1. The Swamp Dogs of Singapore

June 14, 2007
9am - 11.45 am Yishun, Singapore

"Why do you throw stones at the monitor lizard?" I asked Esther (green T-shirt) as Lynda, our commander-in-chief's bumped her 'Land Rover' along the pot-holed and undulating meandering track from the main road, past the two open iron barriers, deep into the Yishun swampland few Singaporeans know of its existence. A paradise in highly urbanised and competitive city-state of Singapore --- no high rises and no crowds, fresh air and green rivers and mangrove trees all around a man-made fish pond



This was as close to 'Indiana Jones and Romancing the River Nile' adventure as I could experience in my life as the group embarked into the unknown world of swamp dogs. Only that the river was the Khatib-Bongsi River or some name sounding like Khatib-Bongsi.




Lynda's mission was to vaccinate 21 swamp dogs and 1 cat and then transport to NANAS (Noah's Ark and Animal Sanctuary)in 10 days' time. Nothing was mentioned about the puppies.

The military had taken over the premises, erecting red warning signs with soldiers carrying guns at the entrance to the swamp land. The tenants (a family and a 68-year-old man) had to vacate and the dogs put to sleep as nobody would adopt these stray cross-breds if they remain in Singapore. Or let them wander in the swamps and get shot as the premises become military grounds.

But Lynda from NANAS, a no-kill animal shelter had organised the vaccination and microchipping of the dogs today. So, on this fine bright blue-sky and white-cloud morning, I cancelled all my appointments to vaccinate the dogs and a cat.



In the car, Lynda had picked up a photographer and another volunteer dog catcher Esther and her two children. Esther showed me a picture of the giant monitor lizard in her handphone. Gigantic, thick-neck and wide strong tail around 1.6 metres long.

"We threw stones to frighten the monitor lizard away as he eats the puppies," Esther said. "Once a puppy fell into the fish pond, the lizard went into the waters to swallow him."

Puppies were born free in this swampland. Free as the birds flying in the sky, the butterflies and the breezes. Their mothers would not be watching over them like eagles once they were able to walk. Some of them would walk into the fish pond and not be seen again. Predators like pythons, monitor lizards and eagles would eat them as they were not mature enough to know about the risks of freedom.

"It is survival of the fittest," I heard Lynda trying to explain the laws of the jungle to Esther.



Esther continued:"Suddenly, the monitor lizard rushed towards me and the children as we tried to scare him away from the puppies." I thought this lizard was a smart creature. Offence is the best form of defence.

"Why he did not just jump into the river behind him?"

"He had nowhere to run as there was a fence behind him. So, he charged at us."

I could not believe her story. How could monitor lizard frighten an adult 2-legged?

"He is as big as me," Esther read my imaginative mind that monitor lizards are smaller than grown ups. "The monitor lizard is as tall as me, around 1.7 meters tall."

"If you include his tail, he is about my size." Esther saw my incredulous face. "The adult dogs could not go near the lizard because his strong wide tail just whacked them off!"

"What happened when the lizard charged towards you and your two children?" I did expect Esther to teach her children to stone wild life.



"We scattered in all directions as fast as our legs could carry us. The monitor lizard leaped into the green river behind us."

The pre-teen children had the fright of their life. What an unforgettable experience. Singapore children seldom interact with nature as they have lots of homework and tuition to do and their parents are too busy working long hours to take them to nature reserves. The Singapore Zoological Gardens and the Jurong Bird Park would be as close and safest contact to wildlife for most Singapore children.

Back to the stray dogs vaccination and microchipping. It was uneventful. I expected ferocious swamp dogs that had survived predators. The dogs were fit and trim. Snow- white strong teeth indicating most of them were less than 2 years old. Short orange brown coat. No skin disease as they do swim in the river and get good fish and sunlight. I did not ask what happened to the aged dogs as I did not see any. Were they eaten up by the creatures in the swamp?

Lynda got raffia strings from the owner to tie round the neck of the dogs that had been vaccinated and microchipped.



"It is safer to put dogs on a table," I advised as Lynda and Esther started to hold the dogs on the ground for me. The dogs were not stupid although they trusted the owner. Most were interested in the food (bread and pork) offered by the owner.

Almost all the dogs were enticed with bread and pork. Esther would throw the leash onto their necks as they ate the food. Lynda and Esther would carry them up the squeaky wobbly stone table as I did my job of vaccination and microchipping.



"It is safer to muzzle them," I advised Lynda as she held onto the dogs. I don't know whether she had sufficient dog handling experience but her handling of volunteers via communications were excellent. "You never know when a dog is going to bite you as I inject."

Once a dog bites, he sends out a 'smell and sound of fear'. The rest of the pack could sense the dangers and become uncontrollable. We would not accomplish the mission.

"Tell me how you do it?" Lynda asked as I looped the first dog's muzzle using one end of her leash and tying a knot. We did not bring a proper dog muzzle.

"Loop one end of the leash as if you are tying up a present," I said. "Slip this loop over the muzzle and tied up the nose. In this way, the dog becomes submissive."

There were no mass hysteria or fright as 21 dogs were vaccinated and microchipped. A nursing dam and a young wary male dog of less than a year old as judged from his gleaming white strong permanent canines or fangs were difficult to leash.

"I will bring the dam to your clinic another time," Lynda was considerate. She was worried that the 2 smart canines would take up too much of my time.

"I have cancelled all my morning appointments from 9 am to lunch-time," I said. "Persevere to catch the 2 dogs". In my heart, I know that the dogs not tagged today would miss the boat to go to an animal sanctuary called NANAS (Noah's Ark and Natural Animal Sanctuary). Voluntary organisations are always short of money and time. It was now or never.



The military wanted back the land soon. Lynda is a very busy volunteer for NANAS. She had her own profession. It was now or never, in my estimation. It was too much to expect of volunteers to have much time to save the errant dogs.

Fortunately Lynda managed to get the nursing dam. The wary male could not be enticed with food treats. He ran into the house and out, just 1 meter away from Ester and the owner who gave out food treats. Esther's daughter was very helpful giving bread to some dogs so that they could be leashed by her mum. The mother had transmitted her love of and kindness to stray dogs to this girl. The son was more interested in resting on the bench appreciating the countryside where no high-rise loom in the horizons.

I was glad that most of the adult dogs, twenty one to be exact and one cat would not be put to sleep as would be their fate if they were left in Singapore. All because of Lynda, an animal activist. She had taken a day off to get the volunteers organised. It would be 10 days before the animals reach NANAS in Johore. She had lots of paper work to do. She has the energy to do it.





Lynda's mission to get the vet to tag 21 dogs and 1 cat was accomplished. It was good that the swamp dogs would live their natural lives in NANAS --- a much bigger community said to have 650 dogs.
"They will adapt well to the communal living in NANAS," Lynda assured me. "Unlike dogs that live in apartments alone."



Would there be swamps and monitor lizards in NANAS too?