Happy New Year...

蜕变的威（一）

这是我的宝贝威，四个月的样子，很可爱，很无助。

这是我的心肝威，将近四岁的样子，很矜持，很庄重。蜕变的威，在照片里像个淑女，其实她在装，她到底还是甩不掉"goofy"的本性。想知道更多，请待后续！:)

Nokia6300的威

又是Nokia6300，难道你没有更象样的器材吗？熊猫，我跟你沟通过了，你这么近距离拍我，会让我显得有点珠圆玉润咧，你什么时候才把我的话听进去？！

这张虽然拍得有点感觉，但是我却是背对着光明大道，似乎暗喻我不憧憬未来，更糟的是你把我拍得有些忧愁。凭良心讲，我有这么消极吗……

我知道你一向来都崇拜滚圆滚圆的动物屁屁（难怪你会长针眼，哈哈哈），但是也不能乘我不备的时候向我下手，你还是不太懂得尊重我，哼！

嗯，这张不错，我第一次看起来这么娇小玲珑，背景也有我热爱的阳光，算你还有一点长进。

我喜欢这张！我看起来娇小玲珑，同时屁屁在侧边，不会显得太大，而且我还凝视着别人跑步，似乎有所顿悟，让我像个有智慧的Thinker。熊猫啊，不枉我对你的循循善诱，你终于开窍了……

对面的女孩看过来

喜欢拍小威，但是拍来拍去总是没把她的气质拍出来。小威也不喜欢拍照，要她看镜头好像要了她的命，因此大多数的照片，威都是脸臭臭，十足地委屈。

我盘算了好一阵子，决定请一位专业的摄影师给威照相。虽然要少吃134个红豆包，但是为了有个不朽的美美回忆和纪念，我这只胖熊猫也甘愿为此少吃一些。

如果专业摄影器材下拍出的照片果真把小威精神拍出来，我一定会与大家分享。我们拭目以待吧！:)

My Fair Lady

昨天去了“做个负责任的宠物主人”宣导会。除了支持所有的爱护动物协会，我最大的目的是去看看Lady，一只非常勇敢、文静、善解人意的本土狗（虽然她长得有点像狼犬）。

Lady之前是林厝港路其中一只苦命的流浪狗。当时她刚生产，可是在到处都是重型车辆，危险机器的工业区，能够存活的狗宝宝少之又少，因此Lady只剩下一只小公犬，其他的宝宝都被车辆撞死。

Lady之所以会引起一位好心人的注意是因为她走路时不由自主地倾斜一边，好心人停下车子，仔细观察Lady时才发现原来她的右耳流了大量的血，完全腐烂，整个耳朵也摇摇欲坠。好心人立刻召集救兵，回来“诱骗”Lady，带上车子，紧急送去动物医院。当Lady被带离时，一只只有两个月大的小幼犬跑过来不停地吠，似乎在呼唤Lady。好心人另一天又回到工业区，向那里的工作人员了解，原来那只小幼犬就是Lady的儿子。好心人把小幼犬带走，也给了他名字叫Prince。Prince被安排住在一个助养家庭，而他也每天去医院看Lady，给她精神上的支持，希望她会坚强，活下去。

本来兽医建议让Lady安乐死，让她安详地死去，因为她的伤口腐烂得非常厉害，即使经过多次医治，Lady也不一定会坚持下去。幸好Noah's Ark，本地其中一个爱护动物协会决定和Lady一起与命运搏斗，让Lady接受所有的手术、治疗。Lady不负众望，没有放弃，活下来了。如今Lady已经完全康复，虽然她的一只耳朵已失聪。

想更了解Lady和Prince的故事和看一看Lady被发现和拯救时的照片，可以到这个网址详读：http://noahsarkcares.blogspot.com/2008/05/na-rescue-lady-mongrel.html。

对照了之前之后的照片，相信你会和我一样，真心替Lady高兴，终于脱离苦海，海阔天空了。Lady加油，好好活下去！

稻香

喜欢周杰伦的新歌《稻香》。听着、听着，脑海里就浮起了许多曾经很喜欢的画面；生活如果可以这么简单、悠哉就好了：

所谓的那快乐 赤脚在田里追蜻蜓追到累了
偷摘水果被蜜蜂给叮到怕了 谁在偷笑呢
我靠着稻草人吹着风唱着歌睡着了
哦 哦 午后吉它在虫鸣中更清脆
哦 哦 阳光洒在路上就不怕心碎
珍惜一切 就算没有拥有
还记得你说家是唯一的城堡
随着稻香河流继续奔跑
微微笑 小时候的梦我知道
不要哭让萤火虫带着你逃跑
乡间的歌谣永远的依靠
回家吧 回到最初的美好


