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A haven for strays DOGS come in all shapes and sizes and they each have their own stories to tell.
In Lima Kedai, a town between Gelang Patah and Skudai in Johor Baru, there is a shelter that houses more than 150 canines.
Last year, there were only 20 dogs in this 0.4ha shelter.
When the number of canine occupants grew, the savings of the 49-year-old woman who ran the place started to deplete.
The woman, who only wanted to be known as Aunty Jia Jia, said she was not even a dog lover to begin with.
It all started when her daughter, then 10, brought home a stray puppy.
"I didn't like dogs, so I told my daughter not to take the puppy in. My daughter obeyed but she secretly fed the puppy outside our compound. One day, we heard a dog's shrill cry but we ignored it until our neighbour told us that the dog had been caught by a dog catcher.
"Our neighbour said the dog catcher had used a device to leash it and forced the terrified dog into a lorry. The neighbour said it was such a pitiful sight as the dog catcher hit and kicked the dog."
Aunty Jia Jia said when her daughter heard the story, she cried for days.
"Although I never liked dogs, the story made my heart cringe. After that, my daughter continued to help strays and I was touched by her devotion."
At 20, her daughter brought home another stray and, this time, she (her daughter) stood her ground.
"My daughter told me she would leave home and never come back if I drove the dog out of the house."
Her dog soon gave birth and with the addition of more strays, the number of pets in her house grew to 10.
The number multiplied and, in no time, Aunty Jia Jia found that she had run out of money.
Last year, she sold her double-storey terrace house in Kuala Lumpur to take care of her dogs.
"People approach me when they find out that I love dogs. There was one woman who told me she had to migrate, so she gave me her dog but it was not neutered.
"When I asked her to neuter it, she said the dog was no longer hers and that there was no need for her to do it.
"Some people once brought a dog and its litter of eight puppies. In the beginning, they brought dog biscuits and told me that they needed a place for the dogs as they could not keep them in their house.
"A couple of weeks later, they stopped supplying the food and refused to take my calls. There was one occasion when they even denied being the owners of these dogs.
"I've encountered so many types of people since I started the shelter a year ago. The land owner has been kind as I pay only a low rent. But even though the rent is low, the vaccination, medication, spaying and food cost up to RM10,000 a month.
"It's not easy running a shelter," she said, adding that two bags of dog food (22kg each) were needed every day.
Despite the pressures of keeping the shelter afloat, Aunty Jia Jia can still smile and enjoy the pleasure that her adopted pets bring.
"I must tell you the story of a mongrel called Little Flower, who was rescued from a drain when it was a puppy. An elderly couple picked it up. The puppy had fractured its pelvic, we suspected it had fallen into the drain in the night. The puppy is now an energetic young dog.
"Then there is Lucky. If you look closely, you will see that Lucky has a scar on its ridge. It got the scar from a dog catcher who was hitting its face with a stick.
"A woman ran up to the dog catcher and paid RM250 to save the dog's life. She gave it to me."
Aunty Jia Jia's daughter, who is now 25, helps her mother at the shelter. She is studying law. Her childhood friend, R. Mohan Kumar, 22, also a law student, volunteers at the shelter.
All the dogs are vaccinated, spayed and are fed only dry kibble.
"It is essential that we follow the guidelines to keep all the dogs in our shelter healthy," she said.
Veterinarian Dr Tan Check Nam helps out at the shelter to ensure this.
"Aunty Jia Jia doesn't believe in putting down any of the dogs unless it is beyond help. I have treated dogs that have been badly abused.
"There was one dog that was brought to the shelter with one eye protruding. Aunty Jia Jia insisted that we save the dog," Dr Tan said.
The shelter is going to be relocated as the owner is selling the land. Aunty Jia Jia has found another location, also in Lima Kedai. She is in the process of registering the shelter as the Homeless and Orphaned Pets Exist Association (HOPE).
The shelter is appealing for funds and dog food.
"We want to help and rescue strays but we do not have the manpower or the resources to take in more dogs. We appeal to dog owners to have their pets spayed."
"We also hope dog lovers will adopt the dogs at the shelter. There are no charges but we would appreciate it if they could donate dog food. That would help us to keep the shelter going."
Those who wish to help can call Mohan at 016-7908373.
Aunty Jia Jia with her adopted pets. — Pictures by Chuah Bee Kim
Little Flower was rescued from a drain when it was a puppy.
Dr Tan Check Nam checking one of the pups.
A woman paid a dog catcher RM250 to rescue Lucky from being beaten to death.
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