Pickles has moved into a fancy condo with a huge terrace of her own. Photo: Didi and Nikki Pirinyuang
There are more dumped and abandoned pets than there are homes. But a lucky few each year are picked up by shelters and rescuers before being matched with good forever homes.
We talk to families who are celebrating the season with their perfect furry match.
Two months ago, Stephanie Siew, a home baker in Puchong Jaya, Selangor, picked up The Star, opened it, and spotted Midnight in Dog Talk’s Adopt Me box in StarLifestyle.
“Midnight was just like Trekker, our Labrador who passed away last year aged 15,” Siew confides.
“We had been talking about getting another dog, so I showed his picture to my daughters, Wingky and Yinnfy.”
The girls loved the idea but Siew’s husband hesitated as he prefers pedigrees.
“We discussed it but Wingky and Yinnfy said to adopt, not shop – they wanted to help a shelter dog,” Siew reveals.
“When we spoke to (independent pet rescuer) Sherrina, she said she had two lookalikes, Midnight and Ceaser. She sent me photos, we met up and the girls picked Ceaser.”
The ladies fell in love with Ceaser instantly and to their surprise, dad turned out to be a massive fan too!
Ceaser found his forever home through StarLifestyle. He had been rescued by an independent pet rescuer. Photo: Sherrina Krishnan-Leyow
“Ceaser is such a good boy,” Siew laughs. “He’s the soldier as he patrols our gate, just like a furry jaga. Our Trekker never did that.
“When my husband comes home, Ceaser is all over him, asking to be loved. My husband can’t even get his shoes off. He has to talk to Ceaser first.
“I think Ceaser appreciates that we took him in. We all love him so much. We’re so happy to have adopted him that we are now sharing adoption posts with our friends. We’re hoping to help other dogs find their homes, too.”
The second Junie Ohng, a physics teacher in Penang, saw Mango, she fell in love.
“I remember it so clearly, even the date,” Ohng says. “It was March 8, 2021. The sign by her cage in SPCA Penang said she was four years old, and I thought, that’s the girl for me!”
So she took her home, and Mango quickly settled in. She is queen of the house, to the point where she’s not fond of strangers coming in.
“She tried to chase away the plumber who came to fix a pipe for us,” Ohng giggles. “He was quite frightened by her. Now, when he rings, he first asks if the cat is there.”
Her tough attitude to visitors aside, the pretty cat with long fur is quite an aristocat, eating her fill of luxury food and enjoying the finer things in life.
“Mango loves music,” Ohng shares. “Every evening after dinner, she will jump up on the piano and wait for me to play for her. Sometimes she tries to play too, putting her paws on the keys along with me.”
Sadly, the feline pianist isn’t going to hit the concert circuit soon as she plays a lot of wrong notes.
Mango likes to tinker on the piano with her ‘mum’. Photo: Junie Ohng
“We also watch Korean and Chinese dramas together,” Ohng says.
“My mum likes to sit on the floor but Mango prefers to sit next to me on the sofa. Because she’s shorter than me, I bought a box for her to sit on. It elevates her so she doesn’t need to strain her eyes looking up at the screen.”
Mango is a keen fan because – when Ohng’s mum blocks her view, Mango puts out her paw to move her head.
“She also loves adverts,” Ohng confesses. “The animated ones are her favourite.”
After the TV fest, Mango lies belly-up on the sofa and invites her friends to pet her. And to complete her life of luxury, Christmas is coming up.
“She’s a fan of furry balls,” Ohng says. “She plays with them all the time. But for Christmas this year, I bought her a feather teaser. It can be attached to the glass (window) so she can also play with it when I’m out.”
Remember the little blind dog Pickles who was rescued by PAWS back in October 2018 and then adopted by the Pirinyuang sisters, Nikki and Didi?
Well, Pickles has once again upgraded her lifestyle, moving into a fancy condo with a huge 1,000sq ft terrace of her own!
“With the MCO, we decided we needed a bit more space,” Didi, creative director at an ad agency, giggles. “So Pickles now has her own domain. The terrace is entirely hers.”
Pickles now starts every day with a quiet suntan session, lying in a sun puddle on her private deck up in the sky. And that’s not all.
“Pickles is a lot more confident,” Didi notes. “We go for daily walks and she’s off-leash too. I can’t be sure, it might just be the time she’s had but I think that being off-leash also gives her more of a sense of control.”
The little dog is extremely clever, listening to her mum’s voice for directions. In addition, having her own stamping ground adds predictability.
“Most of the dogs we meet like her,” Didi says. “Also everyone we meet wants to pet her and Pickles just laps it up. She’s full of herself!
“But when we see a stranger, I put the leash on, just in case. Pickles tenses as she’s not in control but it’s OK.”
Pickles is very clever, picking up words and games easily. At the moment, her best game is playing fetch. This is unusual for a blind dog, but Pickles plays with a treat ball.
“She fetches by sound and scent,” Didi confides. “It’s good for exercise and we both enjoy it. And when she misses, that’s OK too.”
Of course Pickles is in for Christmas treats galore. She’s also getting a new water bowl and there’s a Santa outfit in play.
“That’s for me,” Didi smiles. “Pickles dresses up for me but I know she’s saying, ‘Muuuuuum, why do you do this to me?’”
As she talks, Pickles is laughing, tongue lolling. “I can’t imagine life without her,” Didi confesses. “She brings me joy every day.”
Merry Christmas!
Adopt Me
Angel celebrates her fourth birthday this month. This sweet girl is healthy, vaccinated and spayed.
Angel is up for adoption. Photo: Paws/Celine Chum
Angel is a happy girl who loves people. She’s also very active! Angel loves to run and she adores attention. A perfect family pet or runner’s companion.
Interested adopters, please contact PAWS and ask for Angel, Tag Number: D010 (2020.12.05) at PAWS Animal Welfare Society, Jalan PJU 1A/20, Ara Damansara, 47301 Subang, Selangor (mobile: 011-2193 5651/ website: paws.org.my).
