here, Muruga appears as himself. Not as a human incarnation. Why, then, does he wear a poonal?" I guess I'll have to ask the temple priests that one.




Taking a breather in the cave temple. This photo was taken by a young man we met in the temple. Trust Zara to find herself a stalker almost as soon as she arrived in Malaysia! The young man tried to maintain contact with me. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I am 7 years older than he is, and the terms of endearment he used were way out of line.

Guess who's up and about! Rohan finally overcame his jet lag and managed to meet up with us. Here they are outside Tugu Negara, the national monument.

Zara and Rohan at the ASEAN Sculpture Gardens.



Zara and me outside Central Market.



Rohan and me at their room in Trader's Hotel, with KLCC in the background.

Although the time they had in Malaysia was so short, I believe that we shared good memories of the time we spent together. I hope we'll get to meet again soon. Until then, my dear friends and I will harass each other on Facebook. Here's to friendship and Facebook!

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Project Second Chance Updates:




Napoleon the Puppy thinks my full-time job is to play with him. I must go and visit him again soon. Thank you to everyone who contributed towards his medical bills. You saved Napoleon's life. He is a "mere stray" no more. Whenever confronted with the choice of doing the easy thing and doing the right thing, always try to do the right thing, even if it costs more and is more inconvenient. If you have the determination to do it, you will almost always succeed.




This is the face of the little dog who was almost euthanised due to his injuries. Thanks to everyone's kind donations, Napoleon the Puppy now has a new lease of life and can look forward to a life as a happy, healthy pup in a loving home. Next mission: A good home for Napoleon!



Keeping warm at the SPCA shelter on a rainy Saturday afternoon, Aug 13. I was in the middle of cleaning cages and kennels when these 2, Fajar and Sherry, decided to come and keep me company.



This Mama Cat gave birth to her litter in the back alley behind my friends Seng and Carol's house. My friends sought my assistance and so I brought the whole brood to the vet for vaccination and am currently fostering and deworming them in my home. I posted adoption notices in PetFinder, a local non-profit pet adoption portal, and found homes for 2 of the kittens almost immediately. The kittens are now over 2 months old and well able to eat on their own, so I will be getting the Mama Cat spayed this coming weekend.

Right now besides the Office Feral Cats that I am trying to trap for neutering and Mama Cat and her remaining two kittens, I am also providing post-neutering care for the cats who live with the Burger Stall Couple.

Somebody. I need help. I am turning into the crazy neighbourhood cat lady that your mother warned you about.

Shine On For The Fireflies of Kampung Dew

I attended the inaugural Malaysian Nature Society Firefly Festival at Kg. Dew, Taiping, to support the conservation and environmental education efforts of our counterparts in Perak. I also had to reconnoitre the event for the purposes of Selangor Branch's very own Firefly Conservation Festival to be held this October.

Kg. Dew is located along Sg. Sepetang, around 20 minutes away from Taiping Town, where firefly-watching activities on a limited scale are being carried out by some boatmen from the nearby villages.

I managed to persuade CovertMum and CovertDad to join me. I told them:

"There's nothing you won't like about this trip. There's nothing dangerous, difficult or dirty about it. There will be fireflies. There won't be any leeches, snakes or crocodiles (Disclaimer: As long as you follow our safety instructions). I won't make you hike, swim, climb or camp. I will take care of you. Trust me."

And so we had an idyllic and enchanting weekend away from the city at Kg. Dew and Taiping Town. I trust ecotourism events such as this Firefly Festival will bring a glimmer of hope to firefly populations and encourage local communities and the authorities to conserve firefly habitats, maintain cleanliness and eliminate threats to firefly populations. Like birds, frogs and many other specie that are frequently taken for granted, fireflies are a good indicator of the environmental health of an area. A healthy and thriving ecosystem will benefit human, animal and plant populations.

Kg Dew is a tiny village mostly planted over with oil palm.

Booths and a banquet tent in the middle of the little village.

Display materials with natural history information.

Samples of mangrove flora at the exhibition booths. The local community also took the opportunity to produce handicrafts and local snacks for sale.

The local community took the opportunity to set up refreshment stalls.

A mangrove charcoal kiln! This is the first time I have ever been in one!

