Dumbo/Trixie (Adopted!)

* * * UPDATE * * *

October 2013

Dumbo (now Trixie) was adopted by a loving family in Arizona, USA. She said goodbye to her foster mom in Kuala Lumpur and journeyed here this week, alongside her good pal, Bobby (now Blue). 

They arrived on Wednesday, October 16.

Trixie was welcomed into the United States by Dawn and Chuck at O'Hare Airport. She was sweet and gentle, and appeared to be relatively unfrazzled - remarkable, considering her long journey.

That evening, she went into foster care with Gina and Eric, the amazing parents of our beloved Sparkle, rescued from the illegal dog meat trade of southeast Asia.

Trixie lived the high life for several days with the Stern family, learning the ropes about life as a house dog in this new and interesting nation, and enjoying the best that American life had to offer - bully sticks, toys galore, a fun house, a backyard as big as a dog park, and a BFF and patient poochie teacher - Sparkle!

Gina, Eric, and Trixie met me at O'Hare Airport bright and early the following Saturday morning. 

After a tearful goodbye, Trixie set off on her final leg of her journey home - this time to Phoenix, Arizona, were she was greeted by her wonderful forever family, the Wylers.

She has settled into the southwest lifestyle like a champ...

...and she adores her new human siblings, Emily and Ben!

Life is good for this sweet little girl, and we could not be happier for her!

Thank you to all who made this possible, from Wani Muthiah and Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better for pulling, transporting, vetting, and fostering Dumbo/Trixie; to our kind-hearted international sponsors who generously donated to help cover her costs; to Trixie's generous and kind-hearted foster family, the Sterns; to her wonderful new human and doggie family who have welcomed her home with open arms.

* * * * *

My name is Dumbo.

I am one tough little puppy - I have come so far.

I was born on the streets of Kuala Lampur, Malaysia. 

My mom and several other mothers and all of us babies were rounded up by authorities and brought to Kuala Lampur's City Hall pound, a virtual death sentence for us all.

Once there, my mom and the other moms were taken from us and euthanized. Our little hearts were broken.

We were slated to be next - and we were absolutely terrified, without our mothers, in this horrible place, where literally everything around of us stank of suffering, fear, and death.

But then a compassionate guardian angel, in the form of rescue volunteer Tee, with Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better (MDDB), arrived and saved us in the nick of time. Four of us were left, who had survived life on the streets, confinement in the pound, and worst of all, the loss of our moms. 

But more despair was still to come...

We had all been stricken by parvovirus and were now exhibiting advanced symptoms, which almost always indicates impending death in dogs younger than four months of age.

How I did it, I still don't know - and neither does anyone else - but my will to live and my strong spirit somehow sustained me, and I survived the ravages of this terrible disease. Sadly, all three of my little friends succumbed.

Despite everything I have endured, I've bounced back as only a puppy can. I am now four months old, and just nine teeny pounds! I appear to be a mix of a native Malaysian breed, the Telomian - we are known for our beauty, smarts, and ancient origins.

My caretakers report that I am now playful, silly, and a real show-off.

I am a sweetheart who is good with other puppies and dogs - and I will probably be a dream with kids, too!

* * * * *

UPDATE! I have found a fantastic forever home!!

I will be flying to the USA - hopefully this month - to meet the Wyler family of Gilbert, Arizona. I'll have a human mom and dad of my very own, and best of all, two kid siblings, Emily and baby Ben. 

Emily in particular is so excited about my arrival that she has been busily picking out beds, bowls, bones, and toys for me, for when I finally come home! 

A special thank you to ISDF's dear associate, Theresa Schneider of Surprise, Arizona for conducting a home visit, meeting (and loving!) my new family, and being ISDF's on-the-ground contact for me in Arizona as my adoption progresses.

I can hardly believe my (very big) ears! My new family lives in a huge, lovely home and their neighborhood sounds dreamy - lots of grass, trees and quiet, low-traffic streets. My new yard is big and mostly grass, which is unusual since the majority of homes in the Arizona desert have low-water rock landscaping.

Theresa shared these lovely photos of my future home, garden, and family, and my jaw just dropped. I cannot believe that all this awaits me. Still pinching myself. This must be a really great dream...and if so...I don't wanna wake up!
Of course, the biggest thank you of all goes out to Wani Muthiah and everyone at MDDB for believing in me and my little buddies, for saving us and pulling us from that dreadful doggie death camp, and for giving us every chance at survival. 

I am so very sorry for my three friends who didn't survive to see the wonderful new world that would have awaited us all - but I will carry a piece of each of their hearts with me as I begin my amazing journey in America.

Now all I need to do is get there.

The estimated cost for my vet bills and flight are approximately $900 to 1100, so we are fundraising towards the high end to be safe. Of course, any money raised above the actual total will be used towards another ISDF dog once costs are finalized upon my arrival, with the permission of our donors.
My new family has set up a page for me here and has contributed $400 already - and kind ISDF sponsors have added another $200 (a special thanks, once again, to our dear friends Hayley and Diane for their ongoing support and generosity). Several USA and overseas groups will work to fundraise the difference, but every dollar spent on me is one less dollar used to save dogs like me from the horrible Malaysian pounds. Any amount helps...truly! It all adds up, when we all chip in. No amount is too small. 
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story. And a special thank you from my Mom, who did not live to see this happy day, but loved and protected me until the bitter end, and believed - against all odds - that something special was out there waiting for me. I know she is looking down and thanking everyone who is making this miracle possible. Thank you so very much.
Love, Dumbo

* * * * *

I am a Malaysian Street Dog.

Our lives are filled with hardship. 
The luckiest among us are ignored and allowed to eke out an existence, hunting for food, shelter, and safety. 
The rest of us suffer at the hands of man - either because we are completely ignored and disregarded (including those of us who have been injured and are suffering in plain sight of the public), or because we are actively persecuted and abused. Some of us suffer torture at the hands of the meat trade. Many of us end up in so-called "pounds" which are really just death camps for dogs. 

We are extremely lucky to have MDDB out there, on our sides, each and every day.

About MDDB

Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better (MDDB) is a canine welfare and advocacy project initiated to give Malaysian street dogs a second chance in life. 

Street dogs in Malaysia lead precarious lives due to certain prejudices and lack of empathy from members of the general public. As far as MDDB is concerned, the biggest abusers of street dogs are the municipal council and City Hall dog catching units that hunt down canines and lock them up in crowded and unhygienic enclosures pending euthanasia. Most of the time, the unfortunate dogs do not even get sufficient food or water while they await death. 

MDDB works hard to make local authorities understand that the best and most humane method of stray management is not culling dogs, but employing the Trap-Neuter-Release-Manage (TNRM) method, whereby dogs are neutered and released for the local community to manage. This is a very difficult task indeed, as dog catching in Malaysia has been commercialized with bounty being paid for the head of every dog caught. MDDB also rescues and treats injured dogs, as well as stray mothers and their puppies - and they hold adoption drives to find permanent, loving homes for many dogs as well.

For a wonderful article with many accompanying photos of just some of the ways that MDDB is making the world a better place, please see this lovely article here. International Street Dog Foundation is honored to partner with MDDB to help both little Dumbo, and dear Bobby. Hats off, and many thanks, for their tireless dedication to the street dogs of Malaysia!