Dog shelter close to financial collapse, leaving fate of 130 animals unknown as pandemic continues to take its toll
- The Sai Kung Stray Friends Foundation (SKSFF) in Hong Kong’s New Territories can only survive for another two months unless it receives urgent funds
- Pandemic has seen fundraising events cancelled and donations drop, while medical bills have spiked in recent weeks, with several dogs needing costly treatment
A Hong Kong dog shelter is close to financial collapse as the coronavirus pandemic continues to take its toll.
The Sai Kung Stray Friends Foundation (SKSFF), in Tai Lam Wu village in Hong Kong’s eastern New Territories, can only survive for another two months unless it receives urgent funds.
SKSFF founder Narelle Pamuk says social-distancing regulations have forced the cancellation of fundraising events, its main source of income to cover operating costs. Fetes and other events, such as school visits, street stalls and pet-adoption drives, have been put on hold.
The pandemic has also resulted in a rise in the number of dogs needing shelter. “A lot of people have lost their jobs and many have left Hong Kong, while others are reluctant to commit to a pet for financial reasons amid fears of a looming recession,” Pamuk says.
Last week Pamuk put out an urgent call for help on the charity’s social media platforms to alert supporters and make the public aware the shelter was close to financial ruin.
“We are struggling,” says Pamuk, who founded the non-profit 12 years ago. “Priority expenses are rent that is now in arrears, salaries of our dedicated kennel manager Kathy and two part-time staff, as well as dog food. Medical bills vary from between HK$50,000 [US$6,400] to HK$100,000 a month.”
It’s heart-wrenching to see an animal suffer or with serious health issues. They need our help, but we don’t have any reserve funds
As well as stray and abandoned dogs, the shelter cares for sick and injured ones, providing medical care and rehabilitation. Every dog that enters the facility also undergoes a health check and is desexed, vaccinated and treated for flea, tick and heartworm prevention. SKSFF also operates a meals-on-wheels programme, delivering food and clean water to street dogs in the area 365 days a year. These dogs are also desexed, microchipped and vaccinated.
But Pamuk says in the past few weeks, the shelter has dealt with a large number of dogs needing urgent – and expensive – medical treatment. “We can’t turn our back on injured dogs and we only address the medical bills after we’ve helped … lately these bills have been astronomical,” she says.
SKSFF responded to a report of a dog at a landfill site in Tseung Kwan O with a severe leg injury. After gaining permission to enter the restricted area, it took three days to capture the young injured female. Sadly, the dog’s left leg had to be amputated, with the medical bill totalling more than HK$42,000, Pamuk says.
Another stray named Peach was rescued from a cemetery in Sai Kung. Her wound had a maggot infestation, with the vet’s bill coming to HK$25,000. Another dog needed emergency treatment for a twisted spleen. That operation cost more than HK$70,000. “We cheekily called her Cashla because of the large amount of money we spent on her,” Pamuk laughs.
