IPOH, June 20 — Persatuan Kebajikan dan Suara Haiwan Jalanan Manjung Perak has been thrown countless curve balls since it was established on January 1 this year.
Among others, they were evicted twice in four months: a former dumpsite in Sungai Wangi, Sitiawan and a godown, also in Sitiawan.
They were lucky to get a place to settle down after a landowner in Sitiawan took pity on them and allowed them to use their land for free for five years.
But being a barren land, the association had to start from scratch and put in infrastructures before strays caught by Manjung Municipal Council could be housed within.
Association vice-president Joanne Low said due to shortage in funds, it could only put up 50 per cent of the infrastructure on the land.
“To date, we only managed to put up six permanent enclosures, three shades and a canopy to house 330 dogs including 70 puppies,” she said.
Speaking to Malay Mail, Low said the association still needed RM100,000 to complete the project.
To raise the needed funds, the association would be selling t-shirts and tote bags.
Low said the association had printed 300 t-shirts that will be sold at RM52 a piece while the tote bags are in the design stage.
“We hope to be able to raise RM15,000 from these two items." Besides the building fund, the association also needs funds for its daily operation such as food for the dogs and medical attention.
“Every day, we use 80 kilogrammes of kibbles to feed them and 10 kilogrammes of rice for mother dogs and puppies,” said Low, adding that they also buy canned food to feed sick dogs.
Low said the association was doing its level best to help the strays in Manjung.
“They were not born out of choice. We will do what we can for them,” she added.
It was previously reported that the Manjung Municipal Council gave the then newly set up association until the end of January to remove the dogs caught by the council as it needed the space for their organic fertiliser project.
The council started releasing the dogs at the dumpsite in 2020 after it suspended the shooting of strays in the municipality following a public outcry.
Low said the association welcomes cash to do up the shelter and also for its daily operations.
“We are a new association, hence we need all the help we can from the people,” she added, noting that the association was also looking for volunteers to look after the dogs and people to adopt the dogs.
Those who wish to help the association can send cheques payable to Persatuan Kebajikan Dan Suara Haiwan Jalanan Manjung or bank into their Public Bank account (Account number: 3219928304) and specify what they wish their donation is for such as the building fund, dog food or medical.
For more details on the project, Low can be contacted at 012-6392297 or visit the association's Facebook page.
