Spay & Neuter Month in conjunction with World Animal Day (4 October 2010)

WORLD ANIMAL DAY

• To celebrate animal life in all its forms

• To celebrate humankind’s relationship with the animal kingdom

• To acknowledge the diverse roles that animals play in our lives – from being our companions, supporting and helping us, to bringing a sense of wonder into our lives

• To acknowledge and be thankful for the way in which animals enrich our lives

(Taken from http://www.worldanimalday.org.uk/about.asp )

Zeus Communications launches its Spay & Neuter month for October 2010

Do you often feel sorry for the stray dogs and cats wandering around factories or on the streets, without a home or proper food? Are you one of the kind souls who brings dinner for the stray puppies and kittens in the industrial estates?

Puppies born in construction sites

Aren't they adorable? Little do they know they have a lifetime of pain and suffering ahead of them.



Barely a month old, trying to cross the road to look for his mommy.

Mommy trying to gather her puppies.

No matter how cute or adorable, these poor strays will most probably never experience love and a family to call their own

All safe with mommy now. How long will they remain safe for? Away from traffic and people abusing them?

 Kind workers built a hutch for the puppies. Is it really going to protect them from the sun & rain? Do you think the puppies would stay in the hutch, by the side of a busy road?

The number of these homeless and unwanted strays will continue to grow due to uncontrolled breeding. Sterilization is a solution to control their population. This is a more humane alternative, as compared to the unnecessary culling of innocent strays.

In conjunction with World Animal Day (4 October 2010), Zeus Communications is sponsoring 10 dogs and 10 cats to be spayed. Our way of showing our love for the street dogs and cats. Just follow the instructions below to do your part.

1) Write to us by 10 October 2010 (Sunday).

2) After receiving the confirmation letter from us, spaying of animals can be done throughout the entire month of October.

Ear-tipped dog

Ear-tipped cat

How?

* Email us at dogstalk@starhub.net.sg.

* Please include the following information on the dog / cat

* Where can we find it (factory address)?

* Is it a male or a female?

* What is the breed and colour (attach photo if possible)

* How old is it? (estimated)

* What is your full name and address? (so we can contact you)

* Please also email us a scanned copy of your identification card, OR give the vet clinic a copy when you bring the animal in for spaying.

* After we receive your email, we will send you a letter by post, stating the date and time of the vet appointment.

* Do not give the dog / cat food or water the night before the appointment.

* Take the letter and the dog / cat to the vet on the appointed date and time.

* Collect the dog / cat in the evening on the same day.

Note: The dog / cat will be ear-tipped and given one vaccination.

World Animal Day is intended as a day of celebration for anyone in the world who cares about animals. Play your part and show the animals that you care. Go vegetarian for a day as a sign of respect to your animals.

Hurry and help the street dogs and cats today – the free Spay & Neuter project is limited to 10 dogs and 10 cats only!

From May to September 2010, we have sterilized a total of 22 cats and 21 dogs - that's a lot of catching that we had to do but we don't mind the hard work, as long as you continue supporting us like you have! Together, we CAN make the world a slightly better place for the street animals. 


The Spay & Neuter project would cost Zeus Communications a total of $2000 to sponsor 10 dogs and 10 cats for sterilization. 


Sponsorships
1) Ms Mona read our article and immediately wrote in to offer to contribute $500 towards this project. She also pledged that she would go vegetarian on World Animal Day as a sign of respect for all these animals we love so dearly. 


2) Mount Pleasant Animal Medical Centre will kindly sponsor the spaying of 2 dogs and 2 cats for our Spay & Neuter month in October 2010. 


Thank you everyone, for caring.

When Friends Get Together, Miracles Can Happen

And indeed it has! Venus may not lose her limb after all.

She has been at the Vet for a full month now and not only is she getting bigger and stronger by the day, she is also regaining her confidence. She is snapping and growling at visitors and sometimes Natasha, the massage therapist who had kindly offered to help Venus. Natasha has been massaging Venus thrice weekly and has seen some improvement in Venus.

