Noah’s Ark: A Heartwarming Animal Shelter in Johor, Malaysia

Contributed by Travelista Journal

Brief History

Noah’s Ark is a privately funded animal shelter located in Pekan Nanas, Johor, Malaysia founded by Mr. Raymund Wee whose dedication, love, kindness, and commitment in rescuing abandoned and abused animals is beyond measure. Mr. Wee is a man with a lot of love for the animals. His compassion to animals is truly an inspiration.

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Back in 1995, the shelter first opened in Singapore into one of the foremost private animal shelters where Mr. Wee was hands on in seeing the operation of the sanctuary and taking care of the animals when they need medical attention. However, when the land leased in Singapore expired, they had to move to Pekan Nanas.

Driving from Singapore to the sanctuary will take about two hours (private car/ van) to reach the place. The place is home to stray, abandoned, and abused animals including 700 dogs, 300 kittens, 9 horses, 4 primates, and many other small animals living at the sanctuary; some have disabilities because of vehicular accidents. Healing takes place in this sanctuary.

The moment our service parked, we were greeted by dozens of barking dogs, jumping and sniffing on us half-delighted, half-hungry for human attention and affection. Some were contented watching us while some liked to be patted.

This is not an ordinary sanctuary where animals are put into cages. The place is a piece of heaven on Earth where dogs can run freely with horses, roam and explore the woods, and play all day long.

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Animals here are given shelter, food, medical care. They are loved by people and volunteers who never get tired of taking care of them, showing human kindness, and looking for their FUR-EVER family to take home with them.

Human please pat me.

Happiness! This is exactly how you will feel being surrounded by these bundles of joy once you step inside the sanctuary.

Volunteers never get tired of caring for abused and unwanted pets. Their empathy, dedication, and love for animals are admirable.

Not long ago you were thrilled to have a puppy of your very own. But time changed and you dumped me because you no longer needed me. I am not as cute as I was before. But don’t worry here in this place, I can trust arms that hold, hands that touch, knowing that no matter what they do, they do it for the good of me.

If I am ill, I will be doctored.

Here in this place, no matter what I look like, I will be considered beautiful and known to be of value. I will never be cast out because I am too old, too ill, too unruly, or not cute enough.

I am a dog. I want to give and receive love. I want to live. I am not a thing or a commodity or a piece of property. Please do not discard me; rather treat me with kindness, love and, respect. I promise to pay you unconditional love and loyalty.

The Stable

The place shelters 9 horses, most of them surrendered by their owners because they can no longer care for them; some are not fit to race or work. In short, they are no longer viable and never make it to the racetrack once their racing career has ended.

What happens to ex-racehorses? Nearly all the horses that leave the industry will be killed for meat. Some are lucky enough being saved by caring individuals and horse rescue organisations. However, usually the number of horses being saved are extremely low because of the expensive cost and the time needed in retraining and maintaining a horse.

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At Noah’s Ark, they are rehabilitated and provided with a safer place for them to live out their lives knowing that they will be loved and cared for. The people behind Noah’s Ark believe that all animals deserve to live out their lives with dignity.

The Cattery

The sanctuary has two catteries. One is made of a large wooden double-storey house overlooking a small pond and fenced compounds side by side, while the other is a concrete room surrounded with wire mesh where cats are kept safe and happy.

The shelter believes in humanely dealing with the cat overpopulation problem by spay, neuter, release. Cats, when given a second chance, become a wonderful member of the family and both give and respond to the kind of love that families bring.

Seeing all the kittens, I feel like hugging them all as much as I can. As I tried to pat one at a time, some would try to rub their bodies against my legs, some tried to jump on my back. Some are three legged kittens, some are one-eyed kittens. Seeing what they have been through, I just want to take their pain and suffering away. I felt a pinch in my heart as I remember my kittens back in the Philippines and how I truly miss them all.

Time passed and we needed to say goodbye to the animals and this is the hardest part of leaving. Seeing animals looking at you with their eyes telling you how eager they want to be with you.

It can be heartbreaking to think about animals in the shelters and it is our obligation and responsibility to do something for them. If you cannot adopt, there are many ways you can lend a hand and make life easier for those animals.

How can you help shelter animals?

1. Help the animals find a home. If you’re able to adopt and give a shelter animal a loving home, it’s the single greatest thing you can do. But if adopting is impossible you can still help by sharing adoption profiles on your social media, spreading the word about the animals in need.
2. Foster an animal. Fostering is beneficial for the shelter because it opens up some space, allowing the shelter to accept newcomers.
3. Donate. Donating to local shelter is great.
4. Volunteer. The best thing you can give is your time and talent.

Let us work hand in hand to bring awareness to stop people from letting unwanted pets loose on the streets. This needs to stop. Animal cruelty needs to stop from the domestic world to the wild. I urge you to give your pet extra love. Not just today, not just tomorrow, not just this week, next month, next year; but for the entirety of their stay with you.

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As what Mr. Wee said, when you do something, do it wholeheartedly and not in a half-hearted manner.

It was a short visit but I learned a lot from a man like Mr. Wee who dedicates his life, time and effort in rescuing and finding a better place for animals to live in with kindness, love and compassion.