在线试听：
http://www.haoting.com/htmusic/278404ht.htm

我平静了

我好多了。身心的伤口都慢慢愈合。

这里的狗狗同伴叫我别害怕，我在这里会很安全，不会再受苦、挨饿。慢慢地，我也相信它们的话，慢慢地，我也相信这里的人类朋友是真心爱护我，没有企图。

开始的时候，我常做恶梦；梦到好多尸虫在我身上厮咬，梦到我的前主人把我丢到黑暗冰冷世界，不管我怎么哀嚎，她都不再回头看我，越走越远…

现在我平静了，也开朗起来。我打破沉默，偶尔也同其他的狗狗同伴一起吼叫，也懂得和它们吵架，不过我们很快就和好了。

熊猫阿姨说我太瘦了，特地给我比较多饼干吃。我喜欢她，所以比较听她的话；她要我坐，我就坐，她和我聊天（虽然她很啰唆），我也静静地听。

我喜欢现在的生活，喜欢无忧无虑地睡午觉。我比起其他还在外头流浪、朝不保夕、受尽风霜的狗狗们幸运多了，我会惜福的。

Rusty和其他狗狗们加油！

Rusty，对不起，今天得工作，不能去救济中心陪你。放心，姐姐下个星期一定去找你和其他的狗狗们，然后请你们吃好好吃的烘焙饼干和你们最爱的野菜饼干！

每个星期去看你，看到你的伤口复原得很快，心里也感到很欣慰。很难想象你刚到救济中心的样子竟然可以这么快地不留痕迹，虽然我知道你之前的主人所对你做过的伤害是一辈子也抹不掉、忘不了。每次和你坐在一起说话时，你虽然总贴心地给我你的一只脚和我握手，也喜欢靠着我，但是你的神情总是有淡淡的哀伤。

自私的人类养你，只是为了要你看管园圃，从来也不曾给你任何关心和爱护，虽然如此，你还是尽忠职守，是个出色的看门犬。在长期没有好好照顾和营养不良的情况下，你病了，长了肿瘤，人类不闻不问；有一天，你倒下了，他们就把你丢到路边，让你在滚烫和危机四伏的马路上自己面对死亡。

可是天生意志力超强的你还没有准备离开这个冷酷无情的世界，你突然闻到一股香味，食物的味道，饥饿驱使你瘦弱的身躯站起来，蹒跚走到食物的所在处。这时，你很幸运地碰倒了救济中心的看护员，原来是他们在喂养野狗，你也凑过去，狼吞虎咽地吃起来。

吃饱后，你并没有离开，看到护员开车门要离开时，你本能地跳上他们的车，说什么也不肯下来，这时看护员才发现你身上发出阵阵恶臭味，仔细观察，原来你的脖子后面有一个又深又大的伤口，好多尸虫(maggots)还在你的伤口上侵蚀你的肉，看到这里，看护员明白了，你是在恳求他们救你。

看护员带你去看兽医；兽医很佩服你的忍耐力，他说你这个伤口是肿瘤爆裂后产生的，你一定感到非常痛，但是还能撑到现在，太不可思议了！虽然手术费很昂贵，但是你的生求意志非常强，救济中心决定给你一个重生的机会。

你回到救济中心休养，康复得很快。虽然之前的主人让你绝望，但是你并没有对我们人类失去信心。看护员叫我清理你的住所时不要碰你，保持距离，我进去帮你清理地板时，很小心，刻意不靠近你。叫我意外的是，你自己走过来，用鼻尖碰碰我的脚，要我和你做朋友。我明白你的心思，也谢谢你那么信任我，我坐下来，你也趴下来，我们互相陪伴，暂时忘记这可怕的世界。

Rusty，我不在时，你可以跟Romeo、Juliet、Noisy、Kranji Girl、还有好多其他和你一样命运坎坷的狗狗们一起聊天，一起活动，慢慢地，你会开朗起来的。

（想更了解Rusty和其他救济中心狗狗的心酸史，可以到下面的网址详读。希望人类宽容一些，公道一些，不要再欺压这些和我们一样生长在地球上的动物朋友们；还给他们应有的生存权力吧。）

http://www.asdsingapore.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1872&Itemid=72

嗜好

年龄越来越大，不自觉（也很自然地）喜欢“慢活”。不喜欢快，不喜欢冲，不喜欢赶，不喜欢忙；走路越来越慢，说话越来越啰唆，就连看本书也要拖泥带水地花上几个月时间看完。

最近我培养了一个新嗜好，刚好适合我老人家的天塌当被盖的性格转变。这个嗜好就是不用用脑，也不用花钱，更加不用费力的“Dog Watching”。我喜欢看我家傻乎乎的威慢慢入眠，进而慢慢打呼噜，再来慢慢进入梦乡。看着，看着，觉得自己白天的辛劳还是值得的。

威和我也有个大愿望：希望所有的狗儿，不论是野狗还是家狗，以及所有其他的动物朋友们，都能够天天饱饱入眠；不再挨饿，不再受辱，不再难过，不再痛苦。

我真的爱新加坡

我爱新加坡，是真的。
我穿爱国衣服，又看爱国新闻，
我是真的爱新加坡。
什么？你不相信？

你怎么可以人眼看狗低！

看我这深情款款的双眸，

就知道我是真的爱新加坡！

啊呀，跟你多做解释也是白搭，
还是睡觉最好！
不过在我睡着之前，
我还是要重申---
我真的爱新加坡，ok？

Photogenic Girl :)

Guinea Pig 妹妹说这张照片拍得不错。

其实…

是宝贝小威上镜。

Dino Rider...