Natasha massaging Venus, with Cary (right) ensuring Venus stays calm

Cary ensuring Venus behaves during massage therapy

Her accident wound is healing 

We don’t blame Venus for her behaviour. In fact, we’re delighted with it! This means she is feeling much better and would likely be able to survive back at the factory and defend herself.

She goes for three walks a day, either with Dawn or Cary, who work at the clinic. She is starting to bear weight on her injured hind leg again. Venus is pretty wary of humans when she is out on her walks and tends to hide behind Cary when people approach or walk by. She seems to fear loud noises.

Venus taking Cary for a walk

Doesn't Venus look stronger?

 Her skin looks much better but will take some time before she regains her jet black coat again

Venus' healthy home cooked food served on a silver platter

A skin scrape was done on Venus a couple of days back and it is confirmed she is free of scabies. Her surgery has been scheduled for Thursday (30 Sept) at the Sunset Way branch. Dr Simon Quek will be performing the surgery. The procedure that Venus will be undergoing is known as FHNE (Femoral Head and Neck Excision) where there is bone-on-bone contact which results in great pain, limits the dog’s activities and makes the dog constantly uncomfortable. During the surgery, the head and neck of the femur is removed and Venus’ leg then becomes reliant on the muscles for support. She may walk with a limp after surgery but at least she does not require an amputation and will no longer suffer in pain. She will be transferred to Sunset Way on Wednesday and after her surgery, will return to the Redhill branch to be with her Cary. There she remains for a week or so, till her wound has healed completely and she will then have to be returned to the factory as we have not been able to find a permanent home for her.

In our volunteer work, this is something we often dread – returning the dog or cat to less than perfect living conditions when they have recovered. We do feel sad taking them back but how many homes can we possibly find for all these street animals? As long as HDB does not change their ruling on home owners adopting street dogs, these dogs will most likely remain on the streets for the rest of their lives, with no hope of ever knowing what proper food and shelter is, never experiencing love.

We thank everyone who has come into Venus’ life and made a difference for her. You showed her what love and compassion is. Without your help, we may not have been able to afford her surgery and Vet stay. Without your support, we would not be able to continue helping the sick and injured animals that live on the streets.

Venus thanks ;
Lynette and Maggie for their daily home cooked food. Venus has gotten really picky!
Natasha for visiting Venus three times a week to massage her
Carey and Dawn for making sure Venus got her walks
And everyone who has contributed to her Vet bills and bought our Zeus 2011 calendars.

Read Venus' initial rescue.

Venus' 2nd update.

High Blood Pressure? Pets Reduce Stress. Be Unique. Adopt

"Many people have high blood pressure for years without knowing it. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to stroke, heart attack, congestive heart failure or kidney failure. The only way to tell if you have high blood pressure is to have your blood pressure checked. According to recent estimates, one in four U.S. adults has high blood pressure, but because there are no symptoms, nearly one-third of these people don't even know they have it. This is why high blood pressure is often called the "silent killer." Get the facts on high blood pressure and how to live a more heart-healthy life. Find out how you can reduce your risks for heart attack and stroke with proper monitoring by a physician and simple lifestyle changes, even if you have high blood pressure." Quoted from the American Heart Association Website. 

If you have high blood pressure, you should consider having a pet, such as a dog, or a cat. Some psychologists feel that having a pet can help lower blood pressure. In a study at the State University of New York at Buffalo, it was found that stockbrokers who suffer from hypertension (high blood pressure), could adopt a cat or a dog to lower their blood pressure. Doctors found that stress-induced blood pressure continued to rise in brokers with NO pets, even when they were treated with medication to lower their blood pressure. The brokers with pets also had a rise in blood pressure, but by not as much as the brokers without pets. Based on this study, researchers conclude that drugs do help lower blood pressure but having a pet helps in keeping stress-related increases in blood pressure in check. Some of the participants in the study went out and got a pet after they learned of the benefits. No one is really sure why this is true. Perhaps having someone you can count on by your side provides stress relief for those in stressful professions.

