How to plan a rescue
By Tay Zoe-Yi
While the amount of strays in campus have significantly decreased compared to past years, there are still a good number of them, stray dogs especially, wagging their tails around the parking lot areas. This is extremely dangerous. With the large volumes of cars passing by daily, these strays are in high risk of getting injured in an accident. The environment of the parking area in Taylor’s is not suitable for animals (and sometimes, humans) to be wandering around. Needless to say, it is not safe for strays to stay under these harsh conditions.
Therefore, the best solution is to take action and transfer and rehouse these strays to the safety of an animal shelter. But due to the increased amount of strays in our country, many shelters operated by independent rescue groups are already full, and are in need of urgent financial support to keep the place running. Often times, these organizations also do not have enough manpower to go to certain locations to rescue a stray. So this is where you come in as an independent rescuer.
What are independent rescuers? Independent rescuers are individuals who volunteer to help non-profit animal welfare organizations reallocate stray animals. Their job is to collect these stray animals and bring them to local animal shelters or assist in sending strays for a visit to the vet prior their migration to shelters or homes. Sounds simple enough right? Now all you have to do is just remember and follow these few steps and precautions closely and you’re good to go.
Dogs are sentient beings that deserve to be treated with care and respect.
Save a stray dog today and give them a second chance in life.
Step 1: Go prepared
Once you’ve pinpointed the usual sightings of the stray, bring some old towels and newspapers along with you or maybe a cardboard box for puppies or injured strays. Bring some dog food, treats and clean water along with plastic containers to serve them with. To be safe, always have these items stored in your car, as you would never know when you might come across a stray that requires immediate attention.
Step 2: Approach the stray
This is the most crucial part of the process. Most strays would generally be attracted to food and water but some may be extra cautious of humans out of fear or distrust. When approaching a stray, remember to lower down your body stance (squat or kneel down) so your eye level is parallel to theirs. Then, slowly reach out your hand with your palm facing upwards holding some food or treats. Remember to speak softly. If they are extremely scared, try leaving the food and water in place and turn or walk away to wait for the stray to come.
Step 3: Examine for cuts or wounds
Now that you have gained their trust or established an acquaintanceship, it’s time to do a minor examination and check for any visible wounds or injury on the stray. Always remember to be gentle and cautious when petting strays, as you may not know what would irritate them and cause them to attack. Do not attempt to tend to any injuries on your own. It’s best to leave the fixing and patching to certified veterinarians.
Step 4: All aboard
To get them in to your vehicle, you can either lure them in with treats, or simply carry them in. If they are injured, be extra careful when moving them. Also, remember to prep your car before you bring them in. Layer the floors of your vehicle with newspapers and prepare a few towels to put on your passenger seat. If you are planning to put them in a box, remember to put in a few towels as well for their comfort on the journey.
Step 5: Make a call
With the stray all settled in your car, you are now good to go. But before you step on that pedal, you should first phone a few nearby vets to check on their operating hours the availability of a doctor. If you are doing a rescue out of operating hours, be sure to contact the emergency hotline of the Animal Medical Centre (03-40426742) that works from 9pm to 7am. Another option is to contact animal welfare organizations such as Malaysian Independent Animal Rescue (MIAR) or Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better (MDDB) for further support or directions.
Step 6: Visit the vet
This step is self-explanatory. Just head to a vet and leave the rest to the staffs and doctors. Be sure to bring enough cash to cover the basic vaccination procedures. If you can’t afford the fees you can always seek donations via animal welfare organizations.
Step 7: Decide
At the end of the day, when the rescue process comes to an end, it’s time to choose; whether to send it to a shelter, to foster them or to straight away adopt them. Ideally, this decision should have been made beforehand. If you did not plan it out, don’t fret. Because whichever choice you make from this point onwards, you have already changed the fate of that stray dog or cat.
So you see, with just a little contribution you can save the lives of strays and help give them a second chance to start over in life. So if you have always wanted to start a rescue mission, hesitate no more. Just follow the steps provided above and you’re all set. For further information, visit the Facebook pages of SPCA, Malaysian Independent Animal Rescue (MIAR) and Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better (MDDB) or any other non-profit animal welfare organizations.