这一天，

小威决定不让别人牵引。

她骑着青龙，

引领前方，

快活的不得了！

圆满

这幅图画有两解：

女孩只有狗狗陪伴，一起看日落，渐渐被黑夜吞没。

女孩拥有狗狗相伴，一起看日出，渐渐让曙光照亮。

我选择圆满。

谢谢小威，因为有你，让常常走在黑夜里的我，也依然觉得圆满。


图画原创：几米

如果我是魔女

我又发烧了。

这一回不是出水豆，也不是细菌感染，而是因为水疱长在不该长的部位，被判是手足口症疑似病例，必须监禁在家五天。对于一只穷熊猫来说，真是雪上加霜；试用期还没过，五天病假不是享受，而是手停口停，是个无薪无情假…… 想到在家又要受人白眼，被人冷嘲热讽，心情顿时跌进谷底。

在阴沉沉的天空下，垂头丧气地走回家时，看到了我的其中一只黑猫朋友。它悠然自得地在湿地上找食物，完全不受潮湿的天气影响。看到它，心里不由自主地绽开了一朵清新小花，我对它慧心一笑，回家的路也不再那么沉重。

那只黑猫朋友也让我想到了《魔女宅急便》里小魔女琪琪的宠物黑猫吉吉。它可爱又乐观的个性常常是缺乏肯定、安全感的小魔女琪琪的精神依靠。后来吉吉在异乡和一只漂亮白猫相遇，还生下了一黑三白的可爱猫崽！
在《魔女宅急便》里，所有的魔女一到十三岁就得选择一个异地为修行落脚处，然后在那个地方发挥自己的特长，使用并锻炼自己的魔法一年，才能成为一个合格的魔女。琪琪喜欢海，所以就选择了一个靠海的城市住下、修行。她幸运地碰到了一个好心的面包店老板娘，让她免费住下，条件是帮她免费看店。琪琪就利用面包店的店面，开始了她的快递服务；运用魔女扫帚充当快递工具看似好玩快捷，但是其中也有许多不便与意外。总之，琪琪的修行过程也跟我的生活一样，有崎岖不平、暗淡消沉的时候，重要的是我们怎么重拾信心，恢复生活魔法。

我喜欢琪琪，喜欢她的坚持与好心肠，更喜欢她偶尔的孤傲与对恶势力不屑的性格。昨晚我就在想，如果我也是魔女，我会选择怎样的路。

如果我是十三岁的魔女，我会选择到有山、有湖泊、有大草原的小镇修行。我当然会带着我的傻乎乎小狗小威同行。我们也会到富有乡间味道的面包小店住下，因为我和小威最喜欢面包刚烘出来，新鲜出炉的香味！我也希望能够在不出差时帮老板娘看店，顺便偷吃面包，哈哈哈！说到出差，我想我会从事“流动动物诊所”的服务。我要运用我的魔女扫帚，在第一时间赶到需要帮助的生病或受伤的动物身旁，再利用我的魔法棒调制出对症下药的好味道魔法药水，给动物服下，让它们快速康复！尤其是野猫野狗，它们也将会额外吃到营养丰富的康复大餐！

哈哈，幻想其实很好玩，能够实现我们在现实生活中无法完成的心愿。

从伤心生病的熊猫变成了拥有无敌魔法的魔女，这生活就是充满变数，谁也说不准。当自己倒霉到极点时，不要太难过，因为我相信否极泰来，太阳不可能永远躲起来不见我。:)

照片来源：

http://www.pandapaws.org/

http://www.dabaoku.net/

豆豆俳句

豆豆小眼睛
吃饱喝足好讲古
美人鱼传说

"The prototypes of the mermaids of legend are among the least known of all animals to naturalists because of their underwater habitat and their secretive habits. They are the manatees of the Caribbean region and the dugongs of the Indian Ocean. They constitute the only remaining species of the serenia, or moon creatures, distant relatives of the elephant. Both have a somewhat human facial appearance. They feed standing upright in the water, their flippers held out before them like arms. Sometimes the females hold their calves in these flippers. Seen from a distance, they have a curiously human appearance, which may account for the many reports of mermaids and mermen.”

Thomas R. Henry's 10 Best Oddities and Fun Trivia: Manatees and Dugongs the Real Mermaids

傻傻的愿望

小时候超喜欢恐龙，只要有关恐龙的卡通片，我都不放过。之后再大些，我就爱上宠物如猫猫、狗狗、苍鼠；我还一度养了十六只苍鼠宝贝。一直到了中学，开始有些长进，常到图书馆借书；在那段日子，把James Herriot和Jane Goodall的所有著作一并通杀！从此对动物就特别着迷，整天想着动物，幻想以后如果能与动物朝夕相处该多好。