These dogs have cheated death and been given a second chance at life. Kind-hearted people have rescued them from the streets; abandoned, straying . . . .Had they not helped these dogs, the dogs may not have lasted long wandering aimlessly, roaming for days on end, scavenging for food, avoiding traffic. Would you consider adopting them and giving them a home that they deserve?

Read their stories and open your hearts and homes to them.

Look where Baby Chocolate was found! He was less than a month old when volunteers found him, eyes hardly opened. Had we not scooped him for the jaws of death, he would not have had the opportunity to grow up looking this cute! Chocolate grew up playing with kittens so its fine if you have cats in your home. Chocolate is intelligent and a fast learner. Now, all of 3 mths, he knows his basic commands and is paper trained. 

In the jaws of death



Hot Chocolate!

Name  :  Chocolate
Age  :  3 + mths

Sex  :  Male

Breed  :  Pure Mongrel

Not a HDB approved breed.

Chocolate has been vaccinated. To give Chocolate a home, please contact Hilda @ 91996662.

This little black Bear was found playing on the streets in a Tuas industrial estate, without a care in the world. Not having a home was the least of her worries. She spent her days playing with foreign workers in various factories, until she met Mr Sharpei. Bear would be an excellent dog for Agility - she is agile, intelligent and loves zooming around the garden. She also loves water! 

Bear when she was first rescued

The little black Bear today

Name  :  Bear

Age  :  5 + mths

Sex  :  Female

Breed  :  Pure Mongrel

Not a HDB approved breed, although she wont be very big. Garden trained.

Bear has been vaccinated and sterilized. To give Bear a home, please call 98343136 or email dogs_ink@singnet.com.sg 

Charlotte

                                                                              Claire

Charlotte and Claire were both found in a drain when they were less than 2 mths old. So hungry were they, volunteers found them drinking mud and eating pebbles. Anything that would fill their tiny stomachs.

Charlotte is an adventurous and feisty young lady who is bright and alert. Claire is more reserved and genteel. Both are pretty and socialize well with other dogs and humans. They are garden-trained. 

Name  :  Charlotte & Claire (can be adopted separately) 

Age  :  6 mths

Sex  :  Female

Breed  :  Pure Mongrel

Not a HDB approved breed.

Both Charlotte & Claire have been vaccinated, sterilized and micro-chipped. To give them a home, please contact Leng @ 96193208. 

Muffin was found wandering the streets of Bedok, trying to find her way home. When volunteers found her, she was tired, injured and hungry. They did the right thing by sending her to the vet for a check up. Read about Muffin here. 

Deliciously Muffin!

Name  :  Muffin

Age  :  7 - 8 yrs old

Sex  :  Female

Breed  :  Maltese

HDB approved breed. Paper trained. 

Muffin has been vaccinated, sterilized and micro-chipped. To give her a home, please contact Jeannie @ 91090475 or 94886419

We've got a Muffin and a Hot Chocolate to whet your appetite. Let your temptations go! Its perfectly fine to have more than one dog and we assure you that they are not the cause of your high blood pressure. 

Little Marcus' Update

We visited Marcus and he has had his surgery; his eye has been removed and he has been sterilized. Dr Ang says that he is recovering well and the loss of his eye could possibly have been due to the severity of cat flu. We never knew cat flu could be this serious!

He is eating well, seems much happier and more comfortable. His wound looks a little red and weepy - but that's because they had just applied some ointment on his eye.

Marcus is a quiet boy and much friendlier than when he was first rescued. Perhaps he has grown accustomed to human contact and know that we mean no harm. He allows the Dr and nurses to carry him, clean his wound, etc with no fuss whatsoever.

A friend, Karen, visited Marcus and Venus at the Vet and she bought 60 calendars as well! If you haven't already got your copy, HURRY and GRAB one! With so many kind friends helping us, our calendars are selling like hotcakes! Proceeds from the calendar sales go entirely to providing medical aid for the street dogs and cats that we care so passionately about.

