For many years, Ms. Quyen has been ridiculed by many people around her, thinking she is crazy for taking in hundreds of dogs and cats from slaughterhouses and raising them in her home, loving them like their own children.
The land located deep in a small road in the quiet suburbs of Hoc Mon district (HCMC) is home to hundreds of abandoned dogs and cats, sold to slaughterhouses. Ms. Huynh Thi Nhu Quyen (44 years old) has been searching for, redeeming and caring for the dogs and cats for many years and pampering them like her own children.
For over 5 years, Ms. Quyen has been busy saving the lives and taking care of hundreds of dogs and cats that were abandoned or sold to slaughterhouses.
Ms. Quyen started this job in 2017. She said that coming to this job was a fate and stemmed from her love for animals:
“I used to have a dog that I raised for many years, then it was stolen, my family and I searched for many days but could not find it. While searching for my dog, I saw other dogs and cats abandoned, injured on the street, and sold to slaughterhouses. From then on, I decided to start the job of finding and taking care of them.”
Ms. Quyen recalls that the first time she saved 47 pigs, the second time 48. She had to use her own money and ask for donations to buy each pig back from the slaughterhouses for one million VND.
For the past 5 years, to have money to raise her “children”, every day Ms. Quyen sells noodles, saving up every penny to buy food and have more money to rescue her “children” from the slaughterhouse.
Ms. Quyen’s noodle shop is called Orphaned Noodle Shop. The main reason she opened the shop was to have extra income to take care of her dogs and cats.
“Although my income is not much, it is enough to buy food, rice and medicine for my children,” said Ms. Quyen.
Sharing with Dan Tri reporter, Ms. Quyen said that she no longer goes to the slaughterhouse to rescue dogs and cats because the current number is too much, and she is afraid that she cannot take care of them due to limited costs.
“Before, every time I went to the slaughterhouse, I would usually save them all, but the cost was too high, I couldn’t save one and leave the other. So I decided to stop, instead I would put my efforts into 2 noodle carts, earning 1-2 million VND each day to save up to buy food for them,” Ms. Quyen confided.
Every day, after selling noodles until noon, she visits her “children” in a small house in Hoc Mon district (HCMC). She rents a 2,000m2 plot of land to shelter more than 500 dogs and cats.
Talking about this “rare, difficult to do” action, Ms. Quyen said that she often feels lonely on the path she is taking. Although she has the support of her husband and children, she often feels lonely because many people do not understand and sympathize with her work.
“Since I started this job, I have often heard people around me say I am crazy because I spend all day taking care of stray dogs and cats and doing unusual things. Even my family members say I am crazy. But I ignore them because I do it with all my heart and sincerity,” Quyen mused.
Luckily, Ms. Quyen is not “alone” on her journey, but also has a companion, Mr. Nguyen Phuoc Tri (60 years old).
Mr. Tri started this job about 4 years ago, initially working completely for free and out of compassion for abandoned dogs and cats, he came to help Ms. Quyen.
In the past 2 years, Ms. Quyen’s noodle shop has had a more stable income. She has started to support Mr. Tri with about 4 million VND per month to help him take care of his old age.
According to Mr. Tri, he came to this job because of his love for animals, had the chance to meet Ms. Quyen, and then stuck with this job for the past 4 years.
Every day, Mr. Tri is on duty at this rescue camp 24/7. His main job is to feed the dogs and cats, clean them and take care of their health.
“At first, I saw Quyen working alone, and there were too many cats and dogs, so I came to help. But the more I worked, the more I loved them, and before I knew it, I became attached to them,” said Mr. Tri.
The dogs and cats are fed twice a day, morning and evening. According to Ms. Quyen’s estimate, each day her “children” will eat about 65kg of rice and 20kg of pork. In addition, they also get extra pellets for their meals.
Mr. Vu Xuan Thai Son (Ms. Quyen’s husband) has also been with her since the very beginning. Mr. Son said that in the beginning, he brought money to his wife when he went to work, and she secretly took the money to rescue the “children” in the slaughterhouse.
“At first there were just a few, then more and more. At first, I didn’t agree to raise too many, but then I saw how pitiful they were. The more I saved and raised them, the more I loved them, so I’ve been helping my wife ever since,” Son shared.
Every time Ms. Quyen comes to visit, a pack of dozens of dogs rush to surround her as if she were their mother.
The shelter for the “children” is covered with a roof and has bamboo beds placed high up.
According to Ms. Quyen, everything has temporarily stabilized. In order to have the cost of raising her “children”, in addition to selling noodles, she also has the support of some benefactors.
But every time she called on donors to join hands, she was judged by many people, including feeling sorry for herself and inferiority complex.
“They think that I rescue many dogs and cats to gain the sympathy of benefactors, and then defraud them of their money. I just hope that people who love animals will do the same work as me, and share the same love for animals,” Ms. Quyen confided.
Some of the injured and disabled dogs were carefully cared for by her, their wounds were regularly checked so that they could be taken to the veterinary center in time. She named each of her “children” and remembered their personalities and health status very clearly.
When asked how long she will continue this job, Ms. Quyen smiled: “I will probably take care of the children until they die of old age. I am not adopting any more children now, but only taking care of the ones who are still here, and the life expectancy of each child is probably only a dozen years, when they are no longer here I will stop.”
Currently, she has temporarily stopped rescuing and adopting more “children”. However, she is also willing to give her “children” back to the new owners without any cost if they are really good, take care of them wholeheartedly and love animals.
Her dog and cat rescue camp is always open to welcome volunteers and dog and cat lovers who can come visit and help feed and take care of their “pets” at any time.
