Pebble's Pain

With no public bus services in this area, taxi drivers shun the place even if a booking was made. The nearest canteen is about 10km from here. This is an abandoned worksite somewhere in remote Jurong Island.

I am Pebbles. This is where I was born and where I spent my puppyhood.  Life was difficult as we could hardly find food and fresh water. Every day was a struggle as my tummy was constantly rumbling and my throat always dry.  There were days that I was just too weak to walk and search for food. 

"I often have to walk for hours with an empty stomach. If I am lucky, I’d find a pack of leftover lunch that the humans nearby left behind. I’m ever so grateful to them.

But there are days where there is just no food to be found :("

Despite the hunger and long dreary days, I tried to keep my spirits up as there was a nice uncle who looked out for me ever since my mummy disappeared. I often looked forward to his arrival. (Pebbles’ rescuer happened to be posted to Jurong island for work). Uncle thought I looked skinny and his compassion took over. Though he was not accustomed to feeding the strays, he made it a point to bring whatever leftovers he could find for me and my neighbours. I was eternally grateful. 

Pebbles with a pack of emancipated dogs, scouring for whatever little scraps there is on the road. As the dogs are constantly hungry, food fights are common. Pebbles, being the smallest of them all, often doesn’t get much to eat. 

One day during a food fight, a bigger dog accidentally scratched my eye. I knew he didn’t do it on purpose; we were all delirious from the hunger. My eye throbbed and everything looked blurry on my right eye.

It was not for another week before Uncle visited me. I was happy to see him but I sensed his horror when he saw me. He lovingly sat down and inspected my eye. The next day he returned with some eye cleaning solution and fed me antibiotics. I was touched by his concern for me (I told myself that I’ll be very friendly and sweet towards humans from that day on) and felt a sense of warmth inside. See how a small loving gesture can mean so much to us street animals!

Pebbles’ horrific eye injury

A few days later, Uncle checked on me again. Seeing that my eye condition had worsened, he put on a leash for me and drove me to the vet. 

Seeing the advanced stage of infection that my eye was in, 

the vet advised that my right eye be removed

After I woke up from the surgery, I was happy to see Uncle; I wagged my tail as forcefully as I possibly could in my drowsy state.

That’s me after my eye was removed!

Aunty vet did a fantastic job on me and my wound healed completely in no time.

Uncle’s intention was to bring me back to Jurong Island once I had recovered but he couldn’t bear to leave me to my own devices, fearing that I would be injured in future food fights.

Uncle tried contacting animal welfare organisations, hoping that I could be put in a shelter but they were all full. There are just too many abandoned animals in Singapore.

Some friends of Uncle found out about my plight and co-sponsored me to stay in a kennel temporarily.

I’m still hoping to find a home and the good people at Zeus are paying for my temporary boarding, with some of their rescued dogs. I am much too young to live in the kennels for the rest of my life and do really long for a family to love me and give me a real home. I am now 7 months old and I won’t grow very much more, so if you do live in a HDB apartment, you still can consider adopting me. I promise that I’ll be a really good girl and I’ll be a loyal and affectionate companion.

Love, 

Pebbles

To adopt Pebbles, please contact Nancy at 9488 6419



Zeus would also like to wish our volunteers Lynda and Jo-Ann a Happy Birthday.