WHY DOES THE WILDLIFE DEPT NEED TO SKIN THE CARCASS OF BABY MARDOS??

Below is a letter RSC sent to the STAR newspaper which has not as yet been published:


GOODBYE BABY MARDOS

Mardos, the baby elephant, has been put down one day after Christmas according to the article in the STAR entitled Injured Mardos Put Down At Zoo (December 27, 2006).

Christmas is a time to remember God’s Mercy and Love. Finally Mardos can find such Mercy in death which has been evading him all his life among uncaring humans.

The Remembering Sheena Campaign (RSC) thanks the STAR newspaper for informing the public about Mardos fate.

Otherwise The Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan), that runs the Kuala Gandah elephant sanctuary where Mardos lived, would have quietly put Mardos to sleep without any remorse that they made him suffer in pain for six months.

RSC’s letter to the STAR entitled Baby Mardos Has Suffered Enough (July 11, 2006) expressed shock upon first learning of Mardos injury, especially when it came so soon after the incompetence of Perhilitan’s staff killed another baby elephant, Mat Chepor.

Mardos fractured both his hind legs near the knees when he slipped at the back of a truck while being transported to a school for a “show”. The staff at Kuala Gandah only sought medical treatment after allowing Mardos to suffer in pain for two whole days according to another report in the STAR (Young Jumbo Knocking On Death’s Door, July 8, 2006).

RSC and many other animal welfare groups called for Mardos to be euthanized immediately, but again, for reasons best known only to Perhilitan, they had to force Mardos to endure six months of pain and suffering before they finally euthanized him on December 27, 2006.

Till today, all the disturbing issues raised over Mardos have not been addressed by Perhilitan. These issues are :
1. Why animal transfer protocol in transporting Mardos was not followed.

2. Why did it the staff at Kuala Gandah wait for two days before seeking medical treatment for Mardos?

3. Why are baby elephants taken out for “shows”? Isn’t it enough that they are forced to “entertain” people at this so-called sanctuary? If they are taken on road shows then Kuala Gandah should call itself a circus, not a sanctuary.

4. Why did tourists complain Mardos was skin and bones at the Kuala Gandah sanctuary?

RSC calls on all Malaysians to write to the Press demanding that these questions be answered. Kindly send copies of your letters to international organizations such as the Jane Goodall Institute and Wildlife Warriors started by the late Steve Irwin.

RSC is now baffled over why Mardos’ carcass was skinned by Perhilitan.

Due to the astonishing number of cases in Malaysia where animal body parts are sold on the black market it is only right that Perhilitan clarifies why it was necessary to skin Mardos. What other parts of this poor baby was taken and used for what purpose?

Even as this letter is being written there are animals on the endangered species list entertaining the public at popular resorts in Malaysia. How is it possible to blatantly flout international laws under the very nose of Perhilitan? We suppose anything is possible in “Bolehland”.

Rest in peace, Mardos. There will surely be a heavier punishment from God for those who are entrusted to look after animals and neglect to do so.

A Little Girl Appeals To Captain Of Whaling Ship To Stop Killing Whales

Efforts from Greenpeace and other animal welfare groups succeeded in keeping the whales safe from being cruelly hunted for 20 years.

Unfortunately, in 2006, countries famous (or rather infamous) for their commercial whaling activities such as Japan, Norway and Iceland managed to overturn this ban in an international conference by a very small margin of votes in favour of whaling.

Now the high seas are no longer safe once again for these majestic animals.

Below is a video courtesy of Nick Josh Karean from CARE 2 NETWORK. Click to watch. Remember if there is buffering run the entire video till the end. Then click "Play Again". You can then watch without interruption.

It is a video letter from Martina, a lovely little girl asking a ship captain to STOP whaling. Her video letter is to Mr. Toyama, Captain of the Nisshin Maru (NM) Ship. NM is the factory ship of the Japanese whaling fleet in the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary that has illegally hunted 945 whales to date (December, 2006).



Whales are not fish but mammals and highly intelligent animals. They travel together in families and form long-lasting bonds with family members especially mother and children.

I personally don't buy any cosmetics from companies that do not have the NO ANIMAL TESTING logo. I know by this at least these companies care enough to ensure animals are not harmed in making their products.

I buy sardines that have the "Dolphin friendly" logo which means they don't use methods of fishing that harm the dolphins.

I say this about cosmetics because there are lipstick and lip glosses made from whale blubber. I buy only BODY SHOP Cosmetics because they DO NOT TEST ON ANIMALS and BODY SHOP actively participates in projects to protect animals and the environment.

Whale meat is mainly consumed in Japan. Apart from that whale blubber is used for different products such as lipstick, turpentine, varnish, etc. But there is no reason these companies can't use an alternative raw material to make these products.