Charcoal is traditionally produced in these beehive-like charcoal kilns. It smells awesome. Like a combination of hashish, opium and mesquite barbecue. I feel sorry for the poor charcoal-maker's lungs. All that soot.

Kg. Dew jetty with its little passenger boats. It is commendable that MNS decided to carry out its ecotourism project here. The river was rather polluted with litter, and the local community needs to be educated on waste management and sustainable tourism. They don't know the gold mine that they are sitting on.

CovertDad and me at the jetty, waiting for the safety briefing and our lifejackets after the official opening ceremony.

Moon River / Wider than a mile / I'm crossing you in style / Some day.

CovertDad and CovertMum finally get their lifejackets. What an awesome boat ride it was. The firefly population at Kg Dew is at least 3 times denser than that of Kg Kuantan, Sg Selangor. There are over 133 Berembang trees along the 6km stretch and the trees lit up like parade floats when the fireflies did their synchronised flashing. From afar, the trees looked like they were generating lightning. All the participants and passengers agreed that it was a magical experience and expressed surprise at the density of the firefly population. Let's hope it stays that way.

We checked out the Taiping Lake Gardens the following morning. Our hotel was located within the Lake Gardens. Here I am, walking purposefully in search of vegetarian food, surrounded by majestic raintrees (Samanea saman). Inexpensive and nutritious Chinese vegetarian food is widely available at the food courts in Taiping Town.

The branches of the raintrees formed a natural tunnel for motorists through the Lake Gardens.

Taiping Lake Gardens, with the Titiwangsa Mountain Range in the background.

Paddleboats for rent. Look at the reflection of the mountains in the lake.

An old-timey snack stall on wheels at the Lake Gardens parking lot. Makes me feel like buying a cold garishly-coloured cordial drink, a box of DingDang (a new toy every week!) and a packet of "potato chips" that doesn't have very much real potato in it. Please raise your hand if you know what I am talking about!

Traveller's Palms at the Lake Gardens.

The view from our hotel room window. Love the midday shadow of that tree over yonder.

A colonial building with neoclassical features and nature-inspired Art Novveau plaster mouldings in Taiping Town.

Another colonial building with neoclassical features in Taiping Town. Note the Art Deco horizontal banding and the Deco archways, which suggest at an inchoate sunburst motif.

Interested in visiting Taiping and Kg Dew? Click on the links or follow the contact information below:

Kg Dew Firefly Ecotourism

Website: http://fireflyzone.blogspot.com/2009/08/promosi-eko-pelancongan-kelip-kelip.html

Contact person: Khairul Salleh Ahmad

Mobile Phone Number: 012 514 5023

Flemington Hotel, Taiping Lake Gardens

Address: No. 1, Jalan Samanea Saman, 34000 Taiping, Perak Darul Ridzuan,

Malaysia.

Telephone: +605-820-7777

Fax: +605-808-0177

Email: info@flemingtonhotel.com.my

Website: http://www.flemingtonhotel.com.my/contact.htm

My ratings: 4 stars out of 5, absolute value for money.

Rest in Peace, Darling Hopscotch

Rest in Peace, Darling Hopscotch
(April 2011 - 3rd August 2011)





Hopscotch came into my life in late May 2011. I named him after the blog title of my dear departed friend, Louis Sellier. I found Hopscotch in the space behind the condenser of one of the air-conditioning units in my office.

He was a sickly kitten, and full of fleas. I had to treat him for the fleas before I could bring him home. He survived the flea bath. I took him to the vet for his first vaccination. He survived the vaccination. He couldn't eliminate waste properly. So back to the vet we went, and after being treated with laxatives and dewormers, he was finally able to use the litter tray. Then other problems flared up. Poor little Hopscotch had such a high worm load that he could hardly eat and digest his food. So I had to administer the highest safe dosage of deworming medicine possible.

Once Hopscotch was clear of worms, I started worrying about his weight. He seemed unable to gain weight or grow, and was rather quiet and pensive for a kitten of his age. Still, he was an affectionate and loving kitten who was content to sleep against my neck or arm all night.

I left him in the good hands of my dear friend, Nicole, when I left for the Asia for Animals Conference in China in June.

Upon return from China, we found that Hopscotch had lost some weight, perhaps due to anxiety in my absence. We tried to make it up to Hopscotch with more cuddles, attention and yummy food.

