IPOH, April 5 — Former corporate highflyer Jady Ong used to get excited whenever she closed a deal.
Now, the 41-year-old gets a different kind of “high” — seeing her rescues get rehomed with good families.
Speaking to Malay Mail via telephone from Bukit Mertajam, Penang, the independent rescuer said her rescue journey started in 2018 after she left her corporate job.
“At that time, I just wanted to take a break and do the things that I liked. When I was working in my previous job, I was only at home for a few days in a month as other times I will be flying all over the world.”
Initially, Ong had wanted to rest for three months but one week after leaving the company, she decided to take in two dogs.
From the two dogs, she started to feed strays in her housing area before moving to rescuing.
“I just could not see the strays suffer and I decided to do something about it.”
When Ong started to rescue, she neutered or spayed strays that she could catch.
“It just pains me to see strays giving birth to more strays.”
As time passed, Ong’s rescues got more complicated as they involved a lot of medical issues and costs.
“I would fork out my own money to treat my rescues.”
Worried that Ong was putting in too much of her own money to help strays, her friends suggested that she start a fund by getting donations from the public.
“But it is not my character to ask for money from strangers. That is when one of my friends suggested that I bake.”
And that is how Ong’s baking venture Rescued by Love kicked off in February.
“When my friends prodded me to set up a fund, I was treating a rescued husky.”
.png)
The husky, now named Honey, was suffering from pyometra and prolapsed vagina due to uncontrolled breeding, said Ong.
“I persuaded the former owner to handover Honey to me after he refused to get it treated as he could not afford the medical bills.”
Recently, the veterinarian treating Honey found out that she was suffering from cancer of the mouth.
“The doctor had given Honey four chemotherapy jabs,” said Ong, adding that the cost to treat Honey had to date reached some RM2,000.
Looking back, Ong does not regret walking out of the corporate world.
“Yes, I was drawing a big pay cheque when I was working in the private sector but seeing my rescues transform into something better, that is one feeling that money cannot buy.”
All profits from Ong’s bakery goes to her rescue medical fund.
She bakes cookies, butter cakes and layer cakes while her friend makes sourdough bread. Her prices range between RM35 and RM45.
She needs one-day notice for cake orders, two days for bread and a week for the layer cake.
Ong can be contacted via Rescued by Love Facebook page.
