My baby boys..

I have always said I don't plan to have any children of my own. My lousy excuse (lousy to some but it sure is a valid one for me) is that I'm no good taking care of another human being, let alone bringing up one. These days I can't even take care of myself - lousy eating habits, lousy sleeping hours...you name it.

So when I agreed to help care for two young pups without a mother two weeks ago...I was out of my mind. Rescuer friend Peter rescued three very young puppies from a pound in Setapak, found in a bowl of water, trembling, starving and sick, and worse of all, without their mother.

My Cumi (left) and Ciki boys....One of the three boys got adopted quite fast after Peter rescued them. Left with two...I sms Peter n volunteered to care for them for ONE day. A week later I ended up fostering them until they got adopted. Before I took up the crazy (since it was my first and a complete novice) job of fostering, they were on drips at the vet and trying to recover from case of diarrhea.

the rascal named Cumi who pulled my heart stringLike a new mother with new born, I nervously took the pups home to my flat with the carrier, a new fordable cage, their medicine and their canned food. The first hour back home with Cumi and Ciki went like a minute. I prepared them food and got the cage ready, used one of my floor towel as their bed. Minutes after they fed I was on to cleaning the bathroom floor littered with their piss and stool.

he eats like there is no tomorrow
really
By the second day I got a bit more efficient with the cleaning, feeding and etc...by then I got a taste of what's like to be a parent and an animal rescuer like Peter and Nicole. When I was out for hours leaving them at home, I would wonder if they have dirtied themselves in the cage or if they were starving yet...later I would feel like a bad parent.

When I got home I would first clean up the cage and got their food ready...when the cleaning and feeding were done I would then sort myself out, eat or shower. When it's time to sit down and get my own work done, they would decide then it's time for me to pay some attention to them. Whining and crying from their cage I place in the master room...they would eventually fall asleep and then it's all peaceful again.

I missss you Cumi!!!
I won't attempt to try to describe this wonderful feeling of caring for the pups, it's something that you will come to understand or comprehend if you have your own pets or children. This happen to be my first experience and I am just so affected.

I said I was out of my mind because the same weekend I took them home from the vet was a super-packed weekend for me and I hadn't a clue how I was going to take care of them...anyway, I had my support system, it's called the Section 17 supporting branch - Justin's house.
Puteh (white) and Brandy watched Cumi savouring his food

So on the second night, I packed my bags and the puppies and drove to his house (tenants include J's parents, a granny and a brother, and two dogs - Puteh & Brandy). I announced innocently that Cumi and Ciki would be adopted soon enough and that I was there with them for the weekend because I was going to be out of the house most of the day.
Cumi playing with Puteh

The family took to the new kids very well and kindly. Justin's dad completely blew me off by showing lots of love and care for the two new pups. The ex-pilot adopted Brandy just recently and have been spending time caring for the two (Puteh & Brandy).

It was such an incredible feeling (happiness) to see them running along each other, the four of them. Brandy who has a completely different temperament from the nerdy and shy Puteh, was viciously jealous of the pups whenever I came home to feed them, yelping and crying from his cage (I caged him up to prevent him from eating the pups' food). It took me one round of feeding and talking to Nicole to learn how to handle it. The next day I managed to feed the pups without Brandy sounding suicidal...I pacified Brandy first with his own snack before I let the pups eat.

how can one not love a face like this one? Cumi
By the third day of my fostering Ciki got adopted at the Plaza Damas outing where the Independent Pet Rescuers team set up their adoption drive. Ciki went to a new home fast...I got the news thro an sms and a strong emotion of sadness swept over me, I didn't get to say goodbye to Ciki before he went off to another home!

Nicole was next to me then and she said, see, you only need two days to get this attached to the animal!
The playing field

That night I collected the lonely Cumi from Carnea who was helping out at the adoption drive, mixed feelings again. I worried about getting Cumi adopted, missing Ciki, feeling sad for Cumi who was now left with no play mate and sleeping mate, worried about not having time to care for Cumi, worried about Justin's family complaining about too many dogs in the house.

Anyway my worries were unnecessary because it was clear that the family is so loving they wouldn't leave any animals left unattended. By the fifth day, on my first free day, I woke up at Justin's house to find that Justin's dad was already up and he had cleaned up Cumi's mess and fed all the dogs their breakfast. Talk about being touched.
sending Cumi off to his new family...goodbye shots

And then the unexpected happened...on that day itself I got a call informing me that a potential adopter for Cumi has arrived in town from Penang and wanted to collect Cumi right away. Again, I was stunned by how affected I was by the departure. I went from feeling silly and feeling burden by the pups to now completely missing them from my side. I miss their smell and their sounds...

Ok ok, missing them aside (goodness, I was only with them for a mere 5 days!!), am totally glad and grateful that all three pups have found new homes. Beyond feeling glad for the animals, I have this sense of new purpose now...after having witnessed successful adoption, I have a new faith, a new found confidence in the work that these rescuers are doing out there. It works!

Am grateful for the joy that Cumi and Ciki have given me, in such short period of time. Am happy that they are now bringing joy to their new families. The experience is memorable, rewarding...magical.

Adopt a stray today, you?

I don't have yet any plan to foster or adopt more animals soon but it's on my future plan, the animals will be the children that I won't be having.