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Dear friends,

With a heavy heart and deepest regret, Furry Friends Farm informs all, of the passing away of Hitam, our beloved hero. Hitam passed away in the morning of 6th October 2009, just a week he returned to the fish farm. We had hoped he would celebrate World Animal Day 2009 together with Kuning and his friends at the farm but, due to the insistence of the fish farm owner, Hitam had to be returned.

Outraged by Hitam’s death, and after all FFF and Sabrina had done to look after the welfare of both Hitam and Kuning, a post-mortem was conducted on Hitam to find out the truth behind this beloved dog’s death.

Hitam’s death had proven the insecurity and inhumane environment of the fish farm, with the presence of ignorant, ungrateful and cruel people around. Hitam and Kuning were used to guard the fish farm. Yet their welfare was not taken into account or with any importance. They were fed rotten fish and rice with deadly chicken bones. Very important lessons to be learnt here is that a fish farm is NEVER a place for any dog and NEVER feed dogs chicken bones.

Hitam’s death exposes the ignorance and cruelty of those he had served for guarding their fish farm faithfully. Hitam sacrificed his life for his Best Friend, Kuning. If not for Hitam’s death, Kuning would have definitely been the second victim, if he had been returned to the wretched fish farm. Kuning will never return to the fish farm, ever again.


Hitam will be forever the Hero of our Pulau Selat Kering Rescue Mission.


What Had Transpired : Hitam’s Condition Prior to His Medical Check-up and Return to the Fish Farm


In mid of July, after the rescue of the last dog, a female, which we named Sakura, Sabrina had been insistent to make arrangement to send Kuning and Hitam for all necessary medical check-up since the mission is over. The two heroes' welfare needed to be looked into knowing that the fish farm owner, Encik Zamry, may not have the knowledge and interests to care for the dogs. Both the dogs were just for guarding the fish farm as he has been telling Sabrina that there are thefts of his fish and sea otters disturbing and coming up to the fish farm to eat up the fish.

Both Kuning and Hitam were dumped by the Pulau Ketam residents to the mangrove island and these two dogs were the first two dogs that swam across and landed themselves on the platfom of the fish farm. The owner and his workers did not only failed to make any effort in providing suitable dog food but only gave Kuning and Hitam some rotten fish and rice to sustain the dogs' lives.

Due to the irresponsibility of the Head of Rescue Mission, he not only failed to announce the closure of the rescue mission but also delayed in making arrangements for Kuning and Hitam’s medical check-up. What were his motives, we are unsure of. He told Sabrina that the fish farm owner’s approval was needed before Kuning and Hitam could be taken for the medical check-up. Later, during the Puasa month, Sabrina again requested and this time, he told Sabrina that, it was the fasting month. Then when Hari Raya was fast approaching, again he told Sabrina that the fish farm owner was busy making preparations. Excuses after excuses, as Sabrina patience grows thin and worried as looking by pictures of Kuning in the blogs, Kuning was getting thinner with his ribs showing. Together with volunteers, Daniel and Connie, Sabrina headed to Pulau Sungai Lima to collect cages given to the residents to collect strays. Unfortunately, the residents did not collect any strays and most of the cages were supposedly stolen. With that, Sabrina with Connie and Daniel decided to head to Pulau Selat Kering.

After informing Adi, the fisherman, that she will coming to help Kuning and Hitam for their medical check-up, Sabrina and her volunteers headed to Pulau Selat Kering. Adi was very helpful and told Sabrina that Kuning had not been well for some time and refused to eat. Worried of both Kuning and Hitam welfare, Sabrina managed to send back Kuning and HItam and admitted them to the vet clinic immediately on the same day.

Kuning's rib bones were shown and he had lost a lot of weight. Blood test result revealed that Kuning was coming down with minor kidney problem. Hitam was fine though. The vet managed to get the two dogs vaccinated, dewormed, heartworm checked and prevented and sterilized.

A week later, Adi and Encik Zamry called Sabrina. She told them that Hitam was well but we need to hospitalize Kuning for a while. Both of them were very pleased to hear that.