有一天，考完试后，河马妈妈带我到动物园；啊... ...动物园，似乎从来没有好好认识过这个地方。到了这个既熟悉又陌生的儿童乐园，我特别兴奋，一切对我来说都很美好！我与两只小黑猩猩照相，抱着它们时，我感觉自己与Jane Goodall很接近！之后，看了其他漂亮又可敬的动物，我心里已经暗暗地许下了一个小愿望：到动物园工作。

中四毕业后，没有选择去高中，因为没有把握上大学，更没有金钱支助；对于Zoology这门科目只有梦想，不敢奢望。如果要升学，就得自己想办法。最终，我选择了华文教师课程，因为不用愁学费，又有零用钱拿，在当时是个好交易。

可是到动物园工作这个傻傻的愿望一直在我心中盘旋，挥之不去，没有一刻忘记。十多年来就这样天天跟自己碎碎念，唠唠叨叨，自己在干嘛，每天都在浑浑噩噩过日子，什么时候才能实现这个小梦想？

终于有一天，我发起狠来，什么都不顾虑那么多，毅然放弃安稳的工作，好好专心地申请动物园的工作。可是怎么知道等了很久，还是完全没有音讯！天啊，家人、小威和熊猫都要吃饭呀，就只好打些零时工，边做边等。几个月后，当我开始要放弃了，打算就这样继续在幼教世界里过下去，把这个傻傻的愿望埋在深谷底时，动物园既然在一个星期天下午打电话给我！他们给我的职位是"Operations Assistant"，是那种"Good Morning", "Tickets please", "Good bye! Have a nice day"的工作，又只是兼职，薪水少得连自己都不知道该怎么分配过活。动物呢，似乎完全接触不到。可是没有鱼虾，虾米也好，就先做吧，或许有其他的职业机会。

可是奇怪的是得到这份动物园的工作，我并没有特别开心，反倒很平静，进而有些淡漠的感觉。为什么？我也懵查查搞不懂。

开始上班了，没有来得及享受在动物园环境工作的经验，就被许多不愉快的经历轰炸，尤其受不了的是对于兼职职员的"no system policy","very top down management"和"double or even triple standard"。当然这些如果能忍，是绝对能够撑过去的。

被安排站在门口和出口已有两个星期，每次看到动物大使出来迎接宾客，我却只能傻傻地锁在原位，不能如旅客一样，上前摸摸动物，这简直对我太残忍，是多么大的一个惩罚！我想不到自己会沦落到如此下场！没有经济保障，没有职业保障，更加没有快乐保障，我还有多少年岁、机会让我在这里消磨下去。

以为在动物园里工作，无论什么职业，什么工作性质都会开心，动物园嘛，是我的快乐天堂，但是事实总是喜欢一巴掌地把我重重打醒，除非直接与动物接触，要不然什么假设都是假的！

想了很多，终于忍痛割爱，决定离开。
工作的最后一天，接近下班时间，我向主管提出了一个不称职的请求：给我五分钟，我要去做手部彩绘。主管勉强答应了。这是我上班以来第一次笑嘻嘻地冲向一个目的地，嘻嘻哈哈地跟人说话，要求手部彩绘家帮我画只熊猫，可是她不会，我瞪大着眼，想想：“没关系，那帮我画只小象，行不？”她点点头，开始画画。我坐在小凳子上，像个游客，感觉其实很好！

临别不依依，而是开心地带着小象上巴士，回家喽。

无为

这一个星期应该让自己好好休息、慢慢恢复体力，怎么知道，一空闲下来，平时没有空理会的病菌也找上门来，真是XXX！

以为这个星期不用起早摸黑匆忙赶路、工作，可以自然睡醒，可是却天天被梦魇缠身，根本没有“优质睡眠”。如果真是得做梦，我希望梦里的心情是开朗的，梦里的天气是晴朗的，可是却恰恰相反，这是在向我预示着什么凶兆吗？

无可否认，最近的情绪变得比较焦躁，心神不宁。自省之后，稍微知道原因，而一直以来捍卫的无为生活姿态也差点被自己的不安、茫然、恐惧攻破！

我是怎么了？

在游走于自己平时储存的my pictures档案里，发现了这张野白菊迎向蓝天的照片。虽然忘了是什么时候下载的，但是却记得下载照片的原因：很喜欢这朵小野白菊迎向不可知世界的无为姿态，是多么地处之泰然、清心寡欲、豪情万丈！

生活中的小野白菊在经历风雨后可能依旧屹立不倒，也可能归土长眠，而结局其实并不是最重要的；至少在它短暂的生命里，它曾经潇洒无为地绽放过，曾经和大地一同奏起与礼赞生命的悲歌！

心情豁然开朗了，世事由它顺其自然，抱起心爱的宝贝小威，希望今晚一夜sweet dreams! :)