Gavin Carter an adviser to the International Wildlife Management Consortium says there is almost no market for meat or other products from hunted whales. Reichert, of Pew Charitable Trusts, says the best chance for profits is in tourism activities like whale watching.

"Recent estimates are that it generates over $1 billion a year in revenue. So if you look at this from an economic perspective, this is kind of a no-brainer: whales are worth a lot more to people alive than they are dead," he said.

Must Watch Music Video From Care 2 Network

China had been culling dogs in a cruel, barbaric way - even forcefully taking pet dogs from distraught and crying guardians. But now Care 2 News Network reports that due to international uproar the anti-dog crackdown has officially stopped. This is because thousands of letters from people like you and from within China to the Chinese government made them sit up and take note.

Care 2 shows us what RSC has always been saying time and time again. YOU can make a difference.

Please watch this deeply moving music video in Chinese. Nick Josh Karean, Malaysia's CARE 2 representative took great pains to upload this video here for you guys to watch.

Click below to tune in. If there is buffering let it run through to the end. Then just click 'Play Again' and it will play clearly without buffering.



China still has a long way to go to stop cruelty to animals. The illegal fur trade where innocent cats and dogs are skinned alive is still allowed by the government to take place. Please stop this horrific acts. Firstly STOP BUYING FUR! ANY FUR ON CLOTHING, SHOES, PENCIL CASE ETC. They come from animals that are skinned alive.

Furriers want the skin undamaged and that is why they don't want to kill the animals. Do we really need to wear clothing or own anything that comes from inflicting such torture?

Please click on the link below and let CARE 2 show you how you can help boycott Chinese goods and write letters etc to stop this fur trade.

http://www.care2.com/c2c/share/detail/213855

At the end of the video, there is a poem in Chinese. Nick gives us the English translation here:

Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.

There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Watch NTV7 Breakfast Show On Dec 22nd

RSC arranged for Dr. Mohamad Akram Laldin to speak on the NTV7 Breakfast Show on how Islam supports compassion and kindness towards all of God's creatures, including dogs.

Dr Akram is Assistant Professor and Deputy Dean (Academic Affairs), (Kulliyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences) at the International Islamic University, Malaysia (IIUM).

Please tune in from 8:30 am on December 22nd, 2006, to watch this programme.

Thank you The Breakfast Show and Dr. Akram for helping us in our education drive.

Joy Is Fine And Encompassed By Love

Thank you all so much for your support. Those who wrote in with letters and posted your comments on the blog. Yes! Linking RSC to your blog with Joy's story will most definitely help. So my gratitude and thanks to all of you who are doing this.

One of them is Nick Josh Karean who is representative of the Humane Society in Malaysia. Nick posted Joy's story and it made it to the front page of Care2NewsNetwork. Do log on and read the many comments from abroad if you wish to at

http://www.care2.com/news/member/957884325/248029

So far Sin Chew did a great story on Joy and Malaysiakini also carried the story. We are still working to get the news out. We are even getting some reaction from the Malaysian government, which we shall notify you all of later.

For those of you who are distressed, please don’t be. I am putting up a photo of Joy at the Press Conference in Batu Caves just to assure all of you he is fine now (photos of Joy on Sherrina's lap. Sherrina is from the Independent Pet Rescuers. To the right (seated) is Sabrina Yeap. Tuan Hj Rahim from ABDA Aviation and his wife Umi are at the back.

This goes to show what love can do. Even the greatest wound inflicted heals through a large dose of LOVE. And God is LOVE.

Tuan Hj Rahim and Sister Umi are a muslim couple. They feed all of God's creatures including dogs. They came to support us and denounce this cruel act upon Joy.

Jesus said "If you live by the sword, you will die by the sword."

So we won't stoop to the level of crying vengeance. I know a lot of you are angry but let's put this anger to positive use and not get bitter. We will continue with what we are always preaching:

"Education and speaking up for the voiceless" because the Truth will set you free.

This is why RSC arranged for muslims to come to the Press Conference on December 14 at a restaurant in Batu Caves. We are here to work together with our brothers and sisters from different religions to fight ignorance.

We don't want to see what happened to Joy happen again.

Can you help the Furry Friends Farm?

Let's work together please. Help us to help the animals in a systematic and intelligent way guided by God, Love, Truth. Many of you have written to ask how you can help.


You can help by helping the Furry Friends Farm at this moment. The Farm is very new and they need help to get off the ground quickly so they can help many more animals.



Below is the FFF's Christmas wish list and if any of you can fulfill it please do.

RSC does not collect money or recruit members. FFF too does not want to fall in the trap of many NGOs by raking in donations to the point where money becomes the priority and not the animals anymore. But FFF needs money to be able to help animals.

So we have come up with a proposal. You may help in either cash or kind.















