KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 ― Retiree Mary Lee Yok Bee has been actively doing community work all her life.
Her last community work was helping government clinics to register patients.
“But when the Health Ministry reverted to online registration, volunteers like me became redundant.”
Then one day, she was introduced to the work of rescuing strays by a member of a non-governmental organisation and Lee has not looked back since.
“I started rescuing on my 60th birthday where I took home a mother dog with her six puppies.”
Speaking to Malay Mail from Seremban, Lee's volunteer work has now been extended to a shelter ― FurryKids Safehaven.
The 64-year-old Lee said besides attending to the dogs, she also spends her time talking to people to look for funds for the shelter, which is in the midst of being relocated from Mambau to Kuala Sawah.
The shelter, which houses 1,800 dogs, was in the news previously after 54 of its residents drowned during a flood in November.
Lee said the shelter was still short of RM350,000 to construct an office, adoption centre, a clinic, kennels for puppies and handicapped dogs as well as a small house for the shelter manager.
“We have moved 600 dogs from Mambau to Kuala Sawah and placed them at a free-roaming area.”
“In the meantime, construction is ongoing to build a workers quarters and kitchen,” said Lee of the new 6.6 acres site, adding that they hoped to be able to move in by April 1.
Aside from the construction fund, Lee, who is a committee member of FurryKids, said the shelter also needs RM100,000 monthly to run it.
“It includes rental for the land, electricity and water, food and medical cost for the dogs,” she said, adding that the shelter employs 10 workers to look after the dogs.
Being a public-funded shelter, Lee is appealing to the people to help them
“We get daily calls to rescue sick, injured and abandoned dogs off the streets,” she said, adding that the rescued ones are mostly brutally injured, paralysed or had Transmissible venereal tumours (TVT).
Those who wish to donate can do so to Persatuan Penyelamat Haiwan Terbiar Furrykids Safehaven at CIMB Bank(Account number 8009081090) or PayPal: [email protected].
You can also use this link to donate any amount.
All donations are tax-exempted.
