Quiet and regal, always a Princess

Princess

2002 – 26 August 2010

Princess, our beautiful and precocious German Shepherd has left us. She will be sorely missed. Like her name, she was such a commanding presence you could never miss her when you visit the sanctuary. She made sure of that…Princess came to Noah’s Ark when she was still a puppy. Then, the sanctuary was still located in Singapore. As her name indicates, our Princess came from a pedigreed background. She was sold by a breeder as a show dog and was later diagnosed with serious hip dyslexia by the vet. Mercifully, the vet said it would be a pity to put her down as she was only 6 months old.

The German Shepherd Club (GSC) then got in touch with Noah’s Ark Natural Animal Sanctuary and asked if it would be possible to keep her there. When the little puppy came to the sanctuary, she could hardly walk. She could not even cross a tiny drain 5 cm across. Raymund decided to let her learn to walk on her own. After a couple of years, The GSC came for a visit and discovered that her hip dyslexia disappeared! There was no sign of hip dyslexia in the x-ray scan.

It was from Princess that Raymund learnt hip dyslexia is curable; the environment plays a big part. Dogs of any size need space for movement to allow their limbs to stretch and grow. This is especially important for dogs that may be vulnerable to hip dyslexia. Slippery tiled floors do not help dogs who are susceptible to hip or joint problems. Natural environments like gardens and soil help puppies and dogs use their muscles, allowing for natural movement. This is something to think about when puppies or dogs that have hip dyslexia are euthanized.

Needless to say, Princess welcomed the move to Johor when the time came. Imagine that, 10 hectares of land to roam and run free! Princess took to the sanctuary’s new location like a duck to water. Except for the transportation from Singapore to Malaysia, our Princess has never been caged.The sanctuary was her little kingdom. She roamed and policed every square inch and was one of the dogs who loved the pond, often jumping in for a swim on a hot day. Princess left a lasting impression on every child who came to the sanctuary.

She loved little children and was always very excited when they came to visit, following them around until they left. When there were no children around, she would follow the adults, calmer, but still sticking close. She was such a sweet dog.

Her end came fast. She was old, had spleen cancer and liver problems. Nevertheless, she took everything in her stride, like the Princess that she was. I saw Princess a day before she passed away. She was quiet, unlike her usual exuberant and active self. I spent some time in the clinic with her. It was as though she knew she was winding down. The next day, she passed away at 4am in the morning.

She went quickly and quietly, in peace. It was a good life she led at the sanctuary. Free to roam, to run, to play with children and dogs, to be loved; and now, to be sorely missed.

Thank you for gracing us with your presence, Princess. We know you are happy in God’s kingdom now.

*Article contributed by AW, pictures contributed by AW and H*

Noah's Ark Public Tour - October 2010

CURRENT STATUS: TOUR IS FULL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. Our next public tour will be next year (March/April), so do bookmark this page and check back regularly!

Hello everyone!

Before I start, I want to thank everyone who came for our previous tour! The animals were elated that they were showered with much love and attention. The dogs were hugged, scratched and patted, the cats were cuddled and the horses enjoyed their fill of apples and carrots. The rabbits hopped with joy and the guinea pigs squeaked with excitement at the sight of goodies like chye sim, apples, and carrots our visitors brought. Even Starbuck, our darling monkey, could not wait to pick his treats from your hands! Can you imagine that up close and personal experience with all the animals at the sanctuary?

We are pleased to inform you that our next public tour will be held on Saturday, 2nd October. Please register and reserve your seats early to avoid disappointment.

To register, please send email to noahsarkcares@gmail.com, with the following details:

Passenger #1
Full name (as in passport):
Passport number:
Passport expiry date:
Date of birth (DDMMYY):
Nationality:
Gender:
Mobile number:

Passenger #2
Full name (as in passport):
Passport number:
Passport expiry date:
Date of birth (DDMMYY):
Nationality:
Gender:
Mobile number:

(so on and so forth)

PLEASE NOTE:
Incomplete details will NOT BE ENTERTAINED. Do take the extra 5mins to double check ALL DETAILS here have been filled up.

Please note that seats will only be confirmed upon receipt of payment. It costs just S$60/pax and this includes transport to and fro plus a yummy dinner. Please inform us should you have special dietary requirements. We will do our best to accommodate you.

Itinerary for the day tour:

Please be at Boon Lay MRT Passenger Pick-Up Point at 1.30pm as attendance needs to be taken. Transport to and fro is from the Boon Lay Passenger Pick up point, i.e. Boon Lay MRT. It is at the same side as the interchange where many bicycles are parked.

2.00 pm - Depart Boon Lay for Noah's Ark
3.30 pm - Arrive at the Sanctuary
5.30 pm - Depart Noah's Ark for Dinner
6.00 pm - Time for dinner!
7.30pm - Depart for Singapore

This tour is limited to 88 pax, so book your seats now!

