Update On Jill and Molly (Rescued Breeding Dogs)

We recently brought Molly and Jill back to the vet’s, and Molly saw Dr. Simon Quek, a bone specialist, for a second opinion to check if an amputation of her right hind leg is really necessary. The previous vet had said that Molly’s leg was broken in 3 places, but Dr Quek confirms that it was SEVEN instead! Our jaws just dropped when we heard that. It is very likely that she was hit by a car and has been living in pain for many months, as the injury seems to be very old. However, Molly has learnt to live with the pain and her body has grown numb to it. She even runs pretty fast using 3 legs. 

It was decided that amputation of her right hind leg will no longer be necessary since she seems to be coping well. What Molly’s owner needs to look out for now is pain, or if her knee bones start to jut out of her skin, as the bone has entirely snapped into 2 pieces and there is no union of the bones anymore. Our volunteers and Molly’s owner were extremely elated that Molly is able to keep her leg.

Molly enjoying her ice-cream as celebration of the awesome news!

Susan, the angel in Molly's life

As for Jill, she took another blood test at the vet, where 3 weeks ago she received a blood transfusion from Jewel. The blood test results this time showed that Jill’s blood count is almost normal and her life is no longer at risk. The blood test also revealed another miracle; Dr Quek said that he does not think that she has kidney failure although the initial results showed that she had. The only explanation we have for the initial diagnosis of kidney failure is that when we first rescued Jill, she was very ill, under nourished and probably had been ill for a long time as well. 

Jill having her vanilla ice-cream

Jill looking so much better!

Jill also had a poor diet, which led to malnutrition, therefore her kidney results were very bad. We are also now convinced that it is also unlikely that Jill has kidney failure at all as she was not displaying any symptoms of constant thirst. Patients with kidney failure drink water non-stop, but Jill does not.


It was a great day as not only did we receive simply good news, they were TWO miraculous pieces of good news! We decided to give both doggies a treat and took them out for some vanilla ice-cream after their visit to the vet. They were pleasantly surprised, licking and slurping up their ice-cream happily.


As you know, Jill has not been adopted yet; she is still waiting for a permanent home and the tender loving care she needs. The common concern was that she “won’t live very long”, but after reading this, most people will know that Jill is not going to depart anytime soon. Won’t you consider supporting her? If you are unable to adopt Jill, you can help out by sharing her story with friends and relatives.


Written by Natalie Chew

Jill's Updates

UPDATE (3 May, 10am): Jill saw Dr Dennis Choi the day before. Although there is still some bruising and clotting on her abdomen, Jill is happy and active. Her blood count has gone up to 27. Jill has lost quite some weight and now needs to eat well to put back the weight.

On Saturday at 11am Jill will go back to Mt P Hospital yet again to have another blood test done, to ensure that her blood level is maintained at a safe figure.

We thank friends and animal lovers who have offered to help with Jill's vet bills. We can't pray hard enough that she will find a family of her own soon.

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UPDATE (29 April, 10am): Jill's PCV has improved after the blood transfusion which was done on Wednesday night, thanks to our blood donor hero, Jewel. Jill's PCV is now 24%. However, Jill is not eating and drinking, which is a worrying sign. Volunteers will be bringing home cooked food to Jill to cajole her to eat. As there are no external signs of internal bleeding (swelling of the abdomen, etc), Dr Naan does not think that an ultrasound is necessary at the moment. They have assessed that even if there were to be bleeding internally, another surgery and GA may not be the best course of action as Jill may be too weak to pull through.

Dr Naan is unable to advise when Jill can be discharged. They will continue to monitor for signs that PCV is on a rising trend and stabilised, ensure that she is eating and drinking well and is bright and active before making a decision for the discharge.

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UPDATE (27 April, 11pm): After taking blood samples from both Rex and Jewel, we found a match with Jewel's blood for Jill. Jewel was then sedated, so she would not be unduly stressed, and 375ml of blood was taken from her. Friends and volunteers helped coordinate to bring Rex and Jewel to the clinic and we are extremely grateful to all who helped. When we left late at night, Jill was receiving Jewel's blood and Jewel was resting. We hope with this blood transfusion, Jill's PCV will go up to a normal level and her life will no longer be in danger.

Today Jill will also undergo an ultrasound as doctors have noticed bruising around her stomach region and are concerned with internal bleeding.

We can't tell you how upset and worried we are and we wish we could take her pain and suffering away from her. She has gone through so much in her sad life. We pray that Jill will find a home soon, filled with love and happiness.

