Imm's Shelter is an animal sanctuary run by 60+ year-old lady, Oei Phaik Imm, who was in dire straits some six months back. At that time, she was depressed, in very poor health and finances were running low, and was hence, on the verge of giving up on her sanctuary.
Ref: http://www.myanimalcare.org/2011/03/very-urgent-help-needed-for-59-cats-and.html
We raised funds for her and we're glad everything is looking really well now, for Imm and for the dogs and cats. We'd like to thank those who contributed generously at that time, the three donors who pledged monthly contributions, PC Leong, Yvonne Young and Conrad, as well as all who continue helping Imm in cash and kind.
Here are photos and updates from Judy Chua, the friend who first wrote to me about Imm:
Dear all
Today is a day for rejoicing. On 3rd Mar 2011 I was desperate & exhausted. Imm was on the verge of collapse. Today on 3rd Sep., the 6 months anniversary of our enquiry to Kah Yein for help, the situation at the shelter has changed ever so positively. Thanks to Kah Yein’s immediate response & efforts and the subsequent response from all of you (donors and volunteers), you helped shift feelings of sheer desperation to hope, and hope to joyful appreciation. Our hearts will always remember with humility your kindness and generosity.
With your support, Imm and I are in much better health, so too the cats and dogs although a few have passed on peacefully. The shelter is also cleaner and better maintained with the volunteers on board. The bank balance for the shelter continues to remain healthy with existing & new donors giving in cash and kind. The animals at Imm’s shelter are very blessed indeed.
Since my previous update in June, the 2 sinkholes at the shelter have been repaired and exposed areas cemented which makes it easier to clean each day. Imm has also found a reliable worker who comes in monthly to cut the grass and clear the creepers that clog the outside drains alongside the shelter.. He also helps bury the cats and dogs who have died.
The new volunteers who came in to help ie. Yvonne & Carol continue to do so regularly each week. Yvonne’s son Curtis and his friend Swee Ee comes in to help during their college breaks. Ah Mei and I also do a couple of days each week, so Imm continues to have at least a volunteer helper with her on most days of the week.
As of last month, I have started taking photos with my niece’s camera and yesterday, Mrs Wong Yew Choong who was both mine and Kah Yein’s 5th Form teacher in MGS came over to my place to show me how to download & compress the photos to include in my update.
I have attached a schedule of donations received and expenses incurred (Mar to Aug 2011) for your info. Please do not hesitate to email me if you need any clarification on any of the items in the schedule. Wishing you all continuous blessings in your life. Wiith joyful appreciation
judy
Lovely in the beginning...every morning.
Mommy dog ,a stray in the area, will be waiting most mornings just outside the entrance to the shelter for Imm to arrive. Imm gives her the packed 'cooked rice with bones, mince or liver ' which she had cooked (the previous evening) and bundled with newspaper in the the morning, before unlocking the gates leading to the shelter..
We wait for Mommy dog to finish her meal to fend off approaching strays. Mommy dog is extremely timid and will im'ly back off whenever other stray dogs come towards her. Mommy dog has had many litters. She and the other strays that are fed by Imm in this area are very fearful of humans (apart from Imm) and difficult to catch. Victor from Noah's Ark had come round to try and catch a few strays for spaying/neutering with no successs. However, thanks to him, 3 of Mommy' s surviving pups were once taken away by him for adoption. Imm & I suspect that many of Mommy's pups end up in the cooking pot, also some of the younger strays.
Lek Loi (clever girl) and her son, Sonny, greets us every morning without fail as Imm's car pulls up beside the shelter. Mother & son are always together. They prefer to be outside the shelter. Sonny knows a secret passage out from the shelter and will lead the mom out each day after having their meal. Sonny obviously has mom's lek-lek genes.
For the dogs in the shelter, Imm fills all the doggie bowls with their rice meal, stacks them in 3 pails, and loads them in her car for the trip to the shelter. As we enter the shelter, the dogs go beserk anticipating their breakfast on wheels. The above is one such pail already taken into the shelter.
Lovely in the middle...
Breakfast at last!!!! Imm taking two pails of doggie rice meal in bowls into the dog eclosure.
After breakfast, a boisterous greeting of welcome & appreciation complete with wagging tails from the shelter's welcoming committee. Neva and husband making their surprise 2nd visit to the shelter with 5 big 15kg bags of dog 'lup-lup' and 1 large 9kg bag of cat 'lup-lup'. The gifts are being transferred to Imm's car. Thank you Neva ..we love you!!!
After breakfast, the washing up. "Aunty Imm, may I help with the dishes?"
Smiley (Jigme's mom) testing out the 'lup-lup'. Verdict - YUMMY!!!
After the bowls are washed, Imm fills them with lup-lup. Their last meal for the day.
And when the sun's out, we get a shampoo and wash.
Soot's lucky day.
Lovely in the end...every evening.
On my days at the shelter, I do the cattery and Imm the kennels. On other days, Imm does the cattery and the other volunteers the kennels. When the cattery's clean and the feeding done, it's medication time for those with flu, and general cleaning of ears, eyes and nose for the rest as needed. Anon, Puff & Mork checking out the medical supplies.
Tiger says "I'm fine right now thank you, I'll have my ears done your next visit".
Tiffany : "Ditto for me".
Puff & Sukhi: "We're done. May we go have our siesta now?"
After locking up the shelter, a last 'feeding' stop before leaving and locking the entrance gates. These strays hide in the orchard and inside the vacant house behind. The house belongs to an old man who owns the banana orchard beside Imm's shelter. The strays know their feeding time and will all come out as we drive towards the area. They too are very wary and fearful of humans apart from Imm. They were on alert mode ready to run off when they saw me with my camera. Imm and I suspect that the younger dogs are being caught for food by dog-eaters in the neighbourhood.
Imm packs their food (rice with mince etc) in newspaper bundles in the morning and stack them in the red pail. After giving out the rice bundles, she tops up with lup-lup from the translucent pail.
Truly lovely in the end.
On generosity, the Buddha had said "If you know what I know about the power of giving, you would not let a single meal pass without sharing it in some way."
Thanks to your giving, we are able to feed all the cats and dogs at the shelter and the many strays nearby each and every lovely day.
It is really so happy for us that the very simple act of giving generously six months ago by everyone, has enabled Imm to be back on her feet and all these animals are now well and healthy.
Even before our help came in, Imm had already had all the male animals neutered at her sanctuary at her own cost. She continues to run the sanctuary in a very responsible manner, ensuring that medical treatment is duly given to any animal who falls ill.
Judy Chua, who helps Imm with running of the sanctuary and the accounts, continues to send me updates regularly on the finances and expenses.
We salute the great efforts of Oei Phaik Imm and all her helpers, and we wish them all the best.
Thank you very much for the updates, Judy.
Thank you, everyone, for helping Imm and her dogs and cats.
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