On the 2nd week, Sabrina discharged Hitam and Kuning to be sent to the farm for their observation period and hoped to celebrate The World Animal Day with both the dogs. However, on the 3rd week, the fish farm owner called Sabrina, insisting and threatening her to return the 2 dogs to the fish farm within 24 hours. He was more worried about the loss of his fish farm after fish were stolen and eaten by sea otters just because there were no dogs guarding the farm. Sabrina pleaded with him that Kuning needed some intense care due to his kidney failure and an agreement was made that Sabrina sent back Hitam first under the condition that Hitam would not be allowed to swim in the sea for a week and dog food must be provided with plenty of fresh water.

With 22 kg of dog food and a food bowl for Hitam, when Sabrina and Connie sent Hitam back to the fish farm on the Tuesday, 29th September, Hitam was at his tiptop condition as his pictures testifies. He was happy to have spent a wonderful moment in his life at the farm with the friends he helped rescue and newfound friends.

Sabrina received a call from the fish owner, Encik Zamry, in the morning of 5th October. He insisted Kuning to be sent back and told her that Hitam was doing well. He had been insisting for both dogs to be sent back ever since they completed their vaccination and medical check-up. Sabrina told him that Kuning had come down with cough and flu and that he MUST make sure that his worker give all the medication to Kuning as prescribed. Sabrina had made arrangements to send Kuning back to the fish farm on Wednesday, 7th October.

However, on the 5th of October, at about 10 pm, Adi, the fisherman called Sabrina to inform her that Hitam had refused to eat and could not walk. Sabrina told Adi not to worry but to tie up Hitam so that we could come over the next day to pick up Hitam to get him to the vet.



Sabrina’s Heart Filled with Sorrow


In the early morning of 6th October 2009, Sabrina received an SMS from Adi, the fisherman, “Cik Sabrina, Hitam dah pun mati.” According to Adi, Hitam had been walking weakly for the past few days. The last time he saw Hitam, was when the poor dog walked into a store room after vomiting a pile of some greenish stuff. Later he found Hitam lifeless.

Immediately, the next morning, Sabrina arranged with Connie to bring Hitam’s body. When Connie arrived, both Hitam’s eyes were popped out with his mouth wide open with many yellow bees surrounding his mouth. Connie then requested Adi to wipe Hitam’s eyelids down slowly.

Sabrina rushed to meet Connie to collect Hitam’s body at the jetty. When Sabrina arrived, Hitam’s body was wrapped with a sack and bloody fluid was seen smeared on the floor. Sabrina and Connie managed to wrap Hitam’s body with some black garbage bags and placed him in Sabrina’s car.

“I will never ever forget about this saddest episode in my life.

Exactly one month ago, Hitam was with me in Daniel's car, Hitam slept on my lap like a little puppy, enjoying the aircon journey. Exactly a week ago, Hitam leaned against my shoulder to share some comfort in my small car on the way back to the jetty.

And..... a week later, I was in my tears rolling down on my cheeks, on the way back to Kuala Lumpur from the Klang jetty with Hitam leaning aginst my backseat, motionless and with bloody fluid oozes out continuously , spilling all over my car. “ - Sabrina


Post-mortem Findings

The post-mortem findings concluded that Hitam had died of pneumonia. His lungs was inflamed and blocked with fluids. Both of his kidneys and tissues were ruptured, inflamed and swollen with the membranes of the abdomen completely ruptured. The spleen tissues were also found to be showing signs of degeneration.

A certain form of toxins had caused the damage to Hitam’s internal organs beginning from the failure of both kidneys to filter toxins and lead to the accumulation of fluids into the lungs. Due to this, only bloody fluid oozed out from his nostrils. Hitam’s intestines’ were very inflamed, filled with gases.

Added to the above findings, no food or stool could be found in Hitam’s digestive system except many, many, many undigested chicken bones. These findings leads to the high possibility that Hitam had not been consuming proper food for at least a few days except had only been fed with chicken bones. There were no external wounds found.