However, one man from Sitiawan is on a mission to make their lives a little better. Since August last year, Gurvinder Singh has been commissioning the building of wooden huts, placing them around the town and filling them with food and water for these animals.
“When I used to feed stray animals, I realised that leftover food got wet when it rained and their drinking water became dirty,” said the 54-year-old, better known as Sam.
It sparked the idea for the huts, and he subsequently enlisted the help of a local man to build them. Made from repurposed wood, each hut measures approximately 0.9 metres in length, 0.9 metres in width and 1.1 metres in height. The huts are also covered with durable plastic at the top.
Although he initially stocked the huts with dog kibble, soon, hungry cats began to appear. Even after offering them cat food, he shared that the felines were more interested in what the dogs ate. Thankfully, they do not fight over the food like, well, cats and dogs!
“Recently, I saw cats eating in the hut and a dog waiting outside for the felines to finish,” recalled Sam, who works as a patrolling officer for a security company.
Sam replenishes the food daily and changes the water whenever it becomes dirty. Once a week, he treats the strays to wet food. On those days, the cats are more than happy to forgo the dog kibbles in favour of wet food specifically for cats.
Some of these animals have learnt Sam’s routine, and wait for him at the huts. “Some puppies run towards me when they see me. The feeling is so wonderful,” he said.
He also keeps a broom in his car to clean the huts and their surroundings. To keep residents informed, he has posted announcements about these huts in various Facebook community groups.
To date, he has set up eight huts and plans to add two more soon. The cost to build one hut, he revealed, is between RM80 to RM120.
He initially funded the huts on his own, but as word spread, animal lovers began donating towards the cause. To acknowledge their contributions, he has written their names on the roof of the huts.
Sam’s passion to help animals in need was sparked after he started volunteering at an animal shelter about three years ago. He began feeding stray animals in the area soon after, and over time, he developed a bond with them.
“If I didn’t see them for one day, I wondered where they went and if they had food and water. Sometimes, I had sleepless nights,” he recalled.
The huts have brought Sam some peace of mind in regard to the welfare of these animals. He said the Sikh community strongly believed in the concept of “Guru Ka Langar,” that referred to community kitchens in Gurdwaras where food is served free to all.
“Similarly, animals shouldn’t be kept from food,” he added.
Sam shared that he personally covers the cost of the food. However, his compassion for animals goes beyond feeding them: he also participates in trap-neuter-return (TNR) programmes, rescues animals in need and finds fur-ever homes for them. “If I can’t find homes for them, they end up with me,” he added.
In the future, Sam plans to increase the number of huts. “The food tray takes up a lot of space in the hut. So, with the additional huts, they would have a place to sleep as well,” he said.
“People tend to forget that we’re only on earth for a little while. If we can’t help our fellow human beings or animals, what’s the point of us being here?” he shared.
“Hopefully, more people can understand that they are also God’s creations. So, show stray animals kindness. It doesn’t take much.”