The animal rescue organisation received an eviction letter from the land owner and has only 30 days to find a new home for the dogs, which have been at the shelter for the past two years.
The team desperately needs to find these animals a safe place to stay and are turning to the public for help.
For the last few years, PapanSouls has been on a mission to save the stray dogs that have been dumped along the Ipoh-Lumut highway.
Aside from taking in and rehoming as many as they can, the volunteers feed the dogs at the dumpsite every day.
The dogs include newborn puppies that are still nursing. “Whenever there is a pregnant female, we always take them in and care for her and the puppies as there is a high chance they would not survive on their own,” PapanSouls member Sarah Kennedy told FMT.
“We also have numerous dogs that are sick and handicapped, and we cannot just put them back on the streets.”
PapanSouls received the eviction letter on Monday and were able to negotiate to vacate the premises in 30 days.
“As buying land would take time, we are looking for a warehouse or factory in Ipoh to rent until we can find a permanent fix,” Kenney said.
“We have looked at a number of places but many of them are too small, while some do not allow dogs in general.”
The team is also facing a challenge when it comes to rental as they are only able to afford RM5,000 or below.
“A lot of the money comes from our own pockets. As many of us are housewives and some have only just begun working, we are unable to fork out a lot,” she explained.
In the long term, they hope to buy a 1-2 ha piece of land to ensure they can continue caring for the strays.
In light of this situation, PapanSouls is presently unable to take in any more animals.
“We received a call yesterday about a puppy that got hit by a car and its back legs are paralysed. Though we were able to cover the medical bills, we are unable to take him in at the moment,” Kennedy said.
“We are short of time and hope to be able to find a temporary shelter in the next two to three weeks, to ensure we have enough time to transport the dogs.”
The team are appealing to kind-hearted Malaysians for monetary contributions, which will be used to cover continued operational costs such as medical expenses, as well as the cost of relocating, rental, and the future buying of land.
Those with leads on potential premises for the relocation can also get in touch with them.
If you are able to help, send your contributions to Persatuan Penyelamat Haiwan Terbiar Bahtera Noah Ipoh, RHB account number 2081 0000 040874, with the reference ‘PapanSouls’.
Contact PapanSouls president Keshturi Sivam at 014-6609983.