
yeee
Canine Addict
Jun 22, 2007, 11:49 PM
Post #1 of 9
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I read bout Furry Friends Farm...
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I read an article online which was previously published in NST. Sabrina Yeap, formerly from SPCA has set up a FFF in Kundang, Selangor. " How often have you looked at a stray cat and thought "I wish I could give you a home". Or wondered where that stray dog sleeps on a cold and rainy night and felt a twinge of guilt because you were unable to take it home and care for it. Well, you can give stray animals a home at the Furry Friends Farm in Kundang, Selangor, set up about seven months ago. Launched yesterday at Central Park in Bandar Utama, the FFF’s Dr Dog programme is the first internationally-accredited animal assisted therapy programme in the country. FFF founder Sabrina Yeap said animal lovers who cannot adopt a stray can bring it in to the farm and sponsor its upkeep for RM1 a day until it is adopted, and pay for it to be neutered, wormed and vaccinated. Or they can get it done by their own vet, but they must provide documentation proving it has been done. FFF decided to use mongrels in the Dr Dogs programme, training dogs to provide solace to orphans, the elderly and the sick, as a means of highlighting the plight of unwanted mongrels, said Yeap. Most Malaysians prefer pedigrees, so mongrels who do not find homes are often put down. To qualify for the Dr Dogs programme, the dog has to be at least two years old, neutered, vaccinated and wormed and must have lived with its new owner for at least six months. The training also reinforces the bond between owners and dogs, as only owners are allowed to be handling volunteers. Older dogs have a better chance of becoming Dr Dogs, as they are more gentle and sensitive, making them easier to train. After the training, the dogs are tested by Animals Asia Foundation founder Jill Robinson, who started the first animal assisted therapy programme in Hong Kong 16 years ago. Once the Dr Dogs programme is off the ground, FFF plans to start a Cuddly Cats programme. Cats are taken to visit people in hospitals and homes to take their mind off the pain. They also help to give the infirm and elderly people a sense of companionship. Yeap is also trying to get the Ministry of Housing and Local Goverment’s approval to allow FFF to build sheds at a few hospitals in the Klang Valley, so patients can be brought down for a visit with a Cuddly Cat or a Dr Dog.
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