Marcus will be at the Vet for another 2 or 3 days before going home to his factory. We will wait till his wound is dry as we dont want to risk infection.

Thank you everyone for showing us you care for the animals as much as we do.

To read the first part of Marcus' story.

Do Cats Cry?

Remember this cat we were hoping to catch? We had intended to take it the the vet to have its eye attended to. We did manage to catch him and provide him with the medical aid needed. Read this heartwarming tale   . . . .

Marcus waiting to be helped

Zeus Communications is very proud of 13 year old Alysha Nair who will be donating her birthday "ang pow" to help our rescued animals. She feels that she is no longer a little kid who needs toys and gifts, which she says, she will eventually outgrow. Instead, Alysha feels that the money can be put to a better use - for the animals. When people ask her what she would like as a birthday present, she tells them not to buy her anything but to donate to animal societies. Alysha says, "I love animals, and all I ever really hope for more than any gift in the world is to be able to help animals in whatever way I can and know that my actions may have made better the life on an animal somewhere out there." For a young girl, Alysha has a very generous heart and should be a role model to other children out there.

Recently, a factory worker told us about the plight of a cat with one eye. It's a pity how some people care for the animals but perhaps due to the lack of knowledge or education, are unable to tell us clear details of the animals' injury. He said that the cat's eye had been bitten by a fly or mosquito and the eyeball had shrunk into the socket.



Dr Lesley Teo examining Marcus the cat, while Lynda holds him.

We caught the cat two days ago and sent him to the vet. Dr Lesley Teo checked his eye and said it is likely to be an old injury from some months ago as the wound had healed. Marcus is really sweet natured and his injury could have been caused by an accident, a fight. . . we would never know. An operation was scheduled to remove Marcus' eye. This would lessen chances of his eye being infected, as well as discomfort. However, upon further examination, Marcus was diagnosed with cat flu. He needs to be treated with medication for a few days before proceeding with the surgery. After removing the eye, we will then take Marcus back to his home in the factory. 

Sweet, baby-faced Marcus!

The check-up, medication and operation is estimated to cost $550. Alysha has generously offered $300 of her birthday "ang pow" to help Marcus with his vet bills. It may be a small amount for working class adults, but it's a big gesture and a big amount for a young lady to show how she much she cares for and loves animals. A small act of kindness will go a long way and we're extremely proud of Alysha. We're sure her parents are too!

Thank you Alysha!

Latest Update (5pm) - Jacqui O. read Alysha's story and has kindly offered to make up the difference for the remaining $250 in vet bills.

Thank you everyone for helping little Marcus. Stay tuned for his updates.

Article put together by young volunteer, Jo-Ann, 16 yrs old

A Deep Sense of Loss

Venus has been at the vet for two weeks now. After having gone through so much pain and suffering, she has almost nothing left in her. Having had a miscarriage, scabies and a hip dislocation, all within a short span of time, a deep sense of loss and hopelessness can be seen in her eyes as she spends her days staring blankly.

She has had a steady stream of visitors – readers of our blog, animal lovers, friends etc; either visiting her or stopping by to make a contribution to her vet bills. Her bills have accumulated to no small amount, but we are fortunate to be blessed by kindness and friends who believe in the work we do.

Venus' Bill on 30 Aug '10 at A&E

Venus' Bill from 31 Aug to 13 Sept 2010

Lynette and Maggie have been bringing Venus regular, healthy meals – Venus has a hearty appetite and eats like there is no tomorrow. Carey and Dawn, who work at Mt Pleasant (Redhill), have had to feed her smaller portions, in four meals throughout the day. If you visit Venus, you will notice her little stomach looking like a small watermelon!

The white bandage around her waist is used to hold some padded gauze on the left side of her hip. There are grazes she suffered in the accident and because she lies on one side all the time, the sore has not healed.

Look at her rounded belly!

