Local cafe doing its best to give strays a second chance
IPOH: While pet cafes are aplenty across the country, not many encourage and promote the adoption of rescued or stray animals.
However, one such cafe is the “30 Nights of Stray Dog Adoption Cafe” in Taman Tasek Indra here, which aims to find new homes for these unfortunate animals.
Since its founding in 2020, the cafe has helped 350 dogs and cats find forever homes with kind-hearted Malaysians.
“We currently have about 15 dogs and 20 cats at the cafe.
“When one gets adopted, we will bring another in so that it, too, can find a new home.
“We have quite a good adoption record, with only about a 1% return rate,” cafe founder Chong Choon Kit said.
Chong, who is also the president of animal welfare organisation Mutts and Mittens (M&M), said only dogs and cats from M&M’s centre in Simpang Pulai or those brought in by rescuers would be put up for adoption.
“Like our namesake, those brought in by volunteers would be placed here for about a month.
“If they don’t get adopted, they would be returned to the volunteers.”
Chong said he drew inspiration to set up the cafe after coming across one that housed stray dogs while visiting Taiwan several years ago.
To ensure the animals find suitable owners and homes, he said strict adoption terms and conditions have to be met.
“We would ask why they want a pet, whether they have any children, whether anyone has allergies and whether they are certain about adopting one,” he said, adding that the cafe would usually recommend a particular animal based on their responses.
“If they are ready to adopt a mixed-breed dog, we collect a token payment of RM250 to cover the neutering process and transportation costs.”
Chong reminded those intending to get or adopt a pet to be prepared and committed to being responsible owners.
“Once an animal is under your care, it needs to be looked after for the rest of its life. We don’t want more animals to be abandoned.”