When Topsy and Turvy, the rescued kittens, succumbed to parvovirus, I wasted no time in getting Hopscotch a full medical checkup and antibiotics to stop the secondary infection, even while I was still grieving for Topsy and Turvy. I was determined that Hopscotch should live, and I was pleased to see how well he socialised with other cats and humans. He was, to me, the ideal kitten.

Hopscotch's condition continued to deteriorate in July and soon he was practically skin and bones. I was horrified and soon vet visits became an almost daily affair. Hopscotch was constantly dehydrated and needed intravenous injections of glucose and fluids to stay alive. With grim determination, I pledged to spend less on my own needs and to direct all my resources towards saving Hopscotch instead.

Hopscotch was hospitalised for the final time last Saturday, 30th July. By then, he was so weak he could hardly meow. His gums were white and his pupils dilated. His body temperature was low. He was severely dehydrated despite all the vitamins, supplements, good food and filtered water that I provided him with. His lymph nodes by then were starting to show signs of enlargement. Amidst fears that he may have feline leukaemia virus, I begged the vet to put Hopscotch back on drips and keep him warm until the good vet was able to draw enough blood to test him for feline leukaemia virus and other retroviruses.

Hopscotch responded to the drips and antibiotics and started eating again in the next few days, but his breathing remain laboured and his kidney function was poor. A blood sample taken from an ear-prick showed that Hopscotch's white blood cells have not mutated, thus reducing the possibility of feline leukaemia virus. However, Hopscotch was so frail and his blood vessels so weak that a better blood sample could not be taken for confirmation. Still, there were enough signs for the vet to give a preliminary diagnosis of congenital polycystic kidney disease. Hopscotch's kidneys were failing in stages, and it really was the drips, medication and our love and care that was keeping him alive.

The vet called me this morning with the unfortunate news that my darling Hopscotch was no more. Never again will he lie on my tummy as I type out my assessments on my netbook. Never again will I get to feel him curl up against my neck as I sleep. Never again will I rush to prepare his wet food in the mornings and evenings and watch with satisfaction as he eats it at his own slow but steady pace.

My little Hopscotch is suffering no more. He is free of pain now, and he probably understands that I did the best I could afford for him, and loved him unconditionally.

Hopscotch, dear, if you ever get reborn as another cat or other animal, I would take you back and care for you all over again, in a heartbeat.

Rest in peace now, my beloved Hopscotch. I will never forget you.

Letter to the Editor: Johor State Zoo -- A Crying Shame!

Paloh the Baby Elephant -- subjected to cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. Her only crime is that she has the bad fortune of being housed in Johor Zoo.



LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
JOHOR STATE ZOO – A CRYING SHAME!

Johor state Local Government, Housing, Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee chairman Datuk Ahmad Zahri Jamil’s defence of the Johor Zoo (The Star,“No reason to shut down state’s iconic park, says exco man”, Monday July 25, 2011) is flippant and preposterous. The zoo’s long history, low ticket prices and high number of local visitors are neither justifications for cruelty to animals nor indicators of the Zoo's animal welfare standards or educational value.

The recent outrage over Johor Zoo’s cruel treatment of Paloh the baby elephant is only the latest in a long line of complaints against the zoo for wildlife offences and animal abuse and exploitation. As recently as 2010, Johor Zoo was openly selling illegal wildlife in a shop within its premises, and in 2011 the Zoo made the headlines again with Shirley the chain-smoking orang-utan.

In May 2011, it was reported that all wildlife establishments would now have to undergo auditing under new guidelines drawn up by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry. (The Star, “Audit on all who keep wild animals” Friday May 6, 2011). This move is a timely and welcome one, and any progress on the implementation of the said audit guidelines would be highly appreciated.

With the enactment of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 (Act 716) in
December 2010, cruelty to wildlife is finally recognized as a criminal offence, and enforcement agencies such as Perhilitan are now endowed with the power to monitor wildlife displays and wildlife in captivity. The closure of the Saleng Zoo in June 2011 demonstrates that Perhilitan is capable to taking positive action against errant zoos and wildlife facilities. It is therefore imperative that Perhilitan requires all zoos and parks, including Johor Zoo, to comply with the standards set by the Malaysian Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria (MAZPA), failing which permits and licences may be revoked or not issued. Although these guidelines are not legally binding, they would provide direction in ensuring that zoos are professionally managed and will advance the cause of animal rights and welfare.

