Established in 2014 and formerly called “Furry Tails Land”, the shelter sits on a large piece of land on the outskirts of Broga in Negeri Sembilan, and is home to over 300 dogs.

A 100% no-kill shelter, she rescues and re-homes homeless, injured, and abused animals mainly from the Kajang region.

Hoo also provides food, shelter, and medical care to strays while working to reduce the stray dog population through a neutering programme.

However, Hoo now faces an unexpected crisis: just days ago, she was told the land her shelter has stood on for over a decade has been sold, leaving her scrambling to relocate and urgently raise funds to start anew.

Speaking to FMT Lifestyle, Hoo shared: “This current space is very much suitable for dogs. That’s why I was really shocked and sad to hear that the owner sold the land.”

Despite her appeals, including offers to rent the land, the new owners have refused, instead telling her she must vacate the premises.

While Hoo was initially given only one month to relocate, she has requested an extension to three months to find a suitable plot of land for her dogs.

“I’ve been travelling around searching for land so much that I ended up with a fever,” she said.

At 56 years old, the Kajang resident has never wavered in her mission. Purely out of compassion for animals, Hoo has dedicated herself to caring for these dogs every single day.

Hoo herself leads a humble life. She once ran a laundry business, but now earns a living through a pet taxi service. With no staff to assist, she and her husband manage the shelter entirely on their own, despite it being an hour’s drive from their home.

The shelter largely relies on public donations. While Hoo has had to scale back on rescuing strays, she continues with her neutering programme each month and remains fully committed to the hundreds of dogs already in her care.

Adding to her responsibilities, Hoo also cares for a cow that has lived with her for the past 10 years, after she bought it to save it from being slaughtered for Hari Raya Haji.

Faced with the loss of her present piece of land, she is appealing for public donations to help rebuild a safe haven for her animals.

Hoo revealed that she would need an estimated RM40,000 to build a new shelter from scratch, although the final cost will only be clear once she secures land.

“I have to put up fencing, awnings, underground pumps, and clear existing grass and old debris from the new land before the dogs can shift in,” she explained.

Hoo added that expenses would also include renting an excavator for clearing and excavation work, as well as lorries to transport the animals to the new site.

“Transporting the cow alone will cost around RM1,000,” she noted.

But for Hoo, turning her back on these animals is not an option.

“I have been taking care of them for 12 years now. I won’t give up. I will keep looking around until I find the right space. There’s no other option.”

Donations can be made directly to:
Hoo Yuh Ru: Public Bank account number: 6496 999 730
Handphone: 012-277 2768