Owners and their pets enjoying a visit to the Furry Hopes Pet Carnival in Gurney Paragon Mall, George Town. — Photos: CHAN BOON KAI and KT GOH/The Star
OWNING a pet is one of life’s greatest joys and the bond between human and animal can last a lifetime.
This came into sharp focus at two events in George Town, Penang, where owners had a fun day out with their pets and where the message of adoption was highlighted.
At Pawradise Pet Carnival 2024, student Mikael Daniel Mohd Farizal, 13, happily shared about his eight cats.
“My family has had cats for as long as I can remember.
“The current ones are all strays from around my house. I fed them and they adopted me.
“Some of them like to hop onto my bed and curl up with me when I sleep.
“They are actually very gentle, affectionate and easy to care for,” said the teenager who was an event volunteer at Straits Quay retail marina in Tanjung Tokong.
Leow (right) and Lew with Tang Yuen at Pawradise Pet Carnival in Tanjung Tokong.
Leow Zi Shuang and Lew Wei Sheng, meanwhile, dote on their 15-month-old British Shorthair named Tang Yuen.
The couple likes cats as they are quieter and easier to care for.
“We love how cute and playful Tang Yuen is. When he was a kitten, he fell quite sick and we were afraid of losing him. Luckily, he recovered,” said Leow.
Dogs are said to be “man’s best friend” for good reason.
They are loyal towards and protective of their human companions and are usually very obedient.
Some are also not averse to modelling, as evident during the Beachwear Pageant that was part of Furry Hopes Pet Carnival 2024 at Gurney Paragon Mall.
Five-year-old Coco the Wonderdog, clad in a Hawaiian shirt, garlands and sunglasses, took first place and filled owner Soo Ee with pride.
“We go for walks every day and sometimes even travel around Malaysia,” said Soo.
The top three Furry Hopes Pet Carnival 2024 Beachwear Pageant winners Coco and Soo (centre), runner-up Yang Yi and Teoh (left) and third-placed Brownie and Chin.
Second place went to Jacky Teoh’s 10-month-old Schnauzer Yang Yi, while third was Catry Chin’s nine-month-old Shih Tzu-Poodle mix, Brownie.
Pet groomer Teoh said it was important for dog owners to train their fur babies from young, as this would make them easier to handle.
“Yang Yi’s really well-behaved when we are out and about.
“She enjoys dressing up and going for shows, like any elegant lady would,” Teoh added.
Chin, a daycare centre principal, said: “We got Brownie from a friend after our previous dog passed away.
“We are big dog lovers and he is like a little brother to me.
“Dogs are great companions. He has brought us lots of wonderful memories.”
Angie giving a peck to her beloved cockatiel Pichako.
Birds make great pets too, if you ask Angie Choong.
The 12-year-old was spotted with Pichako, a 10-month-old cockatiel – a medium-sized parrot that is part of the cockatoo family.
She got Pichako as a gift from her father after acing her Grade Six piano exams, and girl and bird have become inseparable.
“He’s my best friend and gets anxious when I leave him alone at home. He’ll squawk a lot and won’t eat.
“It shows that animals are smart and have feelings too,” said Angie.
Pampered pets
Whether pedigree or formerly stray, many pets live a pampered life as owners spoil them with various luxuries.
They have their own beds and toys, cute outfits and even gourmet food – which span from hot dogs to ice-cream.
And there is a thriving market for it. Leow and Lew, who run Kayaaaa Pet Snacks offering animal food fortified with vitamins, said business has been good.
“The pet market is certainly booming. People are willing to spend on their fur babies,” said Leow.
Standard Insights’ Consumer Report Malaysia 2023, a survey of over 1,000 Malaysians, showed that just over half or 51.1%, owned pets. Of this, 26.4% had multiple pets.
Of the 48.9% of respondents who did not own pets, 26.2% expressed an interest in owning one.
Which is why an increasing number of establishments around the state, from malls to cafes, are making their premises pet-friendly.
Chin said this allowed pet owners like herself to take their furry friends out for family outings on weekends.
“We don’t need to crack our heads searching for places to go.
“We hate to leave Brownie at home, as it feels like there’s someone missing at mealtime,” she said.
Koay says an increasing number of owners are giving their pets elaborate send-offs.
