Something that influence my life: Animals.
I grew up surrounding by animals.From having my first cat at five years old till having 20 of them now. Together with the cats, I have two additional cheeky dogs at home.
My two cheeky dogs ! Chester on the left and Momo on the right .
Because of my love for animals, I aspire to be a vet since young. I want to be one who is able to cure the sufferings or pain from the ones who could not speak out. Thus during my poly days, I studied veterinary Bioscience. However after graduation, I came to realize that the journey to a vet career is costly. My family could not afford it so I gave up the slot that a university offered to me.
Following my passion, I volunteered at a shelter -SOSD every weekends and do re-homing. That was when I learnt so much values in life. Many of the dogs in the shelter been through much hardships.
Some of them was abused before, confined, abandoned to strive on their own when they was domesticated. Yet, they never gave up in life. Every time when volunteers visit them, they are always so wagging their tails like it was the happiest moment of their life. Just a little kindness from us was something important to them. I believe that this not only apply to animals, but even for people too. Little kindness action will bright up someone’s day or even change their life.
Just like how when I help to re-home abandoned helpless kittens and cats. There are so many screenings to be done to ensure that the home is suitable. It is a tedious process but the efforts put in will find them a place where they truly call home. I realize that what I did may not have change anything in the world, but I know I have changed their entire world.
Other than weekly volunteering, I took up the role of SOS rescue team at SOSD. The SOS rescue team main role is to help stray dogs that are in need. We have a hotline and email address that public members can contact us to inform us about any dogs in distress.
At that point of time, I was working full time while handling the rescue team on a volunteering basis. The role was not easy. On most days, I see the ugly side of humanity. I get nasty calls threatening us to save stray dogs at the area before authority comes and cull them because they do not like to see them in their living area. Owners giving up their dogs just because they are no long cute and cuddly.
This is Migo, one of my first rescues. He was infested with ticks due to negligence of his owner. Eventually the owner wanted to euthanize him as they did not want to care for him any more.
SOSD shelter took him in and provided him the medical attention that was required. He is now officially adopted and has a place he calls home!
Authority would give us a list of dogs with their pictures, asking us which to one we would like to save. Most of the time, the shelter is often filled to the brim, so we could only offer to save a few usually. As for the rest which we or other animal welfare organization did not have a chance to save, they will be euthanized. I hated the fact that we were the one that decides their fate. These strays did not have a chance to even try to survive on their own. These strays use to roam around forest and field. But the lands were cleared to building house estates for people eventually. They ended up with nowhere to go and eventually began roam into housing estates in search for shelter.
These incidents taught me to be more tolerant to each other difference. Sometimes you may not know if the other party is having a hard time which they did not say. Sometimes the other party may have grew up in an difficult environment which resulted in what they did.
When I think back, I am really glad that I am brought up in a house with animals. This is because they taught how me how to be a better person and play a part in shaping who I am now.
Hi Joey,
Its great to see you helping the stray animals, just like the one in our school.
However in your sentence “I grew up surrounding my animals”,
did you meant “I grew up surrounded by animals”?
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Hi KangYu,
Thank you for pointing my mistake out. 🙂 I have made changes to it .
Cheers,
Joey
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Thank you, Joey, for this heartfelt reflection. I’m sorry that you had to give up a slot in the university, but it makes me happy to see how you have reacted to that disappointment through a concerted effort to follow your passion. 🙂
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Hi Brad,
Thank you for the encouragement!
Giving up the slot in the university made me realize that I have other alternatives to follow my passion. 🙂
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Hi Joey, glad to know more about you as a friend after reading your post! I understand where you are coming from as I love animals a lot too. I always yearn to own a pet of my own, but I know that I’m may not be good enough to be able to give these animals what they really need. The society needs more people like you to care for them! 🙂
Cheers!
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Hi Peiyan,
Thank you for the encouragement! 🙂
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Hi Joey, glad to know more about you as a friend after reading your post! I understand where you are coming from as I love animals a lot too. I always yearn to own a pet of my own, but I know that I’m may not be good enough to be able to give these animals what they really need. The society needs more people like you to care for them! 🙂
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Hello Joey!
Thanks for sharing about your animal friends. It was really interesting to read! I am glad that animals have impacted you positively and shaped who you are today. Although I have only known you for a few months, you are indeed some who is kind and compassionate. 🙂
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Hi Joey,
I am glad that you took out some of your time to volunteer to help these animals. We need more people like you that cares for animals and help them! Happy to hear that these animals played a part in shaping you into who you are now. 🙂
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