I've gotten involved with a local expat group here, the International Women's Association of Penang. It sounded all very proper and somehow very British before I actually got involved. Thankfully, I have yet to see a lace doily or starched cuff over tea and crumpets; it's been more like tough morning hikes and wine lunches. Much more my style, although I do love a good cuppa and biscuit.
I have just started helping the IWA with their monthly magazine, which covers a variety of subjects that might be of interest to members. One of my first assignments was to head out to the 4Paws Dog Sanctuary to take photos and notes for an article about the sanctuary and the new non-profit that supports it.
Most people would consider me a cat person (with a long line of orange cats with unique personalities behind me, they would probably be right), but as I walked into the former warehouse-turned-home-for-dogs, I could easily see myself switching camps.
How could I resist the dog growing out of the tree pot or the spry 3-legged tripod who was as active and excited to see new visitors as his 30 or 40 canine companions? And despite their number, each dog was very well-behaved and polite, not jumping up and barking only when a lizard scurried out from the wall and through the garden. Then there was BARKING! And the puppies, so cute and cuddly.
All of these pups are in the handy and loving care of an expat named Barbara, who retired to Penang five years ago and found herself unable to turn away from the poor stray dogs that roam the streets and neighborhoods of Penang. Three became eight, eight became twenty-two. The twenty-third rescued pooch put her neighbors over the edge, so she moved her brood out to the country. The edge of a cemetery was the perfect place -- the sounds, smells and activity would definitely not disturb the neighbors. Relying on donations and discarded building materials, Barbara has transformed a former warehouse crammed with trash into a breezy, shady home for herself and the dogs.
Volunteers are welcome to help keep the 4Paws Sanctuary and the pups clean, and Barbara's new non-profit will allow people like me to 'adopt' a dog without having to take it home. My monthly donation will go directly to my mutt's care and vet bills, and I can go visit him to get a furry fix. I'm sold.
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