She has yet to bear weight on her right hind leg, and needs to be carried out by Carey, to go for her walks. Once outside, she limps around and sniffs the air, perhaps wondering if this is a safer environment from where she came from. Venus likes Carey.  We think its because she came from the industrial estates where there were many male workers, so she is slightly more comfortable with men. Occasionally she growls, even with Carey, but when he assures her, she relaxes. She sometimes shows displeasure, especially when we touch the lower part of her body. This could be due to her pain and her fear that humans will hurt her further.

Apart from eating like every meal is her last, Venus spends her days just lying in her shower stall, the “isolation room”, overcome with grief and helplessness. She feels a great sense of loss and sadness. You see no life in her eyes. . . . she feels the loss of her babies and perhaps, the use of her limb.

Natasha, an animal massage therapist, read about Venus’ plight on our blog, and kindly wrote to us to volunteer to visit Venus and massage her limbs regularly. Today Venus had her second massage session. She growled and had to be muzzled. Carey was off duty, so Venus wasn’t as relaxed as we liked her to be. Natasha did deep muscle massage and worked on Venus for half an hour, with Dawn constantly assuring Venus. Venus’ muscles on the injured limb was cold, which wasn’t a very good sign and Natasha also needed to release the spasms in Venus’ other good leg because that leg has been overused.

Natasha and Dawn working on Venus

Receiving deep muscle massage

Trying to get Venus to stand

Venus’ surgery has to be delayed because of her scabies. Ideally, swimming / hydrotherapy would also benefit Venus, but again, that is not possible at this juncture. Sometime this week, Drs will do another skin scrape to see if her scabies is under control and if so, they would be able to perform a femoral head ostectomy. If the Drs feel that her muscles have wasted away, then they will have no choice but to perform an amputation, but we're praying this won't happen. Venus will be transferred to Sunset Way for Dr Simon Quek to operate on her. In the meantime, Natasha will massage Venus three times a week if her schedule permits, and hopes that the deep muscle massage will work miracles for Venus.

Looking a tad happier & contented

Receiving a treat after the session

Do stay tuned for more updates on Venus. She is likely to have to spend another few weeks at the Vet, after which we may have to make a tough decision of returning her to the factory if we can't find someone who will adopt her. Her scabies will no longer be an issue once she recovers from it. 

We would like to thank everyone for coming to our aid in helping Venus. We appreciate the kindness and generosity of all who have helped, contributed and visited. If you have not purchased a calendar, please do. Proceeds from the calendar sales will go towards Venus’ medical aid, as well as all the other animals whose lives we have touched. 

This song is for Venus and all who cared.

Zeus 2011 Calendars in aid of the Street Dogs and Cats we help

Starring the abused and abandoned pets that we have helped, as well as featuring our pet projects, the Zeus Communications’ 2011 Calendars are finally here! All funds raised from the sales will go towards the sterilization of industrial dogs and street cats, as well as the rescuing and rehoming of abandoned and abused pets. The proceeds will also be used to provide pet food to caretakers and security guards who devotedly care for strays on their premises.

Zeus 2011 Calendars on Sale Now at $10 Each

Click Order Form to Download

Lend a helping hand to the countless animals who could do with more love in their lives. To get your very own copy (or copies!) of Zeus Communications’ 2011 calendar, please fill in the order form with the necessary details and mail it to 8 Raffles Avenue #02-04 The Esplanade S(039802). Every calendar sold means a little bit more food and love for our furry friends!

Or contribute to one of the following projects and we'll send you a calendar for free!


Street Dogs Sterilization (S.D.S)

We may not see many stray dogs where we live but go off the beaten track into the streets of industrial estates and you will hear the small cries of newborn puppies or see orphaned puppies playing on the streets, oblivious to on-coming traffic. Stray dogs generally don’t live very long, often dying in road accidents, starvation, illness and dog fights; mainly for food or sex. Male dogs tend to fight for the females when she comes into season.

A tiny puppy scavenging for food

Countless puppies fighting for food. They learn to fight from a very young age because they have to survive.

