Quote

If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man. Mark Twain





Thursday, May 19, 2011

Zeus Playhouse


Gorgeous pups for adoption at Zeus Playhouse
Animal shelters are places where unwanted, stray, abused or abandoned animals find temporary respite from the harsh conditions they were subjected to. It is a place they call home and are cared for until a better home can be found from them.


Caring for animals is an expensive business. It also requires a great deal of time, space, involvement, effort and commitment, and these are not always available for every animal.


Every year, thousands of stray dogs have to be put to sleep. As much as we wish to rescue every single one of them, we are limited by funds, resources and manpower.


Some dogs are caged in small cells all their lives. These dogs, we call them prisoners of love.

Zeus dogs are fortunate because we rent the entire block of kennels for them, which means they get to socialize, play and run within their compound. It’s not the most ideal situation, as compared to a real home of their own, but it’s the best we can offer them for now. Only dogs that fight and misbehave will have to do time inside the cells on their own. Our dogs know our house rules well, they live harmoniously together.



Kaelyn abused by puppies

Zeus Playhouse is a beacon of hope for these dogs. Without our shelter, they will either be put to sleep, or have to continue to put up with the harsh conditions on the streets where they get injured by careless humans , abused by irresponsible and uncaring people where they have to go hungry for most of the days and fight with each other for a small morsel of scrap.


Tiger, head of Zeus Playhouse
Puppies galore. Come adopt them.
Besides having come across many injured/sick stray dogs on our feeding rounds, we have people approaching us to find help for dogs they want to rescue. We will try within our means to catch these dogs and bring them to the vet for treatment but this is not always possible. Sometimes the dogs don't want to be caught; other times we have a real job to hold.



Jo-Ann at Zeus Playhouse
As soon as these dogs recover, we release them back to the streets where they came from. However, there are instances where we know, from our experience, that the dogs are unlikely to survive when released back into their dangerous "homes". Often, there are street dogs that aren't particularly street smart , are accident prone or simply too old, injured or sick. There is no way we can release the dog back to the streets only for it to die or suffer another injury.

We try our very best to rehome these dogs, but it is an uphill task. The fortunate ones get adopted to a home that they can call their own. But, for those who are still waiting for their forever homes, we house them at Zeus Playhouse. We will never abandon any of these dogs under our charge and we will continue to care for them at the kennels while we persist in looking for suitable adopters.


Zeus Playhouse is Zeus Communications' very own space where rescued dogs have adequate shelter from the elements, full protection from speeding cars or unkind humans and absolutely no lack of food. We have employed Ida and given her a part time job, cleaning and washing the kennels, as well as medicating and feeding our dogs on a daily basis, whilst our volunteers visit a few times throughout the week to check and ensure the dogs are well, healthy and happy. We have also allowed Ida to board two of her dogs at our kennels, in exchange for her help to feed and care for our dogs.


Apart from checking on the dogs during the weekdays, our volunteers bring home-cooked food and treats for these doggies as they simply deserve the best from us. Weekends are bath times for these doggies, as well as getting lots of pats, personal attention and going out for walks.


To give the dogs a second chance at life is not an easy task. Besides our love for these animals and the fact that we know these sweet animals truly deserve better, we are fuelled solely by the support of kind donors and volunteers. Your contributions and kindness will go a long way to help our furry friends in need.

Adopt a Goyang?
Our little puppies were rescued from industrial estates  If you adopt them, you will not only be saving a life, but also making room at our kennels for us to rescue another dog.


Jill is still waiting for her permanent home, so is Tiger and Goyang. They are currently staying at Zeus Playhouse with the other dogs, hoping to be adopted into REAL homes soon! Do contact us if you are interested in adopting them!


We and the dogs would be eternally grateful if you can help fund, sponsor their food, sponsor a dog, kennels boarding fees, and vet fees. A small contribution goes a long way in bringing hope into their lives again.

How can you help?


1. Food Contributions


Dry Food (Kibbles)
We need dog kibbles (dry dog food) - Pet HQ is giving Zeus Communications a very special price for their dry dog food – Precept Plus. Each 12kg bag costs S$55. To support the 15 dogs at Zeus Playhouse, you may order the food from:


Peggy at Pet HQ
Tel: 6265 8510
Email: pethqboonlay@yahoo.com.sg

Canine puppy formula
   
Precept Plus, canine adult formula
 
















For payment, please make your cheque payable to “Pet HQ Pte Ltd” and send it to 8 Raffles Avenue, #02-04, The Esplanade, S (039802).


