Plateauing Into A System

Danny at work

Having established a system at Ground Zero, Danny, who has given his time, effort & use of his boat to assist Furry Friends Farm in the rescue, would be heading out almost every other day to top up the 7 feeding stations (pontoons) together with pet groomer, Joanne. Since his first encounter with Sabrina years ago, she left a lasting impression in his mind for her quick-action to act upon a cruelty case of entrapped monkeys in Pulau Indah, Port Klang.

Preferring to work with a smaller team, Danny taught me how to skipper his boat. Sometimes Joanne would investigate pontoons when situation is too precarious for me or Danny to hop onto. Certain times, looking at the mud, Danny himself would slip into his thigh-high Wellington boots to get into the mangrove & top up the station, while Joanne ties the rope on one side & I grab the roots to pull the boat closer. We have invisible hazards in the form of the vicious AGAS, the Malay word for sand flies, a word that sends all of us into a fly-swatting frenzy. I have about 20 bites on each leg, which would turn into red welts after scratching incessantly for days. Hydrocortisone is only a temporary relief.

Bees are another buzzing hazard. Sometimes we get about a dozen bees testing our will to stay still……we tell ourselves, this has got to be something that we can laugh about. Our composure is fine until the bees come along & Danny has to deal with two girls in fits!!!

The system of Kuning exploring the swamp, Hitam going after him, and both coming to the edge with the strays has been established as their modus operandi. Then Adi or Bono would catch them. With a call, either of us would head over regardless of the tide times & pick the doggie up! Having said this, it may well be said that the rescue has plateaued. The food stations are almost dry every other day, signifying that other rescue teams have ceased coming to tend to them. Very strange disappearance now that Kuning has reappeared.

The impenetrable swamp and fearful dogs leave us with the only option of sustaining them & winning their trust eventually, to be handled & caught with the help of Kuning & Hitam. Even the Orang Asli (indigenous people) who were brought in, refuse to enter the swamp. It could be possible that they detected something other than the presence of dogs, wildboars & snakes. Adi had warned us not to go any further whenever we row in the tributaries. Whatever it may be, we too, have to be cautious when we enter with our inflatable kayaks.

There are more pressing issues at the farm that needs looking after and the medical attention that would be required. My time will be divided between the rescue operations & the farm but with Danny at the helm of the rescue boat, I have every ounce of confidence in his remarkable ability in assuring the feeding stations are replenished. Joanne is ever-ready to assist him when she’s not on call to groom your dog.

If you would like to support our rescuers, do call on her to make your appointment to groom your pooch. When we establish our network of support eventually, we wouldn’t have to worry about  making a living and devoting time to the rescue, right? I promise you exciting news ahead….