Let’s begin with the pleasant ones. As I walked on the railway track, I was greeted by these friendly fellas from a nearby construction site …. I think they were kept by the foreign workers living there. At first they were barking as they ran up to me. But I sensed that they were not aggressive and did not panic even as they surrounded me.
As you probably sense from my photo on the top of this blog as well as others here; I like dogs. But due to objection from my wife, and the amount of work required to take care of them in today’s urban environment, I have not kept any dogs since I moved out of my kampong in more than 30 years. For example, in the kampong, we could just let them run around and ‘do their business’ anywhere they want, we cannot do that nowadays. Because of the heavy traffic, we also cannot let them roam freely; and have to spend time to walk them regularly.
.JPG)
.JPG)
Here’s another photo of me with my nieces’ dogs taken in Ipoh 2 years ago.
And now for the unpleasant photos.These were taken just next to the railway track near to the bus stop and pedestrian bridge.
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
This last one was taken just next to the Tang Village’s “Great Wall of China”, along the main road. No prizes for guessing who were the culprits. Maybe we should not be too quick to judge the Serangoon Gardens residents for objecting to the location of a foreign workers’ dormitory in their estate after all.
.JPG)
21 comments:
Eh, how to sense whether they are aggressive? I saw one of them that day, but luckily it did not come after me.
when i was in australia, i also came across broken beer bottles in some places. blame it on the beer. i suppose you will see such a thing in any country, especially where people drink alcohol in the open.
I could go out and take far worse photos in the UK - plenty of places, even in the countryside which are ruined by rubbish left around like this
alamak icemoon, shows u never stood or touched any animal before rgt?
OK here are the clues that relate to dogs only. Cats I know but others outside these categories I dont know.
DOGS
1. Look at the face - smiling or know? Some got "I pak c boh look". Open the mouth you r OK. If grin their teeth freeze and get ready to defend yourself.
2. Check ears - folded down or upright all the time
3. Got wag the tail when see humans. Some wag and bark at the same time - that is ok. Shows they got no guts yet want to be friend-friend with you. Maybe nervous also or shy because first time meet.
4. If they come near to you, first thing they want to smell are your feet. It's OK if smelly but somehow the feet reveals to them whether u ok or bad guy. Sometimes dogs dont wag tail but smell your feet and then walk away (maybe also bark) - this means they dont wanna be your friend and u better stay away.
5. If they jump at you, wag their tail, face snmile-smile, dont scream. They want to play with you.
6. If tail in between hind lges, and face smiling, friendly dog but scare of humans, probably kena kicked before.
If everything OK then you slowly use your hand to stroke the head.
Never offer food the first time.
CATS
1. First time dont grab the animal and carry like baby. Their claws will come out and scratch u
2. Dont smack the face form left to right and vice versa with hands.
3. Dont pull the legs/paws
Cats different from dogs. THey stare at you and if they come near you, not friendly cat. Watch the hissing sound - means they can attack you anytime. However if your cat is raised from kitten by you, you can play rough with the cat and the cat will gently bite you to remind you not to play rough
OK enough information. Now go "Roger".
Correction for cats. They stare at you and refused to come near you. YOu approach them they run away.....that kind of cat not so good as friend.
Nice blog, Chun See.
I like people who are pet lovers because they are usually compasionate and caring not only of humans but also all living things. During my schooldays, I also joined the "Animal Lovers League" but I think this club had disbanded many years ago.
Children should be encouraged to keep pets; regardless of their size or breed, so that they will value lives and develop compassion
for fellow human beings.
don't be so quick to judge the foreign workers living there too.
I have innate fear of those dogs that don't appear friendly. What if they have rabies or they turn mad and bite? Usually you find them in ulu places and nobody can save you. Better be safe than sorry.
But friendly dogs are ok. They wag their tail as they follow you like a 癞皮狗 .. haha.
Am I being quick to judge the foreign workers? Honestly, I don't think so. I presented evidence? All that trash and broken glass were within short walking distance of trash bins. And it wasn't as if I went search for the evidence.
I have other personal stories that are far more damaging to the foreigh worker's reputation; think telephone calls in the middle of the night, threats of bodily harm to my daughter, my car etc. Threats of bodily harm to my neighbour's dog. If I wanted to, I could have blogged about those things during the height of the debate. Maybe, now that the controversy has died down I should; but I would rather keep GMY to pleasant topics.
dogs with rabies easy to tell - they are always ferocious, teeth grinning and seldom bark.
