Aunty Jenny, guardian of Klang's forgotten stray dogs
KLANG : For housewife Jenny Khong, it started 25 years ago with a single scruffy pup her son rescued.
Already known in Klang for feeding strays, Jenny's devotion to stray dogs grew – and so did her reputation, drawing angry residents to her feeding spots.
'I go out and feed the dogs around midnight because if I go out early, people will be waiting for me. They've scolded me, 'why do you come here and feed the dogs? Because of you, there are more dogs here,' Khong, 62, shared with FMT Lifestyle.
'I have no choice. I still have to say sorry to them because I don't want anything to happen to the dogs,' she added.
One rescue became many, and soon her home was overrun by dogs. After years of sending them to a nearby shelter, she opened her own in 2014 – and eventually, a proper facility to keep up with the growing numbers.
The shelter in Klang houses nearly 80 stray and abandoned dogs. (Andrea Edmonds @ FMT Lifestyle)
'Luckily, there was a person who gave me this area, built it up for me to house my dogs,' she recalled, referring to her current shelter.
Today, Khong cares for over 80 dogs, including 30 she moved from her old shelter after Chinese New Year this year. Tucked down a dirt road in Pandamaran, Klang, Jenny's tidy shelter has secure enclosures, crates for tougher cases.
Her day starts early – letting the dogs out, cleaning for hours with her two live-in workers, then feeding the dogs after a quick lunch break.
'Some shelters just use one big feeding container for all the dogs. I don't like that. Here, every dog gets its own bowl,' Khong explained.
After mealtime, everyone rests, then the next clean-up starts before calling it a day, only to do it all over again tomorrow.
Khong spends the entire day with her shelter dogs. (Andrea Edmonds @ FMT Lifestyle)
Khong's dedication knows no bounds. Years of caring for dogs took a toll on her health – she has undergone spinal surgery and now struggles with swollen legs. But quitting was never an option. Giving these animals a second chance means too much.
'I pity the dogs. I cannot just let them go out like that. And some of the dogs that people dump … when you look at them … their condition is very, very pitiful,' she said.
One of her most memorable rescues is Tony, a cancer-stricken dog whose owners wanted him put down. She took Tony in, and nursed him back to health – but when she offered to return him, his owners didn't want him back.
'He said he already took in another puppy,' she said of Tony's previous owner. 'This made me really sad because from small Tony was with the owner.'
That moment sealed her decision: Tony would stay with her. Today, he's one of the beloved old-timers at the shelter.
Each dog at the shelter has its own bowl of food. (Andrea Edmonds @ FMT Lifestyle)
Caring for dogs like Tony, however, doesn't just take time and love – it takes a lot of money too.
Running the shelter, which includes paying her helpers, costs over RM7,000 a month. Vet visits, which are frequent, can easily rack up bills of RM1,000 or more each time.
That's why, beyond caring for her own pack, Khong is passionate about tackling the root problem. When asked how to reduce the number of strays, she didn't mince words.
'I really don't understand why all these owners who have been keeping the dogs for so long … just dump them outside and let them suffer. The government should do something about it. This is the only solution.
'They should have a law to fine those who abandon their dogs on the streets. As rescuers, we can't do much,' she said.
Khong says she pities the dogs which are abandoned and so will keep on rescuing them. (Andrea Edmonds @ FMT Lifestyle)
While Khong is content with being the guardian of Klang's unwanted dogs, she still pins her hopes on more kind-hearted Malaysians chipping in to help keep the shelter running.
'I really need people to come forward to help me … donations for the dogs' medical bills, their food, and my helpers. I'm not working.
'And to all who have donated and supported me all these years, I want to say thank you,' she concluded.
If you wish to donate to Jenny Khong's shelter, contact her son Lester at 017-669-5142.
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