Young puppy with mange, possibly caused by in-breeding

 Puppies bitten by industrial rats bigger than them and puppies were still alive! The rats just fed on them everyday.

Help sterilize these street dogs so they longer have to endure the pain and suffering of being mated by numerous male dogs and giving birth under bushes, in the drains, etc

Female dogs can go on heat twice a year, each time producing at least 4 to 8 puppies

A female dog on the street can give birth to approximately 12 puppies over a year, starting from as young as 6 or 7 months old. Six of these puppies have a good chance of growing up into fertile adult dogs. A male, on the other hand, can mate with at least four females and contribute approximately twenty-four puppies. Together, there can be at least 30 fertile dogs by the following year.

What if we had not chanced upon Dawn and rescued her?

Often when we rescue strays, they dont even know how to drink from water bowls

What if our paths did not cross?

Waiting for death to overcome him

Cold, wet and injured

This old dog was too weak to even stand up to eat

Support Street Dogs Sterilization. It is more humane than culling. Many people in our society consider stray dogs a nuisance. They consider these strays dirty or dangerous. However, animal lovers will beg to differ, telling you that these dogs have a right to live on the streets too because like human beings, they are capable of emotions and sufferings. To solve the problem of strays, we need to be ethical and humane. We believe in Street Dog Sterilization.

Help us give them food

And hope

 Help sponsor a dog for sterilization (left ear tipped)

These stray dogs provide companionship to security guards in industrial sites, as well as warn them of intruders as the dogs would often be the first to bark and alert.

Street Cat Sterilization (SCS)

Every year thousands of healthy cats are euthanized because of complaints by residents that the cats have been a nuisance, messing up void decks with food waste. Male unsterilized cats also prove to be a nuisance when they caterwaul to mate with a female cat.

Cats in industrial estates

The Solution

• Caregivers should sterilize the cats to control the population

• Caregivers should feed responsibly and clear-up after the cat has finished eating. By leaving food waste around, it encourages rodents and gives residents more reason to complain

Together, as a community, we can help solve the problems of unwanted and abandoned cats both domestic and feral. We strive to lower these numbers and the only possible humane way is sterilization.

What is a Feral Cat?

Feral cats are the "wild" off-springs of domestic cats and are primarily the result of pet owners' abandonment or failure to sterilize animals, allowing them to breed uncontrolled. Feral cat "colonies" can be found behind shopping areas, in alleys, parks, abandoned buildings and industrial areas. They are elusive and do not trust humans.

Cat on the right has an injured eye

We're trying to catch this cat to have its eye attended to

A pair of breeding cats, which can have two or more litters per year, can exponentially produce a few hundred off-springs by the following year.

Sterilizing eliminates annoying behaviours associated with mating and it costs less to spay a cat, rather than to pay the pest control to exterminate the cats. Vacated areas will soon be filled by other cats who will start the breeding process again.

If you are feeding a cat in your area, we invite you to be part of the sterilization solution. We can assist you with low-cost sterilization for street cats, as well as loan you a humane cat trap and demonstrate how to use these traps.

Catching cats for sterilization

 Going to the Vet

It costs an estimate of $35 to sterilize a male cat and $65 for a female cat, to ear tip their left ear and to give them one vaccination.

Sterilization is but a small investment for a long term solution.

Order our calendars by scrolling up to download our order form or email us at dogstalk@starhub.net.sg

Calendars are also available at the following places ;

Mount Pleasant Animal Medical Centre (Sunset Way)
Block 105, Clementi St 12 #01-08

Mount Pleasant Animal Medical Centre (Redhill)
Block 113, Bukit Merah View, #01-520

Mount Pleasant Animal Medical Centre (Bedok)
Block 158, Bedok South Ave 3, #01-577

Mrs Field's Cookies
#02-04, The Esplanade

To all the people who feed strays, help, rescue and care for them; we thank you for making that difference in their lives. We hope you continue to do so because the meal you provide them with, may be the only decent meal they have had all week. Thank you for loving them.