Johor Zoo needs urgent reform, if not a complete closure until a new management panel can be appointed, in order to protect the safety and health of the animals it houses. It is critical that Perhilitan and other NGOs and zoo associations be allowed to inspect and audit Johor Zoo and offer recommendations to be implemented immediately to prevent further harm to the animals. Failure to comply with the recommendations should result in the suspension or closure of Johor Zoo, the revocation of its licence, and the seizure and transfer of its animal residents to better facilities. If the Johor State Exco views tourist numbers as the main indicator of success, then it is submitted that improvements to the animals’ welfare and living conditions would greatly increase the number of visitors and positive feedback.

Zoos, aquariums and animal parks should be educational facilities that provide both humans the opportunity to learn about the natural history of wild animals and the need to protect and conserve the natural habitats of wildlife, and captive animals the opportunity to learn survival and social skills natural to their specie. Exploiting wildlife under the guise of preserving endangered specie is reprehensible and goes against the goals of conservation and environmental education.


WONG EE LYNN
PETALING JAYA

Please come and sign the petition too! Send Baby Paloh To A Sanctuary!

Football's Coming Home

Despite the events I had written about in my previous blogpost, the Liverpool FC vs Malaysia XI match on July 16 was still one of the most memorable experiences I have ever had.

Over 34,800 fans turned up for the training session on Thurs, July 14. Audrey Q and I took half the day off to go to the National Stadium to watch Liverpool train. It was exciting for me to finally get to see my childhood heroes, Ian Rush and Kenny Dalglish, in the flesh.



Watching the training session on a sweltering Thursday evening. We made new friends, did the Mexican Wave, caused injury to others with our vuvuzelas and cheered ourselves hoarse.



Over 34,800 fans turned up just to watch Liverpool train.



Rushie waved at us!!!!



Even watching our team warm up was fun.



It's Phil Thompson AND Kenny Dalglish! What LEGENDS!!!

Saturday was the day of the match proper. I went to the SPCA in the morning to attend to some shelter work and have breakfast with Kitties-From-Sydney's Mama and left by afternoon to pick Audrey Q up. We loaded the Battletank with a cooler full of cold drinks and potato chips and went on our way to the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.



A sea of red greeted us on the match day.



Two super excited fans. Audrey was tired and in some pain by then (see previous blogpost) but she is one tough cookie and mustered enough energy and enthusiasm to cheer and yell. Thankfully, she didn't have to stand much and didn't have to jostle for standing room, as we sat in the designated seating area for the differently-abled area. When the shoving and blocking got too much, we used our vuvuzelas to scare the able-bodied ruffians away. HONK!!!



Man on! Man on!



Liverpool FC vs Malaysian XI, July 16.



GOAAAAAL!!!!! I snapped this right before the ball went in!!!



Okay, he dribbled it through, so he's not offside, see?



6th goal from Liverpool, scored by Kuyt! Got this right after the ball went in! See how dejected the Malaysian team looks! The Malaysian goalie looked like he didn't want to get up off the ground anytime soon!




... and the crowd goes WIIIIIIILD!



Thanks for the memories! You'll never walk alone!



A sweaty, stinky and triumphant fan after the match.

Letter to the Editor: The Disabled Continue to be Marginalised at Sporting Events

LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
THE DISABLED CONTINUE TO BE MARGINALISED AT SPORTING EVENTS


Malaysia may be a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and may have enacted the Persons With Disabilities Act 2008 (Act 685), but in reality, our laws, society and institutions fail to commit to the genuine inclusion of disabled individuals in all aspects of living.


At no time was this more evident to me than during the Liverpool FC vs Malaysian XI match on July 16, when I was not allowed to park at the designated parking space for the disabled, or even allowed to approach the entrance to allow my disabled friend to disembark from my car. Our polite request for access to the parking space for the disabled was dismissed by the traffic police stationed around the National Stadium, and they told us in no uncertain terms that the disabled was not allowed to park in the stadium car park as the entire parking area was reserved for VVIPs and members of royalty. The event management company personnel and traffic police shrugged off our questions with an air of impatience and insensitivity, and the unspoken message seemed to be that the disabled should know their own limitations and should not have come to watch a sport that they could not participate in.


