It All Started With One Brave Dog Named Rex

We were inspired by Oorvi's post on Pawlee - A Pup Prodigy to share this Malaysian news article with you. But first, let us provide some cultural background. In Malaysia, there is a general belief that Muslims are not allowed to touch dogs (or is it just wet dogs? We don't have exact details.) As a result, a large population of Muslims do not like dogs, with some even fearing dogs, which explains why dogs here don't enjoy the same access to public places as our counterparts in US and other parts of the world.

That's why this article entitled "A rare breed in society" which was published in the New Straits Times yesterday is so heartening. The article features Datin Nariza, a Muslim who loves dogs. In the Q&A for the article she recounts how she was saved from a python by her mum's alsatian. "When I was a baby, my parents were living in a rubber plantation. My mum had an alsatian named Rex. One day, my mum and dad were outside the house and when mom stepped back inside, her dog's face was stained with blood.My mum ran frantically to my room and found me still asleep, but there was a dead python near my bed. The dog saved my life! But unfortunately, the following year, a cobra bit him and he died. My mother vowed never to take another dog again because she felt no dog or cat could replace him."

Now, Datin Nariza is a lobbyist for the SPCA. And it all started with one brave dog, named Rex.