Fifteen years ago, Teresa Ong adopted a stray dog who used to sleep behind some shops near her house. She would come over and join her family dog, Koko, for evening walks. On certain days, she would even guard Ong’s house.
“One Lunar New Year eve, she came knocking at my gate, pleading for a space to deliver her babies,” Ong, whose family lives in Penang, told FMT Lifestyle. “She continued to stay in my garden for her confinement period.
“There were nine puppies, but we couldn’t find anyone to take them, so my parents gave them away to the SPCA.”
Subsequently, the dog remained with Ong and received the same treatment as Koko. Ong named her Doggie – or Gi, for short.
Gi and Koko would go for morning and evening walks together. Koko, being the bossy older sister, loved pushing Gi around, sometimes even “scolding” her when Gi won races! But Gi would always give way to Koko as she adored her sister.
On Saturdays, they would go to the beach for a swim: Gi loved rolling in the soft sand. On Sunday mornings, they would go hiking.
At the foot of Penang Hill sat a temple with a turtle pond, and Gi loved watching the turtles swimming and would even “talk” to them by barking!
“Gi was a wonderful guard dog. She would always bark at the rubbish collector, informing them not to ‘steal’ anything from my house. Once, a family friend came to collect items for recycling – Gi barked at her non-stop that this friend didn’t dare enter my garden,” Ong recalled with a laugh.
Gi was also extremely protective of Ong, who remembers the time a dog in the neighbourhood tried to attack her.
“Gi fought to protect me from being bitten and, as a result, injured her eyes. As the vet was closed, we had to dress her injuries ourselves before bringing her to the clinic the next day. Thankfully, her eyes were fine.”
When Koko passed away from old age, the family adopted Hiro, who had been abandoned. Hiro became Gi’s younger brother; Gi would happily share her toys, food, space, and love with this “sweet chubby dog”.
“They ate, played, celebrated many festivals, and took photos together. They even slept together at times despite each having their own sleeping spaces.”
Sadly, Hiro experienced liver complications caused by a chronic spine issue. “During the critical months, Gi did not mind that the family had to prioritise Hiro’s medical condition. She helped the family by being very independent and provided lots of love for her brother.”
Hiro passed away in 2022. “Gi was incredibly sad, knowing she was left alone. She even kissed Hiro goodbye for the very last time and tears rolled from her eyes. She loved her brother unconditionally,” Ong shared.
Alone in her golden years, Gi continued to be cherished by her human family. Sadly, she was eventually diagnosed with a pancreatic issue and had to be given prescription enzymes.
“She continued her daily routine but took it at a leisure pace. She had lots of rest and could hardly go out except for short walks. Her legs were not as strong as before.
“Due to her pancreas, her daily food had to be freshly cooked. As time passed by, she became weaker. She needed to be carried most of the time and handfed her meals.”
At the time, Ong was working abroad, so she would video-call Gi and have long weekly conversations. “Initially, Gi disliked it because she hated the phone,” Ong said fondly. “But week by week, she became accustomed to it and would sit and listen to me telling her about my happenings abroad.
“I was not sure if she could hear and understand much, but she was very attentive, moving her eyes and ears around. I even taught her how to blink when I called her name or asked if she understood me.”
On the morning of April 29, Gi was very weak. When Ong’s father returned home at noon to check in on her, she had already drawn her last breath and passed away peacefully.
“I received their call and my heart sank,” Ong recalled. “I was so sad that I could not even tear up. I informed my work manager that I had to leave early so that I could watch my dog’s cremation online.”
Gi was buried in the family’s small garden next to Hiro. “She was such a lovable and caring dog. She had done so much for my family during her 15 years, from a young, active pup to an old granny.
“Gi, you are missed dearly and will remain in my heart forever.”
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