Canned Food (for the sick dogs and puppies)
Our rescued dogs love Azmira Ocean Fish Formula or Lamb Barley Formula.


To order this, please click http://reinbiotech.com/pets/cats/32  For every carton that you order, Reinbiotech will contribute another carton free.


2. Funds to Help Defray the Cost of Vet Bills


For the older rescued stray dogs, their vet visits are usually for heartworm and tick fever, industrial / traffic accidents, vaccinations and sterilization.

Faith was hit by a car in Tuas.
For the breeding dogs, it would be to treat a variety of illnesses such as arthritis, skin issues, ring worms, vaccinations, sterilization, checking for heartworm and tick fever, dental scaling, dry eyes, injuries sustained in the breeding farms etc

Molly receving love from Zuzana, who visited to meet our puppies

Elmo waiting for the right family to enter his life

For the puppies that we are desperately trying to find homes for, their vet visits are for microchipping, vaccinations and sterilizations when they are of the right of age.


Puppies needing real homes. The kennels are not for them
Any contribution, of any amount, will be most appreciated by us and our furry darlings at Zeus Playhouse. To contribute to their vet bills, please write your cheque to “Mount Pleasant Animal Medical Centre (Redhill) Pte Ltd” and mail to 8 Raffles Avenue, #02-04, Esplanade Mall, Singapore 039802.


3. Sponsor a Dog / Puppy and Help Us With The Kennel Boarding Fees


Each month, we require almost $3000 to maintain these 15 dogs. This amount includes the boarding fee, food, medication, vet bills, etc. Help sponsor a dog at $150 per dog, monthly and with your kindness and compassion, hopefully we will be able to make ends meet. Please do ask your friends to adopt a dog, instead of buying one. With more of our dogs getting adopted, we will then have room to rescue more dogs.


To help sponsor / pay for the kennel boarding fees, please send your cheques to Zeus Communications and send it to 8 Raffles Avenue, #02-04, Esplanade Mall, Singapore 039802.


4. Volunteering


• Photographers - during office hours, sometimes nights and weekends – for events, dogs’ visits to the vets


• Pet transporters to transport our rescued / foster dogs to the vet, transport strays from the vet after sterilization, back to the industrial estates.


• Experienced dog handlers to walk our dogs weekly and teach them basic obedience to increase their chances of being rehomed


• Volunteers to conduct house checks and follow up visits (for adoption process)


• Volunteers to call factories during working hours to educate and convince them on the importance of sterilization.


• Fosters - to foster our rescued dogs, teach them basic manners, paper train them, understand their temperament and basically help ease their transition into a new home. Foster period could range from 1 to 3 months or more.

• Volunteers to wash the kennels and bathe the dogs on Saturdays or Sundays


Tara drying a pup after a nice bath

Kaelyn washing the doggy bowls. Starting them young with love, education and compassion

From left: Fiona, Nancy and Jeannie getting their weekly work-out!
  
If you would like to like help / contribute / foster / adopt – please email us at dogs_ink@singnet.com.sg


If you have been to some of the shelters of the past or have seen it in movies, you will know that often times, it is a bleak-looking barrack like enclosure with compartmentalized cages within, but all these are slowly changing with the help of animal welfare groups and volunteers.




Have you ever wondered how it feels to be a kennel dog? Imagine if your view consists of just a concrete kennel wall or fenced wall day in and day out? No exercise, no walks? That would be pretty depressing wouldn't it?


Zeus Playhouse dogs get to run freely in the entire kennel compound - except for when they misbehave and need to sit in a kennel and reflect!

Not only do they have the free run of their very own Playhouse, they will soon have a nice colourful, bright and cheery Playhouse too! Help us bring sunshine to the dogs!


Stay tuned to our next blog story, a project initiated by Zeus Communications to bring sunshine to the dogs! A wall-painting session will be organized at Zeus Playhouse. Stay tuned and see how you can help us out. 

Tia and Steven bathing a puppy
 
Written by Tia Tan. Photo Credits: Fiona, Jo-Ann , Jean and Jamie

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