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SANDAKAN – As restaurants closed their doors shut during the first movement control order (MCO) in March last year, 31-year-old local Asrianah Andi Yakin started wondering about the condition of stray cats and dogs in Sandakan that might go hungry.
“There are a lot of stray cats and dogs around restaurants here, especially in Mile 1 ½ and Mile 3. I wondered how they were going to find food as they usually feed on food waste from the restaurants,” she said.
It was that question that turned Asrianah into a guardian angel for strays, feeding the animals in the district daily.
Since April last year, Asrianah has been feeding these animals – about 15 stray cats and 20 stray dogs around Sandakan.
At about 4pm every day, Asrianah, who is now working in her family business would start getting busy in the kitchen, cooking for the strays.
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“I would mix wet and dry food for the cats, and cook chicken and rice for the dogs.
“It started in April last year and I have been feeding the animals every day until today. On some days when I missed (a) feeding session, I would be thinking about them the whole day; I would not be at ease thinking about the stray animals going hungry while I have food at my table,” she said in an interview with The Vibes, adding that she now feeds the stray animals twice a day.
She shared that none of the dogs she fed was ever violent, and that most of them are afraid of humans.
“I sympathise with the dogs more (than people) because people are often cruel to the dogs,” she said.
When asked how she would react if people criticise her feeding dogs as a Muslim, she said: “Dogs are God’s creation too, and God wants us to love all his creations. Our religion asks us to be nice to all animals. I do not know why a lot of Malays in Malaysia are so grossed out by dogs.
“I have been an animal lover since young; I love cats and dogs. I feel bad seeing them at the street, getting food from the trash. A lot of dogs in Sandakan are malnourished.
"So during the MCO, I had more free time and started to feed these stray animals. After some time I developed affection towards them, and now feeding them has become my daily routine."
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Asrianah is not the only one in Sandakan who is helping stray animals affected by the pandemic, as a satay seller in Muhibbah Market, Mile 3 here, Anna Asmael, had braved the roadblocks during MCO to feed the cats and dogs near the market when it was shut for weeks.
She said the instructions at the time only allowed those who wanted to purchase essential items to leave the house, but she could not help but worry about the stray animals near Muhibbah Market that had been relying on food from hawkers at the market.
“My only source of income was lost because the market was closed, so I was tight on budget and could not afford to buy pet food for them. So, I would cook fish and rice for the cats, and chicken neck and rice for the dogs.
“There are about 10 stray cats and five stray dogs at the market. Luckily, I was allowed to go pass the roadblocks,” she said.
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Anna said that now the market is operating, she would still provide food to the stray animals.
“The animals, especially the dogs do not disturb people at the market. They come, they eat, and they leave the place very quickly,” she said.
A teacher, Lee Yong Rong said despite the school that she is teaching here is closed; she would still drive to the school daily to make sure that a stray cat at the school is fed.
“But I don’t do it every day now because the school guard is very understanding, and I just leave the cat food I bought at the guardhouse, and he would feed the cat daily for me,” she said.
Lee said she could not adopt the cat as she has too many pets at home, and hopes that someday the cat will be adopted by a kind owner so that it will have a warm and forever home. – The Vibes, September 28, 2021
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