Sad farewell for animal lover

Source: The Star, 21 July 2012 by Wani Muthiah

SHAH ALAM: Renowned animal rescuer Sabrina Yeap was taken on her final journey to the Nirvana Memorial Park accompanied by two of her most favourite rescued dogs shih tzu Meow Meow and Pulau Ketam hero mixed-breed dog Kuning.

Kuning was among the 400 dogs dumped by Pulau Ketam residents on a mangrove island in 2009.
The dog had swam out to a nearby fishing pontoon and started helping Furry Friends Farm (FFF) rescuers to lure dogs out of the swampy island.

A team of therapy dogs, which were trained under FFF's Dr Dog programme, were also present at Yeap's cremation yesterday morning.

Loyal buddies: Yeap’s friends and furry pals gathering in front of her cortege before leaving for the cremation.

Yeap's ashes were later scattered in the sea off Port Klang.

One of FFF's international volunteers John Landon, who flew in from Melbourne, Australia, to attend the funeral, broke down in tears as he spoke about Yeap, who died of leukaemia on Tuesday.

“She was the hardest working person I have ever known and I never imagined that this would happen to her.
“She had also done a lot of nice things for me and I will miss her very much,” added Landon, who will remain here for a few weeks to help oversee FFF operations.

Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better (MDDB) rescue coordinator Irene Low said her organisation would always be grateful to Yeap for the help she had rendered.

“When we started off in late 2008, we had very little. Sabrina gave us 50 bags of dog food and paid off our RM10,000 veterinary bill to help us through.

Yeap's ashes being strewn at sea after the cremation.

“MDDB will always treasure her for that thoughtful and kind gesture,” said Low, who led the MDDB entourage yesterday.

Feline rescue group Stray Cats Rescue and Treatment Community Help (Scratch) founder Suzana Sulaiman, who flew in from Penang, said the animal rescue fraternity had lost a valuable member.
“It's a very sad day for all of us,” Suzana said.

FFF volunteer Victor Chee said he had started helping out at the sanctuary with his brother William and mother Jennifer Ng after Yeap took in a stray dog that they rescued three months ago.

“Although she had many dogs to take care of, she did not say no and that was why we decided to volunteer at the sanctuary,” Chee said.

Yeap, who was orphaned when she was just a month old after her parents died in an accident, did not have a single relative in Malaysia.

Her doctor father and her mother had eloped to Malaysia from China and lost touch with their families.
Yeap grew up in a temple and her 200-odd dogs, 150 cats and countless loyal friends were her only family.

Meanwhile, FFF spokesman Myza Nordin said arrangements were being made to consolidate the sanctuary's operations.