情牵香港

出国最开心的事莫过于能够跟当地的动物打交道、做朋友，哪怕是短暂的几分钟，也将会永生难忘。去香港的SPCA那天，吃完早点，当我还在点算找回的零钱时就听到妈妈在嚷：“小威！小威！”跑出餐厅一看，不是小威，也不是其他的beagles，原来是basset hound (hush puppy)。虽然不是beagle，照样可以交朋友；这两只狗朋友非常友善，来者不拒！ 在等待探望SPCA的狗狗时，我们无意间发现马路对面是一个供狗狗与主人专用的公共花园大道。那里有好多狗狗在跑步、玩耍、乘凉啊，看得我好忙！
其中一只巴哥狗，pug 很有意思，它老爱跟陌生人接触，静静地坐在你旁边。不说的话，别人会以为你就是它的主人呢！
香港的SPCA办得相当成功；他们有很多家分行，誓言尽全力照顾香港被遗弃或受伤的野猫野狗。狗狗与猫猫和其他的小动物的居住环境也很不错；有冷气设备，活动空间不小，最重要的是环境非常清洁，根本没有任何异味！我不得不配服工作人员的专业精神与义工们的无私付出，是他们提供了这些无助可怜的动物一个重生的家和机会。HK SPCA加油！ 在山顶看到这只神情悠然自得的黄金猎犬，正在耐心地等主人吃完午餐。霎时间，觉得它特别幸福；它或许住在空气较好的山顶，有一个疼爱它，让它参与日常生活的主人，如果我是狗，我也希望过这样的生活。

来香港的最大目的是找心爱的大熊猫！住在海洋公园的盈盈、乐乐、安安和佳佳真的很可爱！初次面对面看到大熊猫，而它们也真真实实地在我面前活动，心里真的很激动，结果喜极而泣！如果情况允许的话，我还真的会在熊猫饲养处呆上一整天，因为它们真的是活宝，怎么看也不会腻！

熊猫阿姨与熊猫安安留影，开心死了！
来到大屿山，除了看大佛，也邂逅了那里的狗狗。这只“小狼”颇有性格，吃东西不随便，定要吃合胃口的吧，连我特地给它留的小点心，它也不动心。可是或许是因为尊严的问题，它要等看着它的人们走了，才开动。总之，“小狼”是只非常漂亮好看的野狗！
这只是“宝贝”，它好可爱，好“亲民”。但是我希望它是因为感受到我的善意才对我完全没有戒心；人心隔肚皮，还是对人类防着点。但是我相信它出生在大屿山也算是它的福气，毕竟这里是佛门净地，这里的人吃斋，不杀生，自然不会伤害“宝贝”的。我请它吃野菜饼干，它吃得很开心，边吃边看我，时不时还舔舔我的手，好贴心！
嗨哟，这只小可爱“肥仔”是我在“花园街”的水果摊旁“拐带”的。圆滚滚的“肥仔”爱吃苹果，疼爱它的主人当然就常常光顾水果摊买苹果啦。“肥仔”真的是超可爱！
虽然“熊猫香港团”变成了“血拼香港团”，我还是要感谢Guinea Pig这只识途老马带我们香港走透透，看好看的，吃好吃的，还让我情牵香港，与动物同在！

炎炎夏日

这几天阳光明媚，至少对于我来说。他们都嚷天气太炎热，只想窝在家里，开空调，吃冰棒。而我却挺喜欢这热呼呼的气息；天是出奇地蓝、树是出奇地绿、大地是出奇地热情，就像沙漠，魅力无穷。看着救济中心的狗狗们在懒洋洋的温暖下午嬉闹、休息、睡觉，心里很是欣慰，因为如果天气潮湿，它们可没有这么好兴致，大家都会陷入低沉的氛围中，无法自拔。

这样的天气也让我无意中回忆起龙猫和它的朋友。记得中二时，在香港同学的强力推荐下，我在一个星期天，独自撑着雨伞，冒着大雨，赶在《龙猫》下片前，到戏院去会见传说中的神奇龙猫。虽然戏院里只有寥寥几人，但是却感受不到冰冷、荒凉，相反地，心里装载的是满满的温情！

我喜欢戏里在阳光照射下的高大橡树、恬静的稻田和友善辛勤的农家。我更喜欢龙猫与朋友在橡树梢上吹着陶笛和在橡树荫下睡午觉时的画面。那时，我意识到其实快乐很简单，能够拥抱阳光和大自然是最幸福的事了；十几年过去了，我还是这样认为，是我的心智没有成长，还是我的心灵没有被玷污？《龙猫》落幕后，走出戏院，天空还是灰蒙蒙的，大雨还是下个不停，但是这没有浇熄我心中的热情，因为我知道雨后的大地会更加朝气蓬勃！

炎炎夏日，龙猫橡树，美丽大地。


图画来源： http://www.totoro.org/images-totoro.shtml

Woof! Woof! Woof! Please hear our cries...

*All the articles and photos below are retrieved from the Action for Singapore Dogs (ASD)'s website.

Bowie

"Bowie was part of a pack of strays in Sembawang, but he was always a straggler due to his timid nature. The bigger and more dominant dogs always had the most and the best from their forages and he was always left with the remaining few morsels. He was painfully thin and life was hard.

One morning, a stray feeder called us to say Bowie was lying on the road unable to get up. When she approached, he instinctively tried to run, but could only half dragged his body before collasping again. He was the victim of another hit and run again ...