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UPDATE (27 April, 8pm): Jill's PCV dropped to 16% and she urgently needs a blood transfusion. Jewel, a rescued dog as well as Rex, a Zeus Blood Donor, are on their way to donate blood to help Jill. Let's hope that their blood matches! Volunteers are very worried for Jill and we are desperate to find her a home. If you know of anyone who can take her in and make her life more worthwhile, please "share" this with them.
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UPDATE (27 April, 10am): Jill was sterilized and had two teeth extracted on Monday, 25 April at Mt Pleasant Animal Clinic (Redhill). During the surgery, her blood could not clot and she almost needed a blood transfusion. She was hospitalized  for one night. The next morning (Tuesday), she was transferred to Mt Pleasant Animal Hospital (Stevens Road) for further blood tests to find out why her blood was not clotting. 


The required blood tests were carried out and doctors found that Jill's PCV (Packed Cell Volume) dropped dangerously low to 20%. A healthy dog has a PCV percentage of at least 35%. Doctors reckon that the reason behind the drop in Jill's PCV could also be due to the fact that she lost some blood during her sterilization. Jill has been warded at the hospital and this morning, doctors will extract blood and do another test to check if her PCV has increased and if so, she will be discharged.

Jill has been through a lot. Words can't express what a sad and hard life she has had, one setback after another; one health issue after another. She is strong and takes everything that life throws her, in her stride. She holds no grudges and is an extremely happy dog, contented to just spend her days basking in the sun, taking short walks and feeling the grass beneath her feet. We don't want to blame anyone for neglecting or abusing her. 

All we want is to plead for a kind soul to please adopt Jill and give her a 

good, loving home.

If you have heard our pleas, please call 

Lynda 9757 2528 or email Fiona dogs_ink@singnet.com.sg.

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Having lived in a filthy, loveless environment for years with no proper care, Jill is now suffering from the harsh effects of being an ex-breeding dog. Her nightmare is finally over, but what remains is evident of how irresponsible and selfish some people can be. What irks me the most is that her captors and abusers have gotten away scot free while poor Jill is being hit hard by the aftermath of her past.

Lynda taking Jill to the Vet

Dr Ang snipping off some of Jill's fur to check for ringworms

Jill currently suffers from severe arthritis, a condition where the joints in the body swell badly, causing pain with every movement made. We reckon that Jill's arthritis was caused by having to stand or lie down for long periods, with little movement to exercise her joints, and also the lack of walks and sufficient exercise. The Vets had initially thought she might have bone cancer and Jill’s x-ray results were sent to Australia for a second opinion. Thankfully the results came back normal; that it was not bone cancer.

We brought renowned Animal Communicator, Ms Rosina Arquati, to visit Jack and Jill at the kennels when Rosina was in town for a series of workshops. Jill communicated to Rosina that her stomach was painful and uncomfortable from her years of over-breeding. Jill also said thank you for giving her a bigger kennel than what she was previously kept in. Jill limps when she stands after lying down for long periods of time. Jill is scared of thunder; if she is outside in the garden, she panics and tries to dash underneath things to hide. However, she is fine indoors. 

Jill communicated to this Animal Communicator that she felt unwell 

from the years of over-breeding

Jill and Jack with Ms Rosina

Sadly, Jill is also unwell from kidney failure. Jill desperately needs to find a home. She has been losing weight and the damp environment of the kennels are not helping much; she has contracted ringworms and her immunity is low. Jill needs canine massage for her limbs and Natasha will help her just like she previously helped Venus. Jill needs four sessions at $80 per session. 

If you would like to contribute to Jill's massage sessions, please email us at dogs_ink@singnet.com.sg

Ringworm is contagious and as Jill is on medication, we urgently need an experienced dog owner to foster or adopt her. We are running out of time - we do not want Jill's condition to deteriorate. She's come a long way; from the sad, lifeless look in her eyes when she was first rescued, don’t let her joy be short-lived. Where there was darkness, her eyes now shine with hope and gratitude. What she needs most is a home to go to, where she can experience the warmth of being accepted into a family and someone to cook nutritious meals for her. When there is love, miracles can happen. We know what Jill needs most right now and all we can do is to appeal and hope for someone to foster or adopt her.

Jill has lots of itchy spots and scabs all over her body

Her front legs are swollen again

I hope that you will consider giving Jill the hope that she so desperately needs. She doesn’t ask for a lot, just a comfortable bed, sufficient food and loving cuddles. For those who are unable to foster or adopt Jill, you can help by sharing her plight with your friends and family members. You'll never know - they might be able to help.