FFF is in the midst of opening a bank account. In the meantime kindly make out cheques to FFF's vets POEZENBOOT SDN BHD and post to PetFirst Veterinary Centre, No. 14 Jalan Metro Perdana Timur 2, Taman Usahawan, Kepong, 52100 Kuala Lumpur.

RSC will help FFF post on our blog from time to time how this money is being spent.

RSC will start the ball rolling by giving our first cheque for the medical bills of O-gee, a cat FFF rescued. Upon rescue her hind leg was found to be so badly injured it had to be amputated. O-gee fears humans so much that she is believed to have been abused. O-gee's medical bills came up to RM400 and RSC paid it.
















If you want to help FFF please fulfill their Christmas wish list below:

Furry Friends Farm Christmas Wish List

1. FFF needs RM20,000 to renovate the Farm. This includes

a) Toilets and bathrooms so they can start opening the farm for camping.

b) A sanatorium for animals.

c) An office.

d) A comfortable place to raise free range chickens because they want to discourage people from buying eggs that come from battery hens.

e) A fence for the entire farm. The Farm is now just an open, uncultivated land. If there is no fence the animals will run away and get lost.

If you can't contribute towards the RM20,000 in cash, please give us building materials or if you are a builder, better still. Help them renovate.





2. To open doors for Sabrina Yeap to speak at colleges, offices and Christians open your market-place ministry to talks on animals too please. Dr Habeeb went back after the Press Conference and showed Joy's poster to the student of the Islamic university and they were shocked and horrified. So many people don't know what is actually going on out there with regards to animals.

3. FFF need funds to spay and neuter stray animals. It costs about RM200 for a dog and a little lesser for a cat to neuter, de-worm, vacccinate and transport. Please pay directly to the Vet who helps FFF neuter. Make out the cheque to POEZENBOOT SDN BHD and post to PetFirst Veterinary Centre, No. 14 Jalan Metro Perdana Timur 2, Taman Usahawan, Kepong, 52100 Kuala Lumpur.

Since the vets are temporarily helping FFF collect their donations too, kindly specify what the donation is for and your full address so they can make out a receipt to you accordingly.















4. FFF is looking for a home for O-gee the three-legged cat who it suspects has been abused. If you can find it in your heart to give O-gee a loving home, please contact RSC at remembersheena@gmail.com.

Indonesian Workers Attack Dog Calling It "Haram"

Furry Friends Farm and The Remembering Sheena Campaign held a Press Conference on December 14, 2006 to highlight the plight of Joy, a stray dog that had been so cruelly beaten by Indonesian workers that his lower jaw was crushed.




















At about 9am on Dec 2, 2006, Sabrina Yeap, managing partner of the Furry Friends Farm (FFF), rescued a dog at the Ki-Park Sri Utara construction site belonging to developer, Kepong Industrial Park Sdn Bhd (KIP Group). The site is situated about 10km from the Batu Caves roundabout, heading towards Sungei Buloh and Kepong.

The lower jaw of the dog was dangling and his tongue was hanging out. Two eye-witnesses who pleaded with Sabrina to help the dog, said they had seen him being beaten by Indonesian foreign workers who kept calling the dog “haram” as he was attacked.
















Sabrina took the dog, which she later named Joy, to the veterinary clinic. Joy’s lower jaw was so badly injured it had to be surgically removed, but the tongue was saved despite having lacerations and blood clots.

As representative of RSC, I spoke to Mr Kok Pick Tong, one of the four managing directors of KIP Group which employs the workers that ill-treated Joy.

I requested permission for Dr Habeeb Rahman Ibramsa, who lectures in Quran and Sunnah Studies at the International Islamic University in Gombak, Selangor, to give a talk to all their foreign workers on Islam’s clear stand of compassion towards animals, including dogs. Mr Kok refused to co-operate.

On December 4, 2006, RSC sent an official letter to Mr Kok making this request along with the request by FFF for the KIP Group to bear all of Joy’s medical expenses and maintenance at the FFF, an animal shelter which has decided to adopt Joy. Mr. Kok has ignored all letters and telephone calls from RSC.

On December 6, 2006, RSC wrote to Dr. Subramaniam, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, the Minister of Housing and Local Government, Tan Seri Datuk Seri Panglima Bernard Dompok, Minister in charge of the Public Complaints Bureau, and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

















The letters were sent out to these parties appealing to the government to be more pro-active in the area of animal welfare in Malaysia.

There has been much public outcry over the banning of a select number of dogs in Shah Alam, the mass “murder” of Mr Eng Her Sun’s dogs by the Seremban Municipal Council’s death squad, the cruel culling of birds by the Department of Veterinary Services during the bird flu scare, the increase in pet dumping and abuse of stray animals and pets.

RSC invited lecturer in Quran and Sunnah Studies at the International Islamic University in Gombak to give a talk to the Indonesian workers but the developer did not allow it.