A visit to the vet and x-rays showed a damaged spine. Because of the partially severed spinal chord, Bowie could not control his bowel or bladder. Things could not be any worse ... looking at this pathetically thin and trembling animal, dirty, flea ridden, wild eyed with fear, and feaces dribbling between his legs, one could almost hear aloud the thoughts of those around... just put this god forsaken thing to sleep and be done with it!

We don't know how his future will turn out, whether he could lead a quality life in that state, but we reasoned rationally that it was his right to life and we should literally take it one step at a time. The first few weeks were hard on everyone, especially on Bowie. He did not understand what happened to him and would try to use his hind legs, often trying and dragging himself all over, and falling in a heap from sheer exhaustion and frustration. He developed sores from the diapers he had to wear and the feaces and urine he had no control over. He was frightened and fearful of his new environment and would scurry away to a corner whenever a human approached.

As the months passed, his frail frame filled out, and he got stronger and more confident. He learnt to move around using his front legs and started to explore his surroundings and he learnt that not all humans are out for his blood and accepted treats warily from us. His eyes now brimmed wide with confidence and enthusiasm, fear and pain a distant memory.

With his caregiver's tender touch and dedication, Bowie formed a strong bond with Yvonne and would wait eagerly for her attention daily. As his condition stablized, we contemplated the next stage of his life. Shall we get him a pair of wheels, a second opinion on his current state to see if surgery would improve things ? Bowie was to answer our questions with much drama and aplomb...

In the 3rd month of his convalesence, we received a call from Yvonne who was shrieking on the phone 'He's walking ! He's walking !' It was a minor miracle of sorts, for that morning he managed to use one of his hind legs to support his body and take a few steps. He had regained partial use of his hind leg, a sure sign that his spine was repairing itself ! His other hind leg though, was another story. It dangled across his belly uselessly and would sometimes get scrapped raw as he adjusted to his new found freedom.

In the weeks to follow, Bowie explored the use of his 3 legs with glee and abandon, learning to run and play with his friends. He had to wear special 'socks', made of thick socks and taped to his leg as his spine fracture had caused a misalignment of his hind legs. He was standing on the top of his toes now instead of his paw pads, and a few minutes of running would scrap the skin raw and bloody.

We helped with his progress, giving him amino acids supplements to speed up the nerves regeneration and muscle build up A month down the road and 'miracle boy' surprised us all again with Yvonne shrieking 'He's walking on all fours'. That couldn't be ! His dangling hind leg showed no sign of sensation all this while and we were contemplating amputation to ease his movement.

Today, Bowie runs and walks just like any other dog, his only liability is he wears out lots of socks and fast ! He is still incontinent but we are sure that is just a minor incovenience to him compared with the miraculous use of his limbs again !

Too many times have we bemoan the things we lack, when all we need is there, and too many times have we joined the rat race in blind pursuit of material wealth and success, only to find it cannot really satisfy us. As with the ironies of life, this lowly, unwanted animal, regarded as stupid and worthless, has given us a simple but priceless truth, that if we learn to let go and embrace life, we will have it all."

*Updates: Bowie is still residing and well taking care of at ASD (Action for Singapore Dogs)'s rescue centre at Lim Chu Kang.

Will

"In Oct 06, we received a call from a security guard on Jurong Island that there was a dog without hind legs ... It seemed at that time that it was another highly exaggerated call, as we were told there was no bleeding or external wounds visible. Another call came in shortly describing the same scenario, and we knew it had to be true, though we did not understand how a dog with such a handicap could survive the harsh environment.

The difficult part was getting into Jurong Island with its high security, but fortunately, the guard was able to arrange for our transport to go in. When we got there, Will was sitting quietly at the sentry booth, a handsome boy of about 1 year, eyes fearful yet hopeful; he did not run away from us, but allowed us to carry him. He did not bark, growl or whine, but his expressive eyes emnated the pain and the suffering he was going through. We decided to name him Will for his sheer will and courage to survive...

The magnitude of his injuries shook us for his hind legs were missing from the scrotum level and his backside, scrotum and stumps were raw from him dragging his body around. The guard told us that he had been missing for about a month and had recently re-appeared without his hind legs. He had also fallen into a drain and was there for 3 days till the guard found him. How he managed to survive a month on his own in his state and not have his infected limbs kill him still remains a mystery and a miracle...

His scarred underbelly though, belied the extent of the injuries, for when he was opened up, the vets found heavy, gangrened and infected tissue deep in. His scrotum and many layers of tissue had to be removed, resulting in a $1000 plus operation. Throughout his ordeal, Will allowed the doctors and nurses to handle him without any fuss or fanfare, never growling or crying out in pain. He was the nurses' favourite patient during his stay there.

In the weeks to come, Will's injuries healed slowly for the wounds were at secretion areas and pressure areas where he tried to drag himself. Only the meticulous care and constant cleaning allowed the wounds to heal without getting infected again.

And every 2 weeks or so, it would be off to the vet for a review to see Will's progress. Sadly, Will will remain incontinent permanently as there had been damage to the spinal chord, but he has learnt to be as clean as he can, always moving to a different corner once he realized he had soiled himself. In the span of 2 months or so, Will's wounds had healed well and completely and we comtemplate the next stage of his life...