Darling Jill, sweet as ever‏

To give Jill a loving home, please contact: dogs_ink@singnet.com.sg (Fiona) or 9757 2528 (Lynda)

Written by Jo-Ann

Editor’s Note : Updates on the 8 breeding dogs – Of the 8 dogs rescued, all except Jill have been adopted. We have received quite a few enquiries on adopting Jill but the common conclusion was – “oh, she won’t live very long. Sorry we can’t take her.” WHY? Why do people look at what Jill can do for them? Why don’t they see what they can do for Jill? That even if they adopted her for a few short years, they would have made her the happiest dog on earth and that feeling alone is priceless.

Life Unleashed (Updates on the rescued breeding dogs)

These defenseless dogs had their lives snatched away from them when they were mere puppies. They lived lives of suffering and misery, living a pathetic existence they thought was normal, all because inhumane breeders were ruthless and only interested in making money.

Our volunteer, Irene, carrying June

This is June!

If you had the opportunity to meet any of the 8 dogs we rescued, we know you would have told us they were the sweetest and most trusting dogs you had ever seen. Why is it that despite being abused all their lives by humans, that these dogs still trust us? This is a lesson that I often believe animals were put on earth for – to teach humans how to trust, love and forgive. 

Look what a little love can do! Isn't June gorgeous?

Jack, a Labrador Retriever, is available for adoption

If you look into the eyes of these 8 dogs, you will see that there is life and hope in them again and this time, they know it’s a real life that they will be living.

We thank everyone who have contributed to the vet bills, who came to visit the dogs, buy them treats, cook for them, walk them, send them to the vets for follow up visits etc – we couldn’t have done it on our own. To those who came down for the adoption drive – glad you chose to adopt and not buy a pet.

Our adoption drive

The people who adopted the dogs did have some common feedback and it was sad to know that most (of the dogs) were terrified of walking on grass or walking on leash. These poor dogs were caged up for the most part of their lives and walking on grass or having the sun shine on their backs is something they never imagined they would ever experience. Raising them is like raising a puppy – the patience, the paper training, the input of language – because they had none. No one ever cared for them, talked to them or ever cared how they feel. That is why we are so very grateful to the overwhelming response from members of the public who wanted to adopt these dogs, despite being told they had tick fever, dry eyes, only half a set of teeth, etc


Cute little Jan has only half a set of teeth and has been adopted too!

Poor little Jan had many teeth extracted

Little Jan and her new family who loves her tremendously!

Junior (Japanese Spitz), now named Sammie, is enjoying his new life with his new family. He is still scared of walking on grass but we are quite sure that with lots of love and patience, he will eventually overcome that fear.

Junior in his new home

Comments from Junior's owner, May Young - 

Sammie (his new name) came to us  about two weeks ago. When he first came, he was reticent, reserved, passive and withdrawn. He didn't know what was play, good food, affection... didn't respond when he was called, and didn't look you in the eye. He stayed in one spot for the first week. I guessed he had never been on any surface except concrete, because when we put him on the grass, his steps were very tentative and nervous, and he was even afraid of steps... till this day he is afraid of going down steps, and we had to help him negotiate one step at a time, as in front legs then back legs on one step, and then repeat again for the next.

What a difference two weeks made.

Now he prances around the whole garden, seeking doors and openings where he can see us, waiting for the pats and strokes and treats we give him. When we are with him, he laps up all the attention and physical affection he can get, pressing his body against ours and even climbing up on our laps. He is no longer reserved and passive, but tears down the garden barking at dogs or people walking by. He is cheeky and full of life, enjoys the different kinds of food like liver, fish, and meat, whereas when he first came, he was only interested in rice. Sammie is a changed dog, we can see he is happy,  with hope in the glitter of his eye. 

I am glad I made a difference in Sammie's life.

Junior (Sammie) being loved by his new family

Jamie (Japanese Spitz), is the apple of the family’s eye. Jamie has a great fear of walking on leash and we have advised the family to leave the leash on her and let her walk at home, dragging the leash and just getting used to the fact that the leash is harmless.

Jade and June will go to their new homes at the end of February, while Jan and Ace are still settling in with their new families.

Remember Jill, who almost lost her life to money? Jill is getting stronger by the day. Although still underweight, you can see in her the will to live. She now loves her treats and enjoys her walks when we take her out. We know we can never erase her painful memories of being bred in captivity, but we’re trying our best to make up for lost time.

Jill

 Would you like to give Jill a home and the love she deserves?

