Is the wilderness his life?

The expanse of the wilderness -- catching Abbie will not be easy.
Abbie, black/tan dog, on the right.
The shed

Our trip to NANAS last Saturday brought some surprises we were not prepared to embrace. One of them includes our chancing upon Little Abbie who have disappeared from our eyes many weeks ago, having escaped out the gates.

We made our way further into the oil palm plantation down the main dirt road. There was a branch of a smaller road which we would have otherwise chose to skip and drove on back to Singapore. But we turned in, traipsing across the bumpy terrain and to our surprise, spotted Abbie trotting along with the pack that he had made friends with.

According to R, the dogs there are feeding on dead ducks. There was a shed which we surmise could be used for a place of afternoon reprieve for the farmers. And near the shed was a spot where we found sweet potatoes and rice the dogs had been feasting on.

Abbie is not sterilised. Neither are the females in his pack. He has grown bigger but his mange is still clear to the human eye. The unfortunate thing is that he remains fearful as ever of humans and as it seems, he is coping in the vast wilderness of hills, plantations, stray dogs and what have you.

It might appear that he "prefers" the wilderness. In fact, any dog would prefer to roam in carefree abandonment. But are his needs met? What of food and proper shelter? And be readily treated should his medical health fails? Are there traps in this part of the wilderness?

Dogs yearn for footloose freedom. It's not up to humans to control their destinies. However, it's up to humans to help them. Keep them safe.

Unfortunately for Abbie, he is now outside the boundary of a safe sanctuary. Keep well now, Abbie. Sorry we couldn't keep our promise to you - the intended promise of a safe and secure place for the rest of your life. Stay strong and safe now.