As Will got stronger and healthier, the question on our minds was how to improve his life further. He was young, energetic and cheerful and curious. It would be a pity if he had to spend the rest of his life on a bed. The idea of a wheelchair much like the one done for Kara (read about Kara here) came about and we did a bit of research before contacting a US company about the possibility of customising one for him.

The folks at Doggone' Wheels were helpful and knowing we were a non-profit organization, customised a refurbished (cheaper) wheelchair for him. The wheelchair finally made its way to us after about 2 weeks of emails and measurements and we were really excited about having Will try out his wheels.

That day, we brought Will his wheels. He sniffed at it and decided it wasn't food and ignored it. We took a while adjusting the front and back harness and strapping it onto him and finally hooking him up to his wheels. Initially he didn't know what to do, so he just sat down.

We coaxed him and helped him with a few steps and slowly he learnt to lean his body weight forward so that the wheels would support his back. He walked a few tentative steps on his own, and then he was off! Relishing his new found freedom he raced around the garden, smelling the flowers and the grass, and was more adept at avoiding a collision than the humans who were trying to film him!

He was all smiles and would have wagged his tail if he could, but his eyes said it all and we were just as happy for him ! Will gets to ride his wheels everyday now for a period of 5-15 minutes to allow him to build up strength in his front legs to help support the rest of his body.

Will's life has changed drastically and he has literally come back from the dead. With constant companionship, good food and treats, and his cheerful demeanour, Will now has the chance to be man's best friend and he is definitely a natural at that!"

*Updates: A loving family has adopted Will; Will is a fat and happy boy now! :)

Carmen

"On the 12th of July 07, we received a call from a member of the public that there was a dog 'residing' in a deep drain in Toh Guan Rd. The dog had been in there for about a month now and was only noticeable when it appeared under the drainage grating. Nobody had bothered to do anything at all and the poor thing was trapped in there. As fate would have it, there was no rain during that period, else it would have drowned.

The transport was dispatched immediately to the scene and Yvonne, our rescuer, navigated the treacherous and slippery slope down into the dank depths of the drain. In the darkness, she could make out the skeletal shape of the dog and estimated it to be a medium sized dog. Perhaps frightened by the sudden invasion, the dog bolted but could not get far because of its emancipated state.

Sensing the moment, Yvonne made a grab and labourously carried her out of the drain. She would recall later that the dog's skin felt like sandpaper and weighed like a small dog, and she could feel all the bones.

In the light of day, what was revealed was a severely emancipated female dog with extreme skin infection. The skin was crusted greyish black and was literally flaking off. She was so weak she could not stand and her eyes reflected the darkness that was her life. She looked ready to die...

At the vet, she was given a hydrating drip and some food but was too weak to eat. She tried to stand but kept collasping in a heap. Her lifeless eyes really tugged at the heart, but daily visits saw her getting stronger and life slowly sparkled in her eyes again.

We named her Carmen and realized that as she started to put on weight that she was a Boxer, and a young one at that, she was just about a year old. Tests revealed severe mange and fungal infection over the entire body and tick fever as well.

In the week or so at the vet, Carmen started eating again and warmed up to people. She has a very sweet temperament and a truly zen like perspective of living for the moment.

In time she was discharged where she spent her days at our nursing home making friends with the other dogs and the volunteers, nudging them for treats or pats. Such amazing resilience and strength of character after such a traumatic ordeal! With continued nourishment and love, Carmen's strength returned and her immune system became stronger and fought off the skin infections. Lush, brown fur transformed her into a beautiful and radiant dog and her zest for life returned.

In December 2007, she made an apperance at the AVA road show to highlight how cruel pet abandonment is and she made many a friend there.

Carmen's ordeal is over and she is safe at last. She is now looking for a forever home and a loving family she can spend her life with, with all her unconditional loving to give."

*Updates: A lovely European lady has adopted Carmen; Carmen is living happily and peacefully now. :)

Kim

"This is a story about courage, optimism and trust and living for the moment. This story does not have a happy ending, but it is hoped that through the telling of this tale, we can learn a thing or two about living a life that is meaningful and to focus on the things in life that really matter.

Kim was born into a life of obscurity and hardship as a stray in the heartless jungles of Singapore's industrial heartlands. When one of our stray feeder volunteers, Keow first saw Kim, she was all skin and ribs and lying at the side of the road. Thinking she was malnourished or deprived of food from the other dogs, she brought her home in the hopes of helping Kim get her strength back.

But even in the comfort of a home, she will not eat, and when force fed, she would throw up almost immediately or have diaherra. Without sustenance, Kim had no strength to walk, but laid quietly there, as though waiting for her time to expire.

Keow brought Kim to the vet to see what was wrong and was told it could be a spleen tumour from the xrays. The operation was going to be an expensive one and there was a 50% chance that she wouldn't make it if the tumour had spread to the remaining areas. Keow called us about the dilemma of whether to proceed with the operation.