We took Jill to the beach. The way her eyes shone, no money in the world can buy. It was a whole new world to her! She sniffed the air when we got out of the car. Jill is good with her walks; she doesn’t drag at all. She sniffed the grass before walking on it and we let her take her time, stopping to smell the roses. We had lunch at the beach and Jill ate a hamburger, vegetables and all. Then we took her to walk on sand and she showed no fear at all, occasionally stopping to sniff the sand, probably trying to figure out what this soft texture was. Then we headed back to the kennels for yet another meal that our volunteers had lovingly cooked for her and the other dogs.

Jill, loving life!

Jill at the beach and having the time of her life!



A few days back, Jill had to go to Mount Pleasant at Sunset Way for a digital x-ray. Both her front legs are not as swollen as it was initially when we first rescued her. Her legs seem more normal sized now, but we wanted to do the x-ray, for Jill, to be assured that there is nothing seriously wrong with her and to rule out the fact that she has bone cancer. Her x-ray results have been sent to Melbourne for a second opinion.

Jill looking sooo happy

Jack, weighing all of 38 kg, is a handsome lad or Lab now. A far cry from the scrawny dog we first laid eyes on. Walking Jack is a whole new ball game – he’ll take you for a roller coaster ride, for all of 3 minutes and then he needs a rest! Not because he is old, but simply because he has never ever left his kennel. Like us, he would need time to build up his stamina.

Jack the handsome lad? Handsome Lab?

We’re still hoping for Jack and Jill to find true love. For now, they are still staying at the boarding kennels and we understand that most people live in HDB apartments and thus cannot adopt a medium sized dog. However, if you have space in your backyard or driveway, won’t you please give Jack or Jill your yard? We assure you that they are undemanding and would be most grateful to you for renewing their faith in mankind.




Written by Fiona

Bred In Captivity

Call it what you want; puppy mill, backyard breeders . . . .they all mean the same evil. All breed in captivity. The only difference is evil on a smaller or larger scale.

Begging for help

There is no such thing as a 'good' puppy mill. These dogs used for breeding are destined to spend their lives in filthy, small cages, sleeping in their own waste....no grooming, no attention, no exercise, no love. Many have never seen sunlight nor ever walked on grass. They are FORCED to breed at every heat, a minimum of twice a year. Breeders do not run the business for the 'love' of seeing puppies being born and put in good homes. They run it entirely for the love of money.

Is there no end to their suffering?

What crime did she commit?



Imagine you were locked in a tiny room, the size of a toilet cubicle, for a week, with another person. That would mean you hardly have room to move, stretch or lie down to sleep and if you did lie down, it would be in your own pee and poo. You have not had a shower for a week and you stink. Your “roommate” is the “alpha dog” who eats all your food or whatever little food is thrown into your tiny room, leaving you with hardly enough to fill your tummy. Some days he attacks you leaving you with injuries and wounds left untreated. You have drinking water but your alpha roommate has probably peed in it. You are filthy, hurt, unwell, hungry, undernourished and with no hope in sight. You cry and scream yourself hoarse but there is no way out. This probably is just an awful nightmare that you would wake up from, but for breeding dogs, this is a reality and it’s not just for a week. It is for their entire life; from probably 6 months old, to the time they die. THERE IS NO WAY OUT. NO END TO THEIR SUFFERING. These breeding dogs are treated worse than our most dangerous criminals, yet, THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG.

No love, no grooming, no attention

In this awful dream that you can wake up to, how do you get out of the hell hole? You can only be saved by someone’s kindness. The same goes for these breeding dogs – they can only be saved by human kindness. 

Jill was extremely ill and no medical attention was given to her

Are there no laws to keep these dogs in decent living conditions; well-fed and cared for? Is there quality control? Are there humane conditions to meet?

Over the weekend, we rescued 8 breeding dogs; 3 stud dogs and 5 bitches. The stench from the dogs was overpowering. It was obvious they had been neglected for a long time. Instead of a white Maltese or Japanese Spitz, we got brown dogs stinking of urine. Their coats were dry and hard from urine stains and their eyes so dirty, some had their eyes literally glued shut. Many of them had their tongues sticking out because despite being relatively young at 3 to 5 years of age, they were probably malnourished and had teeth decay. Many had only half a set of teeth. Those who still have a full set of teeth will have at least half pulled out when the vet is done seeing them.

Just rescued

Finally in good hands

Initially terrified of humans

When we rescued them, they had no life in their eyes. They stared blankly with hopelessness and they were terrified of humans; constantly trying to run into corners to escape our grasps. As far as they knew, humans were horrible people who tortured and abused them. We needed to change their mindsets. We assured and cuddled them. Our team of volunteers took almost 5 hours to clean all 8 dogs; many of whom still smelled damp and moldy after a bath.

