BARK Helps Kaohsiung Strays
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TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2009 • TAIPEI TIMES P A G E 4 co m m co mu es. nity@taipeitim PIGEON POST BARK helps Kaohsiung strays NEW ON THE SCENE: Established in April, BARK began in the backyard of Chris Leroux Celebration of Lord Krishna open to public and Natasha Hodel. The organization says it has since helped more than 200 animals It is heartbreaking, what you see on the The International Society of Krishna Consciousness “streets sometimes ... But getting mad isn’t the invites the public to take part in its annual celebration BY JENNY W. Hsu owners. But getting mad isn’t the CNR is an option because there CULTURE STAFF REPORTER of Sri Krishna Janmashtami at Taipei Artist Village solution,” he said as he stroked the aren’t homes for every stray on solution. With a quick motion of the hand, a back of one dog’s ears. the street, so animals are instead on Aug. 16. The event is one the largest gatherings of spoken command and a stern look, Homer, a healthy black dog, was spayed or neutered and released — Chris Leroux,” cofounder of BARK Indian nationals in Taiwan each year and honors the appearance Chris Leroux had the undivided emaciated and afflicted with a skin where they were found. of Lord Krishna, who is worshipped by Hindus, the organizer attention of his pack. With all eyes disease when Hodel and Leroux The method is widely supported of the event said. The event is free and will feature traditional fixed firmly on their leader, not one found him. by animal welfare societies around knowledge of animals, while help- of the family. Indian culture, including music, dance, theater, yoga, cuisine, a of the ex-strays moved a muscle as Homer and Chief are two of the the globe and some local govern- ing with animal rescues. Hodel remembers where and market and henna decorations. For more information, contact they waited for the next dogs that have been lucky ments in Taiwan as the most hu- Hodel and Leroux care for a when each cat was found, what Dayal Nitai das at dayal.nitai.tkg @ pamho.net. instruction. enough to find a new mane and sustainable way to deal handful of animals at home, while cuts and wounds they had and how Then Leroux turned home, adopted by a friend with the stray population. many of their other rescues are each interacted with humans. his back and started to of Leroux and Hodel. But So far, with the help of vol- placed temporarily with families BARK may have plenty of heart, walk away. The dogs many of the organization’s unteers, BARK has rescued and until a permanent home is found. but it needs more volunteers and President wants university programs in English remained motionless, other ex-strays remain up helped more than 200 injured and On the day of the interview, in resources. To offset mounting Taiwan will move toward offering complete university waiting patiently and for adoption. abused cats and dogs. BARK tries addition to a group of dogs in the medical bills and food expenses confidently for him to Established in April, to offer hurt animals the best medi- backyard, three palm-sized tabby and to attract anyone interested programs in English and increasing the number of STUDIES come back. One word — “come” BARK began operations in Leroux cal care possible. kittens huddled with their mother in adopting a rescued stray, BARK scholarships for students from its diplomatic allies, — and the dogs scurried towards and Hodel’s backyard. Just a few “We make it very clear that we in an oversize cage in the house. holds an adoption day and flea President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said on Thursday. Leroux, hopeful that they would be months later, the couple say things are not a dumping ground for un- Another two rescues, a pair of market fundraiser at a pet store in Ma made the announcement after meeting St Lucian Prime rewarded for their behavior. are running smoothly and they are wanted animals and we will not ac- grown cats, wandered around in Kaohsiung City each Sunday after- Minister Stephenson King at the Presidential Office. Ma said Leroux is an English teacher making progress helping some of cept animals whose owners simply the basement. noon between 3pm and 7pm. that after visiting allies in the Caribbean and Latin America from Canada whose passion for Kaohsiung’s strays escape life on don’t want them anymore,” said Le- Leroux reached into the cage to Helping BARK help animals is recently, his administration decided to provide more educational animal welfare has motivated him the streets. roux, who said he has been invited comfort the nervous mother cat as easy, Hodel said. Anyone is wel- and his partner, Natasha Hodel, to BARK not only tries to find shel- to various