From an economic standpoint, most will take the stand of euthanasia under the guise of being humane, but would that really be considered humane or are they really saying 'Since it will take so much money and effort, it will be much more convenient to just kill the dog'? Would we also use this approach for a human being? From our standpoint, we were determined she was going to have her chance. Money as they say, can always be regenerated, but once a life is snuffed out, it can never be brought back again.

We brought her to Dr Ling of Namly Clinic, one of our most trusted vets, and she warned us of the odds and that she may not survive past the operation, but she believed in our philosophy and said she would do her best. After a long arduous wait, Dr Ling called with the surgery results : It was an intestinal tumour, and she removed the whole, large, nasty chunk. 15cm of the infected intestines were also removed, and the tumour had spread to the pancreas as well and part of that had to be removed. The situation was worse than initially thought, and the next 2 weeks will determine whether she lives or not as the partial pancreas may leak deadly acidic bile juice into the stomach causing vomitting and diaherea and ultimately death.

As with most of our local dogs, their resilience and spirit continue to amaze us. Kim recovered well enough to go home after the critical 2 weeks. With tail wagging and the light in her eyes back again, Keow took Kim home to recover. That day, she was happy and fit enough to jump out through a small window and go for a long walk, causing mayhem and panic to all of us. Evening came and she sat dutifully by the door waiting to be let in and have her meal.

In the 2 months that followed, Kim put on weight, ate normally and was a happy dog, living for the moment, asking for belly rubs and wagging her tail. She played with Keow's dogs and everyone even gave up part of their meal to her, as she had regained her appetite and appreciated her food just like a true blue Singaporean! Truly, she relished her new lease of life and she did what she did best : spreading a lot of happiness around.

But life is often like a poker game, you could never quite figure it out, just when she was eating well and responding well to the anti-cancer medication, Kim's condition took a turn for the worse. Her tumour had regressed and had grown even more aggressively. Another operation was scheduled but it was cancelled as she seemed to be responding well to the steriods. Again our hopes went up that her body was able to fight the cancer, but that fateful evening after her dinner, Kim called out to Keow as though to say goodbye, wagged her tail one final time and was still. Kim had left this world for her paradise which she so richly deserved but we could not provide her in this life...

All of us were heart broken and it was a sharp blow to all our expectations. But on hindsight, we did our best and Kim had lived her last moments on earth experiencing love, warmth and a home, something the less fortunate out there will never ever experience. And she in return had given to us and taught us what the gift of life means, that the simple things in life are what counts, a little touch, a little word but given with great love, something we sometimes take for granted, and something money can never buy..."

*Above rescued strays and abandoned pets were all saved by Action for Singapore Dogs, one of the animal welfare societies in Singapore. ASD was established in December 2000 as a non-profit organization with the mission to improve the welfare of strays and abandoned dogs in Singapore. ASD was officially registered with the Registry Of Societies on the 3rd July 2002.

The ASD Adoption & Rescue Centre (ARC) was established in June 2007 and is situated in rustic Lim Chu Kang. The ARC will complement ASD's current network of foster homes and has a comfortable capacity of 54 dogs. The ARC will be run on the philosophy of helping dogs that are sick or injured, and healthy, happy puppies and dogs with good temperament who stand a good chance of adoption. The centre is not run as a shelter nor a boarding facility as it is hoped that there will be a quick turnaround time for the residents there to be adopted out and for new dogs to come in, ultimately resulting in increased adoption rates.

If you care for the poor souls out there, and would like to make a difference in their lives, you may want to contribute, be it monetary, food, medicine, or equipment etc to help in the running of ARC. You may visit this website for more details: http://www.asdsingapore.com/

Thank you.

美丽的传说

这个世界有很多传说，尤其是美丽感人的，总会深深烙印在世世代代的人们心中。虽然我们知道传说大多是虚构的，但是还是会说服自己能够承载多年的传说自有它的真实性与不朽的魅丽。

《尼斯湖水怪》(Water Horse)美化了Loch Ness Monster一直以来给人们的凶恶冷血的刻板印象。故事中的小男孩Angus以纯真的爱心与耐心抚养可爱顽皮的小水怪Crusoe。他们之间的感情固然非常深厚，但是Angus最后还是豁达地“放手”，让Crusoe放心地在尼斯湖以外的汪洋大海自由快乐地生活、成长、繁衍、老去、长辞。

看到Crusoe带着Angus悠游奔跃于如诗如画的尼斯湖（拍摄实景为纽西兰），心里不由得澎湃激动起来！动物与人类超越世俗藩篱的珍贵情感总是让我感动；看完Water Horse，晚上睡觉时，脑海里一直浮现Crusoe和Angus在水上跳跃的兴奋情景。我想，这辈子，我是不可能忘记这个美丽传说。

Water Horse是改编自Dick King-Smith的同名儿童故事Water Horse。很巧的，这位爱以动物为写作题材的老爷爷也养过比高犬(beagle)，很自然的，这让我更加喜欢Water Horse！
如果你喜欢传说，如果你还有童真，如果你热爱动物，就到戏院与Crusoe漫游尼斯湖吧！

照片来源： http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/thewaterhorse/index.html
http://www.crowstarver.com/dickkingsmith.htm