Getting a good bath

They were then fed their first decent meal in their entire life – minced beef with broccoli and rice, lovingly cooked by Chen and family. We watched as they ate; it was sad observing that many of them went for the white rice and quickly lapped it up. With breeding dogs, it’s usually one bowl of kibbles or white rice, free for all. The stronger and bigger ones eat first and the weaker and smaller ones get nothing. It broke our hearts that they didn’t even know what good meat was. We had to literally force small pieces of meats into their mouth and after a few chews, did they realize it was nice food. Some did not know how to eat from their food bowls and spent their time licking food scraps from the floor. It was a painful sight.

Extremely dirty ears





Bad teeth



No front teeth

After their bath, their first decent meal and many cuddles later; it was amazing how these dogs seemed like different dogs. They somehow knew we were there to help. They had gone from being down, lifeless dogs left in the gallows with no hope in sight, to having a new lease on life! All the dogs begged for us to give them that soft touch of a human hand, that little pat on their heads, pats that they had yearned for all these years in their cages. Their eyes seemed to light up, they started barking and seemed like . . . .dogs!

 

This little Yorkie girl had a wound on her head, left untreated for quite a while

Sadness in their eyes

We put them in an open area and let them run. Many did not even dare to run. They were so used to being caged up, that freedom with no boundaries seemed terrifying. We had to call and encourage them to run. Some slipped and fell because they never knew that they could run or what their legs were capable of doing. After a few minutes of stumbling and sliding, they started running and playing like little children. It was a sight to behold. Happiness! Freedom! Was our entire weekend spent bathing, cleaning, nursing, feeding them, washing kennels, etc in the rain worth it? You bet!

We have helped with puppy mill and breeding dogs in the past and have seen worst conditions. Almost all will have many teeth pulled out. Some are bowlegged from standing in a small cage all his / her life, some die a slow death from neglect and illness.

 Of the 8 dogs we rescued, Jill is the worst of the lot.

 The remaining 7 dogs will go to the Vet for their full medical check-ups in the next few days. Their dentals and sterilization will be done when they are stronger and healthier. For now, we just want to ensure they have no underlying illnesses such as anemia, tick fever, heartworm etc

 It has been pouring these past few days and these little toys dogs are in kennels as we don’t have fosters or homes for them just yet. We know they are cold, shivering and uncertain of what their future brings.

STOP BREEDING MISERY

Years of suffering reflected in her eyes

THESE BREEDING DOGS WERE NOT GIVEN SECOND CHANCES AND NEITHER SHOULD THEIR BREEDERS

We’re not saying stop the sale of pets. We are just asking for human kindness and a decent standard in breeding. 

You can help in the following ways;

1) Foster a dog or two. They are all friendly and non-aggressive. They will need your patience in paper training them, giving them language, confidence and social skills. Very much like raising a puppy.

2) Adopt a dog.

3) Help with their boarding fees

4) Help with their medical bills

There are a few more breeding and stud dogs left behind. Sadly, we are limited by funds, resources, manpower and we can’t save them all.

Available for adoption;

1) Female Japanese Spitz – Jamie, estimated 2 years old

2) Male Japanese Spitz – Junior , estimated 2 – 3 years old

3) Female Yorkshire Terrier – Jade, estimated 3 years old

4) Male Yorkshire Terrier – Ace, estimated 3 – 4 years old

5) Female Maltese – June, estimated 3 to 5 years old

6) Female Maltese – Jan, estimated 3 to 5 years old

7) Male Golden Retriever – Jack, estimated 6 years old

8) Female Golden Retriever – Jill, estimated 5 to 6 years old, for fostering. She is weak and unwell. Needs lots of nutritious food and TLC.

 Sometimes female dogs die trying to deliver that last litter from an overworked uterus. Their puppies often come with very expensive health issues requiring complicated treatments such as hip and joint problems, and major organ dysfunctions. Have you wondered why your pedigree puppy goes to the vet so often? Why it is plagued with skin and health issues?

We wish that everyone who has ever purchased a puppy from a pet shop could have seen and smelt these breeding dogs when they were first rescued.

We will never understand how breeders can go to bed each night, knowing that these animals are bred in captivity. Animals who are perfectly capable of feelings and emotions. One thing is for sure; our exhausted volunteers will go to bed at night, with visions of smiling dogs that they have just saved.

To offer help in any way, please email us dogs_ink@singnet.com.sg

For all the dogs bred in captivity, dont give up. There IS hope.

Written by Fiona