Modes of payment:

1. Cheque. Please issue your cheque to "Noah's Ark CARES" and send it to 42 Cairnhill Road, #02-01, S (229661). Please write on the back of the cheque "October 2010 Tour".
- Show quoted text -

2. Alternatively you can do an ATM transfer or Internet Banking to our any of our 2 Bank accounts:

For transfer to OCBC BANK:

Bank: OCBC Bank (OCBCSGSG)
Acct No: 501-827745-001
Acct Name: Noah's Ark Companion Animal Rescue & Edn Society
Branch: OCBC Head Office
Branch Code: 501
Bank Code: 7339

For transfer to DBS BANK:

Bank: DBS
Account type: DBS CURRENT
Acct number: 012-900823-0
Acct name: Noah's Ark CARES
Branch Code: 012
Bank Code: 7171

** After the successful TT, kindly email us the following details for our accounting purposes:

Name:
Bank:
Date:
Ref:
Amount:

PLEASE NOTE:
Incomplete details will NOT BE ENTERTAINED. Do take the extra 5mins to double check ALL DETAILS here have been filled up (applies to Ibanking ONLY).


**Please note the following terms & conditions;

1) There will be no refund if you do not show up on that day. The money will be taken as a donation to the animals of Noah's Ark. Thank you.
2) Substitutes are acceptable, but only one change of name/person is allowed and it must occur 1 week before the departure date.
3) Children below 5 years old are not advised to visit unless they have no fear of being surrounded by many dogs at one time. Parents/Guardians will have to be responsible for their children/ward at the sanctuary.

We look forward to seeing you soon at Noah's Ark!


Yours truly,

Noah's Ark volunteers

www.noahsarkcares.com
www.noahsarkcares.blogspot.com

Weathering the storm

An early Sunday morning in August, there was a huge storm that stuck NANAS. Howling winds and darkened skies were an indication that a big storm was approaching. True enough, it was not long before it started raining heavily. Within minutes, severe winds came through the main lodge, causing mayhem on the second floor. As a result of the unrelenting winds and continuous rain, the roof was seriously damaged, especially since there was a lack of a wall structure to break the wind.

Whist we were comfortably tucked in our beds during the rainy weather, Raymund, the founder of NANAS, and his workers were busy battling the rain. They worked tirelessly during and after the storm, trying their best to minimize the damage done to the main lodge and structures around the sanctuary. However, there was only so much that they can do.

The results of the storm were devastating. Fallen trees damaged the roof to the main cattery as well as the shelter beside the outhouse. Debri was littered all over the sanctuary.


Besides the physical damage, the animals were also affected. As if the storm wasn't bad enough to begin with, the areas around the monkey and guinea pigs enclosure were badly hit by flood waters. This caused the animals to contract numerous skin and respiratory problems due to the floods. There was a lack of dry holding areas and the shelters were muddy and wet. Many dogs were also bitten by centipedes, which appeared in great numbers due to the excessive rain.


A lot of hard work goes on behind the scenes in maintaining an animal sanctuary as large as NANAS. Keeping that many animals require a lot of human effort and donor's funding. At the end of the day, ensuring that the animals are living in a safe environment is of utmost importance.

Should you be able to help in any way possible, be it contributing materials, money or manpower, please drop us a mail at noahsarkcares@gmail.com. With your support and help, we will be able to weather this storm.

Noah's Ark Calendar 2011

Dear Friends, Supporters and Well-Wishers,

Buy a Noah's Ark CARES 2011 Calendar and help support the animals rescued by Noah’s Ark Natural Animal Sanctuary and Noah’s Ark CARES.

2011 is the Lunar Year of the Rabbit. The rabbit represents humility, because it is soft and cuddly, quiet and unassertive.

In a legend from India, a rabbit travelled in the company of an ape and a fox. The god Indra, disguised as a hungry beggar, decided to test their hospitality. Each animal went in search of food, and only the rabbit returned empty handed. Determined to be hospitable, the rabbit built a fire and jumped into it himself, feeding Indra with his own flesh. The god rewarded this sacrifice by transforming him into the Hare in the Moon.

Behind this calendar is the hard work, sweat and sometimes, tears of volunteers who are sensitive towards the cries of neglected and abandoned animals.

Please help the volunteers to be there for the animals in dire need by purchasing the calendars. Each calendar costs just S$10.00. Please download the order form and mail us your orders, together with your cheque payment.

If you wish to help us sell calendars - either amongst your friends, colleagues or in your shop, please email us at info@noahsarkcares.com

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generousity and love. On behalf of the animals, thank you for helping the sanctuary stay on its feet!

For more photos on Noah's Ark, please see the nice shots that didnt make it to the calendar taken by Nicholas Lee, our photographer! :) http://furry-photos.com/2010/09/19/noahs-ark-cares-2011-calendar/ - after which, hop over to the other page on how to sign up for our 2nd Oct tour!