Have u tried blow wind into dog's face - friendly dogs will be happy.
Also if the dog turn over and show u the belly, dont be afraid - use your fingers to stroke up and down the belly. if the dog hind legs start kicking, sure can b your friend.
sometimes barking dog behind gate of house tells you what sort of owners live in that house. I like some types of pedigree dogs but I am definitely ok with mongrels.
Two weeks ago,I saw a cute and fluffy cat lying down cleaning itself with its paws. Being a cat lover myslf, I gently stroked his head. All of sudden and as quick as lightning its paw lashed out at my arms causing several skin punctures. It was very painful. This experience has taught me not to be too friendly with any cat.
So sorry to hear about that Stanley. Cats are different form dogs in terms of personality. Youc an stroke a dog but not a cat which you just "befriended". Did you raise your hands in the shape of a cobra when the cat was looking at you? if you did that, the cat interprets as "I so pak". You only stroke the cat after it curls and rubs its body on your lges, even then you do it after a few times not immediately. Rubbing itself against your leg = submission to you or recognize you as the lord.
There is plenty of evidence about Singaporeans littering everywhere too, you know, like at the NDP and at our shorelines. Four decades of campaigns not enough!
What the photos best hint at are the frequency of cleanups in the area!
My late father lived through the Japanese occupation and therefore had bad experience with the Japanese but he made a positive remark on them, saying that the Japanese was (and still is) a very disciplined people. I agree with him wholeheartedly after visiting Japan (only once). The discipline is clearly imprinted in their society, reflected from a clean bus in Tokyo right up to the incredibly clean fishing village in wakajima, an undeniable fact. I am not trying to flatter this country, as I myself suffered a near fatal injury (as a baby) during the occupation. How does this race able to acquire such a positive value, many theories are expounded, but I still do not know the underlying cause.
Thanks Peter. I think you are right. Raising of my hand could be misinterpreted as an hostile act by the cat and it acted in self-defence by giving me a nasty shock.
Much of the brtutalities were committed by the (Other Rank) Japanese soldiers who occupied Singapore such as the Koreans and Taiwanese who worked for the Japanese. Only NCOs and officers were Japanese. Korea and Taiwan were colonies of Japan prior to WW2.
I wonder whether those soldiers were native Koreans/Taiwanese.
The Military Intelligence could plant some of them in the Hokkien enclaves as spies.
Peter is correct to point out that some of the brutalities were actually carried by taiwanese troops and my father confirmed that. My primary school teacher observed and remarked that Japanese possesses some kind of a dual personality - the dr Jeykel and mr hyde type, meaning that during wartime they are completely ruthless but extremely courteous during peace time. My uncle who was a young man during the occupation went further - he critised the Japanese as hypocrites, occupied others and later being occupied by the US - remarked: "what glory to speak of". Our MM also once critised the Japanese of wanting to white-wash their war time atrocities while the Germans bravely faced up to their wartime crimes (esp during the holocaust) burying unfortunate past once and for all. It seems that I have diverted the attention away from the main topic and would certainly displease chun see wondering what happens to his pet subject.
There is an 'animal lovers league' now located at Pasir Ris Farmway
From - I luv dogs
Sivasothi.
Absolutely!
Stephen Joseph
Nappie was a really cute dog!
It's a pity that as a dog lover, you can't keep dogs.
I came across your blog while looking up on the Jurong line.
I'm doing a story on it. Can you contact me estherng@mediacorp.com.sg?
As for those who have never pets, cats and dogs are different in mannerisms. I have both cats and dogs - all picked up from the streets - why buy, when they are free?
Cats take a long time to warm up to you or not at all. So even if you're a cat lover it's best not to get too friendly with a cat you're meeting for the first time. If it likes you, it will start rubbing your leg and 'talk' to you.
So yes, peter you're spot on on that.
Dogs, well, after they suss you out, and if they like you, they are ever ready to greet you and be by your side. That's why people say dogs are more loyal.
I don't understand why some people (and religions) disparage this quality, likening a certain race or enemy as dogs.
To me, the greatest beast is Man himself.
Post a Comment