locations to promote CNR she hissed. come to rummage through their opportunities to students from that region. The Ministry of put most of their earnings and sav- ters for animals in need, it works to and responsible pet ownership. “For some strays, once they get home and donate what they no Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education will work to create ings into establishing the animal educate the community and raise Sometimes, when he receives acclimated to humans, they can longer need or want to the flea English-language university programs and increase funding for rescue organization BARK in Kao- public awareness about the stray calls about animals on the streets, become wonderful house pets. You market. Proceeds go toward caring Taiwan Scholarships to students from allied countries, he said. hsiung City. population. Leroux said that rather than rush- just need to be very patient with for the animals, she said. “We look forward to forging permanent relationships with our “It is heartbreaking, what you One method that could help ing out the door with a net and a them,” he said. For more information, visit allies, not only through trade, but also through cultural and see on the streets sometimes — es- reduce the stray population is cage, he tries to coach the caller As Hodel told stories about www.atkaohsiung.org. The Web educational exchanges,” Ma said. pecially knowing some of these the Catch-Neuter-Release (CNR) on helping the animal. This way, the cats they had rescued, it was site features pictures of animals in animals were abandoned by their method, Leroux said. Leroux says he can pass on his clear she thought of them as part need of adoption. ‘Fun Taiwan’ seeks co-host The hostess of Taipei government JOBS Discovery Channel’s Fun Taiwan, Janet celebrates one year Hsieh, is looking for a travel buddy to co-host the show. of Citizen Hotline Men and women of any nationality between the ages of 18 and 35 are THERE TO HELP: The 1999 welcome to submit a resume and Hotline offers English and photo, along with a one minute Japanese for foreigners to three minute video clip in and receives 150,000 calls a English and Mandarin introducing month on average about a themselves. For more information, visit www.travelandlivingasia.com. wide variety of matters PHOTO COURTESY OF DISCOVERY CHANNEL STAFF WRITER, WITH CNA BY MO YAN-chih STAFF REPORTER The Taipei City Government on Friday celebrated the one-year anniversary of its 1999 Citizen Hotline, reminding local and THIS IS THE LAST EDITION OF OUR WEEKLY foreign residents to call the line for tips on solving a variety of FULL-PAGE COVERAGE OF THE EXPAT problems. COMMUNITY. IN FuturE, COMMUNITY The 24-hour hotline, launched by the city government in July COMPASS STORIES WILL BE INCLUDED last year, receives about 150,000 IN LOCAL NEWS PAGES. IF YOU HAVE SuggESTIONS calls a month on average, Taipei City’s Research, Development FOR EVENTS, INTERVIEWS and Evaluation Commission OR TOPICS YOU WOULD LIKE TO said. SEE COVERED, MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS PLEASE SEND YOur IDEAS TO: The majority of calls are inqui- ries about municipal affairs or [email protected] requests for city services such R UCKI N G A B O UT as waste disposal, traffic light re- A group of rugby fans from the Philippines enjoy a match at the Kaohsiung World Games on Saturday. Kaohsiung City’s Labor Affairs Bureau pairs or towing illegally parked cars, department head Emile gave free tickets to around 100 foreign workers to the Rugby 7s event. PHOTO: HOU CHENG-HSU, TAIPEI TIMES Sheng (盛治仁) said. The hotline is not only for lo- cal residents. Foreign nationals like Elissa Russell, who has lived in Taipei Professor finds Taiwan in poems for eight years, said she found the service helpful. ROAD LESS TRAVELED: Professor Amie Elizabeth Parry Since learning about the has taken on the difficult, modernist poetry of Hsia Yu, Generally speaking, it is more difficult to hotline from a Taiwanese friend, Russell said she has called five something many Taiwanese would have trouble doing “understand a poem than to understand a novel, or six times to ask for informa- tion including the National Im- BY FLORA WANG culture — poetry. The language not to mention that I chose to study avant- migration Agency’s new location STAFF REPORTER barrier posed a challenge, but did and how to dispose of large Amie Elizabeth Parry’s journey of not discourage Parry from reading garde modernistic poetry. furniture. learning about Taiwan and its cul- Chinese poems. ture began in the early 1990s, when Her years of research into con- ‘QUITE USEFUL’ — Amie Elizabeth Parry, author ” she visited Taiwan with a friend temporary poetic works led to a Russell said that although not all who was studying Mandarin.