The Story Of Mr Miracle Fri, 5th Jun 2009, 06:50pm Early last week, Inspector Murugan, volunteer Jorg and the crew from TV2 went on a trip to survey the population of dogs in Pulau Ketam. They hired bicycles and rode through the island from 5pm ¡V 8pm, accompanied by one of the village heads. During this period, they counted 15-20 dogs.



As they were approaching a little landing, they saw a dog in the water under a walkway. The villager said that this dog was really a nuisance and very aggressive. The tide was rising, and the dog sat helplessly in the water swaying with the current. Murugan quickly grabbed a leash and leaned over the walkway towards the water. He skillfully looped the poor dog, and used a second loop around its body to pull it out of the water.







The dog was exhausted, and suffered from wounds on its body and neck area. We suspect it has been fighting with other dogs. He was easy to handle, and seemed surprisingly friendly ¡V contrary to what the villager had said.

We transferred him into a cage, and gave him some food and water. He seemed very grateful and relieved.

The team went on their second ¡¥tour¡¦ from 11pm- 1.30am. They counted another 50 dogs. Mr Hing Beng Soon from the Ketam village guided the way. They also found out that pet dogs seemed to be kept chained outside the house or roaming freely within the house ¡V they were mostly not allowed to roam around outside on their own.



The next day, we loaded up into the boat to come back to KL, with our new friend Mr Miracle. He was sent to the vet as soon as they got onto the mainland, and was discharged yesterday after more than a week of treatment. He is back with us now, and he is so lovely! His body has been shaved, and his wounds are healing well. He pleasantly sniffed our office dogs, and looked around with his peaceful gaze ¡V he seemed so content, so grateful.

We¡¦re busy making arrangements for our Pulau Ketam campaign on the 27th & 28th June. Lots of logistics to be taken care of, as well as coordination of our resources. This is not our first Kempen Kembiri, but this is the FIRST time we¡¦re carrying out a campaign on this scale and under these very pressing circumstances. We will need support from all our donors, volunteers and staff, and we are working with both the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) and Majlis Perbandaran Klang (MPK) as partners in this endeavour. We are happy to work with any volunteers and animal rescuers who offer their help for this campaign.

We need some Hokkien-speaking volunteers to form street teams and walk through the village, approaching the villagers about importance of neutering pets and strays, as well as responsible pet ownership. We have sponsors lined up to provide "freebies" to villagers like dog food, treats, etc. to encourage their participation!

To sign up as a volunteer, please drop Jacinta a line at jacinta.spca . Transport from the Klang Jetty will be provided, as well as food and beverages. More details next week, as the campaign firms up!

Our rescue team will also be back at Pulau Selat Kering this week. Please pray for their safety, and for the dogs who are still in the mangroves.Our 12 rescued dogs are recovering well with us, as well as the wounded dog we rescued from the waters under the walkways in Pulau Ketam.