We ended up having to park over 1km away in front of the Astro headquarters and had to walk to the National Stadium. My friend was exhausted and in considerable pain and distress when we finally arrived. To make matters worse, the designated seating area for the disabled was occupied by able-bodied spectators and I spent most of the match requesting the other spectators not to push my friend or stand in front of her. During our walk back to our car after the match, we witnessed another spectator in a wheelchair attempt to manoeuvre his wheelchair along the uneven sidewalks and road shoulder as motorcyclists rode dangerously close to his wheelchair.


The official website of the National Sports Complex boasts of designated parking spaces and seating areas for the disabled, but this is mere tokenism as there is no sincere effort to ensure that the disabled have reasonable access to the said infrastructure, not when the disabled are barred from parking at the disabled parking zone and have to struggle to get a seat at the disabled seating area.



Malaysian society tries to pass itself off as a compassionate one, but it is, in essence, feudalistic. When the need to impress the wealthy and powerful in our society overrides the safety needs and basic rights of our disabled citizens, we know we have a lot of soul-searching to do.



WONG EE LYNN
PETALING JAYA

To Have Loved And Lost

Life has pretty much settled into its old routine of work, social and volunteer commitments after my much-needed 2-week break. I returned from the Conference in China with fresh ideas on streamlining processes and procedures at the SPCA, and campaigns and projects for the SPCA, Bentong Farm Sanctuary, Malaysian Nature Society and Project Second Chance.

I found time to reconnect with family and friends in the past month, following the completion of the MNS Open Day and several other projects and the conclusion of the Conference. Impromptu drinks and conversations with dear friends and unscheduled dinner dates provided comfort and companionship at a time when I needed it most.

The past month has also been a busy one for Project Second Chance. Upon my return from China, I learned that Nicole was fostering 6 sickly kittens found in a dustbin, and so I offered to foster 2 for her.

Despite numerous visits to the vet, my two fosters, Topsy and Turvy, succumbed to feline panleukopenia 2 weeks after I took them in. They never had an illness-free day in their short lives. I tried everything within my means but failed to save them. I think of them often and hope to do better by them in another lifetime.



The very least I could do for Topsy & Turvy in this lifetime: I donated blood again on 12th July and did the pattidana puja to transfer the merit of this act to them (as well as to Little One, Baby and Sneakers, the other 3 kittens from the batch fostered by Nicole, who didn't make it either) that they may be blessed with better karma in another lifetime.

I am told it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. I am glad I had Topsy and Turvy to love and care for, if only for a week or two. I take some comfort too in the knowledge that they died in a safe place, surrounded by love, and not in the dustbin where their pain and suffering would have gone unnoticed.

Hopscotch, who was named after Louis Sellier, continues to live with me until I can find him a good home. Despite all the vitamins and supplements I feed him with daily, he remains painfully thin, although he is active and has a reasonable appetite.



Please help me spread the word to find Hopscotch a good home! He has been dewormed 4 times, vaccinated, given flea baths and housetrained. I plan to have him neutered in 3 months. He is playful, sociable, intelligent, affectionate, has a good memory and enjoys playing with other cats.

A more interesting Project Second Chance update comes in the form of an abandoned white spitz that Covert Twin discovered in a vacant house. After finding out from the neighbours that the poor dog has been left to fend for himself for more than a month and upon determining that the doggie needs medical treatment for his sores and eye infection, I managed to engage the assistance of the wonderful SPCA Inspectorate team to rescue the dog from the abandoned house.



Kelvin of the SPCA Inspectorate Team picks up the relieved but fearful spitz from the abandoned house on 1.7.2011



The spitz, estimated to be around 4 - 5 years old, has since been renamed Rembrandt and is currently under my care. He has since been dewormed, vaccinated, groomed, given anti-tick/flea treatment and neutered. I am rehabilitating him in my home and training him to get used to loud noises, strangers, and being on leash and collar. He is quite nervous but is responding to affection and is quite eager to please!
Please help me spread the word in order to find him a good home.

Every animal deserves a second chance. Please help me make a difference by letting your friends know about my lovely Hopscotch and Rembrandt, who are in need of good permanent homes. Thank you most kindly!