Hence, RSC and FFF are calling for the Government to support their education programmes that are aimed at ending this needless violence towards animals. Next year is Visit Malaysia Year 2007, and already tourists are squirming at Malaysia’s ill-treatment and cruelty to animals – from wildlife to domestic pets.

“We are not asking the government to find and punish the people who did this to Joy, although the laws of Malaysia provide for this. We are calling on the Government to support our public education projects by persuading the developer, KIP Group, to allow us to educate their workers,” said Sabrina Yeap.

“I wish to end this ignorance that the Quran supports violence against animals, and am willing to give lectures, presentations and screen videos that support what I am saying. I hope the public, Government officials, foreign workers and others who need to hear this truth will attend,” said Dr. Habeeb Rahman Ibramsa, Lecturer in Quran and Sunnah Studies at the International Islamic University, Gombak, Selangor.

Today Joy has to carry on living without his lower jaw and teeth. He can only eat soft food for the rest of his life. RSC was invited to a meeting called "Dasar Kawalan Anjing" (Guidelines to Control Dogs) in February this year, along with 30 other NGOs by Dr. Subramaniam Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Housing and Local Government.

To-date nothing has been done by the government and we are wondering what the meeting was for. They should instead have held a meeting called "Dasar Kawalan Manusia" (Guidelines to Control Humans)

More Photos On Furry Farm Outing

Hi Everyone,

If you'd like to see more photos on our Furry Friends Farm outing and get a really cool narration of the trip, visit Davina Goh's blog at
http://retardationation.blogspot.com/2006/12/green-grass-of-home.html

Taylor's College Students Speak Up For Animals

Here is the Press Release sent out on Taylor College's contribution towards supporting Furry Friends Farm. RSC thanks Toh Jung Wei and his team-mates for their thoughtful gesture in having FFF as the theme of their presentation and also for the love offering.







Furry Friends Farm Touches The Hearts of Taylor’s College Students

Subang Jaya, Wednesday: “Education is not just about earning a living. It is about creating model citizens,” said Toh Jung Wei, a Fall Semester 2006 Speech Class student at Taylor’s University College American Degree Transfer Program (ADP).

As part of Taylor’s commitment to mould exemplary characters, Jung Wei and his four college mates participated in a persuasion skills presentation designed to persuade members of the public to support a newly formed animal shelter called Furry Friends Farm.

















Jung Wei and four other college mates, Adrian Christian, Lee Ji Min, Brigette Liberty Yu and Ogaji Tamumo-Emi delivered a convincing address to a room of 30 students and lecturers about the merits of the farm before passing around a donation box to help the farm get started.

Sabrina Yeap, managing partner, was also present as representative of the farm to receive the donation of RM140 collected from the speech class students of Taylor’s College.

“The Furry Friends Farm is unique in that it is not a non-governmental organization or NGO. It was started by an ordinary couple with an extraordinary vision to provide a no-kill shelter for strays and abandoned pets,” said Sabrina.

“This couple rents a 3 acre piece of land and decided to dedicate this land solely for the purpose of caring for stray dogs and cats. The couple are also growing chillies, vegetables and producing their own dog and cat shampoos made from natural products to earn an income that they can channel back into maintaining the animals while they are at the farm.

“We also look for homes for these animals as part of our adoption programme.”

Acting Academic Director of Taylor’s ADP, Mr. Lim Tou Boon said, “This is what Taylor’s ADP is all about. It is not just about exams. We want students to also be aware of global and local issues. Here at ADP, we want to produce students who are not only high achievers academically, but who are also meaningfully engaged in supporting community causes.”

Ogaji Tamumo-Emi of Nigeria who was part of the persuasion skills team presenting made mention of Sheena the German Shepherd cruelly starved to death by her guardian. Her guardian pleaded guilty to keeping Sheena, tied up and starving for most of the seven years of her life. Yet the Malaysian courts set the owner free with only RM100 fine even though the law provided for a custodial sentence.

“Sheena’s story touched all our hearts and when I heard that she was just one of a large number of cases of cruelty in Malaysia, I immediately wanted to do this presentation with my team,” he said.

The Speech Class students were very impressed by Furry Friends Farm’s no-kill policy on strays, how they network with the public to re-home strays through www.rescue2rehome.blogspot.com and its corresponding booth at Sri Damas Complex at Sri Hartamas every Saturday.

Furry Friends Farm also networks with the public through its education blog www.remembersheena.blogspot.com that actively calls for public participation on prevention of cruelty to animals through highlighting cruelty cases, calling on the public to sign Petitions, write letters to the Press and much more.

“When the public participates by doing more than just donating they are creating a caring Malaysian society. Otherwise Furry Friends Farm will just be another place for people to dump their pets or strays they found on the street. This is the fate of many shelters and we don’t want that for Furry Friends Farm. We want to change society from the core in the way they think about and treat animals,” said Sabrina.