Stray dogs spend most of their lives wandering the streets and searching for food to eat. Due to the lack of a permanent and safe place to stay, these poor animals are at a high risk of getting ill, figuring in accidents, and being mistreated.
The heartbreaking truth is that most of these homeless pups have never experienced the joys of having a home and a human to love them. So when someone shows them even a bit of kindness, they cherish every moment, because they never know if it will happen again.
That’s exactly what happened when a Malaysian man named Mohd Rihduan developed a close bond with a bunch of strays in his area.
Last month, he came across a pack of stray dogs at a beach in Johor Bahru where he always hangs out after work. Ridhuan has always loved animals, so when he saw the group of pups, he knew he couldn’t pass up the chance of being friends with them.
Although he was a bit afraid of being attacked because there were four of them, Ridhuan took his chance and approached them.
Surprisingly, the dogs were all friendly! They wagged their tails when they saw him and didn’t show any sign of aggression. Because of their gentle demeanor, Ridhuan was able to feed them all without issue.
Soon, Ridhuan found himself going to the beach whenever he had free time just to feed the dogs. The pups quickly began looking forward to his visits, knowing that their hungry stomachs would be filled each time Ridhuan comes over.
When he missed a few days of “feeding time,” he was shocked to find one of the stray dogs—a brown and white pup named Sally—outside the convenience store where he works! Although his workplace was near the beach, Ridhuan had no clue how Sally tracked him as he had never brought the strays there.
Ever since Sally found him, the dog would come by every day and wait for him until the evening, right before he goes home. The pup developed a special connection to this kind stranger who had been feeding them, and she wants to spend time with him as much as possible. However, Ridhuan can’t stay out for too long every night, and Sally gets so sad whenever he leaves.
“She always makes a sad face every time I go home,” Ridhuan told The Dodo. “She’s clingy, cheerful and protective.”
One night, he decided to record Sally’s reaction when he’s about to leave. In the clip, Ridhuan can be seen comforting the dog as he pets her with a gloved hand, reassuring her that he will “come back tomorrow.”
To keep her safe, Ridhuan tells the pup to sleep at the restaurant next door rather than going back to the beach, and it seems like the dog understands.
“I tell her, ‘If I’m not around, please go [to the restaurant] and don’t play in the road,'” Ridhuan said. “She listens to me or sleeps at the store waiting for me.”
The other strays have also started waiting for him outside the store every day, and they seem to know exactly when his shift is about to end.
As much as he wants to keep Sally and the others, Ridhuan can’t have dogs at his apartment. He’s currently looking for someone nearby who would give Sally the loving home she deserves. To help her find an owner, Ridhuan has been sharing pictures and videos of Sally on Twitter.
The clip where he was comforting Sally has garnered over 15K likes and 8K shares since he posted it on August 19. While many applauded his kind act, others weren’t quite amused. A handful of users commented that he shouldn’t be touching dogs because of his religious beliefs. However, this animal lover is unaffected; he knows where his principles lie.
“For me, it’s not wrong to do something nice for the stray dogs. I’m not going against any beliefs or rules. Yes, it is better to avoid touching them, which is why I even wear a glove when I do,” he explained. “At the end of the day, dogs are still creatures of God and they deserve to be loved.”
Watch Ridhuan and Sally’s sweet interaction in the video below.
Kesian dia muka sedih je bila tiap kali tuk nak balik rumah. Don’t be sad, atuk always with you. Chin up! pic.twitter.com/BjgUvmo8yG
— Ridhuan (@AtukNature) August 18, 2020
We couldn’t agree more! Share this story to inspire others to be compassionate towards animals, especially to those who have no home.