Dog – confused at being dumped by owner – is malnourished and sickly | Daily Express Malaysia

Dog – confused at being dumped by owner – is malnourished and sickly

Published on: Saturday, June 19, 2021

By: Dr Roslee bin Haji Abbas

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THE people who are trying to make this world worse are not taking a day off. How can we?

It’s about this case of an innocent dog thrown in the streets of Taman Cendawan, Penampang, and about so many other cases that occur every day.

We ask all animal protectors not to be discouraged, to celebrate each victory, each adoption, each rescue and each recovery.

Love is stronger than hate and we have faith that soon we will have more effective laws.

Who are they? There are so many abandoned dogs in Kota Kinabalu every single day, that you can’t help but wonder: who are they? How many of them are there? What is wrong with the people here? The number is so high that it almost looks fake.

We wish we could tell you it’s just a couple of monsters, who neglect a dog, watch it gets sick, and abandon it afterwards instead of seeking medical help. But there are no monsters really, there are just people trapped in a mentality dating back to the 1950s.

The number of mixed breed dogs abandoned by owners is increasing at an unprecedented rate. Sick, injured and old dogs are dumped on the streets on a regular basis affirms the irresponsible pet ownership among city residents. Breeders, too, abandon the dogs when the dogs cannot be bred anymore.

One should take care of their pet animals because they supported you when they were strong and it’s our genuine responsibility to take care of them when they are in need.

A lot of people are shallow and have “no soul”. They want cute little puppies or kittens and when they grow older they think they can be traded in.

These people should not own animals nor should they have children because they lack the character to raise a good human.

The owners never see the trauma and depression that the abandoned dogs go through. There have been dogs which stopped eating or those that would roam around all depressed. We have seen it all and it is really sad. Having pets is a lifetime commitment. You should be prepared to care for them as a member of the family and if not, then you should never get one.

Remember, dogs are pack animals and for them we are their family. They love us unconditionally. Isn’t it our duty to keep them happy, loved and safe?

Would you throw your kids out onto the road if they are sick? Would you abandon your aged parents? You wouldn’t, right? Then why is it okay to abandon a helpless sick or old dog? That’s when they need all the love, care and attention.

But you know what? You chose to have him in your life. And he’s brought you untold joy. So, it is your duty to look after him when he is old and give him the best quality of life you can. And of course, shower him with lots of love.

When dog lover Dahwila@Chippod opened her front door after hearing scratching and whimpering she was stunned to find a sick and neglected dog cowering in her garage. An upset Dahwila allowed the dog in her garage, where he was fed and allowed to curl upon the old rag while help was called.

The mixed breed mongrel could hardly stand and walk, was emaciated, covered in ticks and going blind. His claws were so long it was obvious he had been locked away in a dark place for some time.

When the eight-year-old mixed breed dog was relinquished by his owner on the streets of Taman Cendawan, Penampang and found refuge at someone’s garage, he spent one whole week waiting for his human to return, all depressed and peering out from the wedge in the gate of the garage. With his eyes reflecting a sense of confusion and fear, the mixed-breed dog lay down quietly inside the garage, and his food was barely touched. He occasionally trembled when humans approached him. This poor dog was so ill, severely malnourished and frightened. He was so underweight his ribs were visible through his skin.

The appalling condition of the dog when we rescued him was unimaginable, he weighs below 20kg but with such a big frame he should be weighing anywhere between 40kg at a minimum and up to 60kg in a healthy state. It was so sad to see how emaciated and weak this dog was. He was one of the saddest dogs we ever rescued. And poor Darwin was left feeling utterly destroyed.

He just shut down. It’s almost like his world shut down. It’s heartbreaking to see an animal like Darwin suffering in a situation of neglect and abandoned.

Heart received a call of concern on June 5, about a life-threatening situation involving a severely sick dog. We named the dog Darwin. We rushed him to vet clinic where he was given a full check-up and treated with medication.

According to the vet, the dog had probably been left laying down on a hard surface for long periods of time which had caused pressure wounds and had become infected.

The veterinary report indicated that the dog had numerous health issues which remained untreated for significant periods of time, causing him unnecessary pain, suffering and discomfort. Darwin was suffering from a grade four dental disease with bone loss and gum recession at the tooth roots, and pus exuding from the root.

He also had inflamed, irritated skin at the perianal region due to faecal scalding, conjunctivitis and otitis externa (ear infections) which had been untreated for quite a bit. He had a heavy flea burden which had remained untreated for several weeks.

We believe his owner/s deliberately decided to dump him and left him in such a weak and neglected state in the streets at night. We are grateful to the person who found him and alerted us. Despite what he had clearly been through he is a lovely friendly dog.

We will not give up. The veterinarians and foster carer will provide him with all the necessary care and we are sure he will soon be in a home that really loves him.

Abandoning an animal is an offence under Sabah’s Animal Welfare Enactment 2015, and anyone found guilty can face up to 1 year imprisonment or a RM100,000 fine or both.

Heart is investigating and keen to find the person responsible for this and hope someone may be able to tell us who owned the dog. We would also like to hear from anyone who may have seen something suspicious in that area around the time the dog was dumped. Anyone who may have information about Darwin’s past and how he ended up in Taman Cendawan, Penampang, should contact Heart immediately.

We receive no government funding and rely on the support and kindness from our community, private donations and charity bazaar to complete our mission. Heart does not euthanise animals to make space to house others. We are a no-kill animal welfare group and work to preserve life whenever possible.

We rely on donations from people like you who are willing to spend their hard-earned money to help animals in dire needs.