Besides pampering their pets when alive, many are also smoothening their journey into the afterlife, said My Pet Funeral founder TC Koay.
His company offers bespoke send-offs for departed pets, complete with paraphernalia and prayer rituals according to their human owners’ religious beliefs.
When the business started six years ago, they handled roughly five pet funerals a month, Koay said.
“Today, the number averages between 100 and 120 a month.
“More and more pet owners see their pets as family members rather than just animals.
“Perhaps it is a generational shift or awareness that such products are available on the market.
“When we started, most people scoffed at the idea of pet funerals.
“But now, owners want to send their pets off just like they would a human loved one,” Koay added.
Second chance at life
When people consider getting a pet, particularly dogs and cats, many immediately think of purchasing purebreds from a pet shop.
However, adopting a stray is a good alternative. They are equally capable of being lovable and loyal pets while requiring less maintenance.
As most strays are mixed breeds, they are believed to have better genetic diversity and stronger immunity.
Known as hybrid vigour, this could make them less susceptible to hereditary diseases.
Strays are also known to easily bond with people who show them compassion, and will respond with affection, trust and loyalty.
Coco is a great example. Soo rescued him off the streets of Ipoh, Perak, as a puppy.
Visitors to Furry Hopes Pet Carnival checking out some of the rescued stray puppies put up for adoption.
“It’s more meaningful when you adopt a homeless animal.
“There’s a misconception that stray dogs are fierce.
“Some are calmer and more obedient than pedigree ones,” she said.
Hugs and Mugs founder Khoo Siew Bee, who ran an adoption drive for stray kittens at Pawradise Pet Carnival, concurs.
She sells pet supplies and merchandise at such events and donates all profits to shelters like Cat Beach in Teluk Bahang and feeders around the Tanjung Tokong or Pulau Tikus areas.
“Some feeders struggle financially and need help.
“They regularly go to wet markets to round up strays and get them deflead, dewormed and vaccinated,” said Khoo.
“We will then try to find forever homes for them.
“On average, we manage to rehome five or six cats a month.
“Without such efforts, the stray population will multiply.
“My biggest reward comes from seeing a cat taken off the streets and living a safe life with its new owners,” she said.
Mikael Daniel with some of the kittens looking for loving homes.
Humane efforts
Both events also aimed to raise funds for local animal shelters and efforts such as Penang’s Trap Neuter Release (TNR) programme.
Run by Independent Aid for the Protection and Welfare of Animals (IAPWA) Penang in cooperation with Penang Island City Council (MBPP) since March 2018, the TNR initiative has saved around 6,700 stray dogs from being put down.
Over 1,000 were rehomed.
IAPWA president Choong Koon Yean said the initiative had had a significant impact, but the work was far from over.
She shared her own experience of gradually neutering a colony of some 30 stray cats around her residence in Pulau Tikus, from 2009 until she moved away in 2022.
“By the time I left, there were zero strays.
“Imagine if I hadn’t done that. How much they would have reproduced over 13 years?”
Choong, who left her job as a university lecturer to champion the organisation’s efforts in controlling the island’s stray population, said: “Our task is made harder by irresponsible pet owners who continue to abandon unwanted animals.
“I urge all parties to neuter their animals and if you have a problem with strays in your neighbourhood, contact us so that we can work together to find a solution,” she added.
MBPP mayor Datuk A. Rajendran said Penang’s TNR initiative had set a benchmark for other local councils and non-governmental organisations around the country.
“Many have learnt from us with the aim of replicating our model.
“This reaffirms the impact and effectiveness of our efforts and how it has inspired others to adopt a humane approach towards management of strays,” he said during the event.
Gurney Paragon Mall making its premises pet-friendly during Furry Hopes Pet Carnival.
Furry Hopes Pet Carnival was organised by IAPWA Penang. The third edition of the event managed to raise RM45,000.
Pawradise Pet Carnival was organised by Leo Club of Penang (City) alongside Lions Club of Penang and Leo Club of Convent Datuk Keramat.
Organising chairman Ang E-Lynn said the event raised RM3,500.
Neutering costs range between RM300 and RM800 per dog and from RM100 to RM150 per cat.
“It is expensive but is needed to ensure a healthier and more humane environment for animals as well as people.
“We want to create a world where every animal is cared for, loved and has the chance to live a life free from suffering,” Ang said in her speech during the event.
