Cat rescue group Love Kuching will make you want to hold all the ...

Cat rescue group Love Kuching will make you want to hold all the ...
'I Luv Kuching City' spirit shines through the rain – BorneoPost ...
Kuching to host R16 Borneo dance tourney - The Borneo Post Online
Actors ecstatic with #Happykch music video shot in Kuching ...
Entertainers' Night 2014 lights up Kuching - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 19 May 2014 02:38 PM PDT

The author is executive assistant at Love Kuching Project.

"The cat owns the house. We only pay the mortgage."

The sign on the door seems to be the only telltale sign that the flat inside is full of cats. Though seemingly plain and nondescript, the flat in Ubi is home to Love Kuching Project, a cat rescue group and foster home.

Strangely, it is Scotty, the Love Kuching dog, that greets visitors at the door.

You might be asking: "Kuching means cat what. Why got dog?"

Elaine Chiam, founder and president of Love Kuching Project, said: "(We wanted) to introduce foster cats to dogs so their adoptability could be increased."

She also said: "Andy (my partner) and I always wanted a dog."

Its presence might appear as one of the many quirks about this cat foster home, but Scotty the dog helps the cats get used to other species of animals, so that dog owners can also adopt the cats from Love Kuching.

Chiam and her partner, Andy Koh, keep three cats: Sayang, Sealy and Scooter.

There are 12 cats altogether.

Sayang

Sayang is the boss cat and is often seen supervising over things.

Scooter

Scooter is the fierce disciplinarian.

Sealy

Sealy is the silly bolster cat.

Besides the three cats belonging to the owners, the foster space also houses cats that are waiting to be adopted.

This include a pair of playful cats, Garry and Gurly, who are inseparable.

Garry

Gurly

Lex

And Lex is a recent arrival at Love Kuching.

How Love Kuching Project started

Elaine and her partner founded Love Kuching Project as Ubi Kuching Project back in 2009.

They partnered with their neighbourhood pet store, Angels Pet Shop, putting up rescued pets for adoption. Elaine and Andy also contacted the neighbourhood's cat lovers and pooled money to begin a Trap-Neuter-Release program for the cats around Ubi.

However, the pet shop eventually had to close down and Elaine moved the operations to her home.

On why she started Love Kuching, Elaine said: "I was unwell and unable to work so I started doing cat rescue."

Elaine has major depressive disorder, a severe form of depression. "(Cat rescue work) helped me have something to wake up to every morning… I have always wanted to be in non-profit work for humans, but I was too ill to do much. So when animal rescue came into my lap, I realised that when Love Kuching can auto pilot, I can then move on to doing non-profit for humans."

One of the group's first cases involved a mother cat and her three kittens, which appeared out of nowhere outside their home one day. Elaine decided to take them in and put the kittens up for adoption.

Elaine said: "We really liked the kittens. Mommy cat was always leaving them with us to go gallivanting with her boyfriend, Daddy cat, but then (Mommy cat) would come back to check on them. The kittens loved to explore and climb around the house!"

Press coverage for Love Kuching

Dane (Source: Love Kuching Project)

Love Kuching Project first came into the national spotlight, in the same year it started, when news of a Great Dane puppy rescued by the group was put up for sale online.

News reports subsequently branded Love Kuching a "cat rescue group". The publicity led to attention from sponsors and donors.

Elaine said: "We were thrilled that The New Paper called us a rescue group,"

"(The reports) got us a lot of publicity as animal welfare cases often do… we got to know other rescue groups because of this."

Elaine speaks with volunteers at a year-end party (Photo: Ng Yi Shu)

Volunteer-run

The group has 28 part-time "volunteers with portfolio", who help fulfill its cat welfare objectives — rescue, adoption, cat care education and Trap-Neuter-Return projects.

There is also an Emergency Rescue Fund that was created in response to difficulties faced by cat lovers who encounter sick cats and yet do not have the means to pay for their treatment.

Often, in order to get treatment from the vet, they decide to put the cat's medical bill on credit and try their luck fundraising via social media. Such fundraising efforts often fail.

As a result, these cat lovers often end up abandoning vet bills.

Friendly, the scar-faced cat that could use some rehabilitation

The cats often lose out as a result; one such example is the case of Friendly the cat, who recently passed away at Love Kuching.

His rescuer was not able to foot Friendly's vet bill. The clinic could only do the bare minimum to save Friendly, who was suffering from a necrotic ear.

Love Kuching is hoping to use the Emergency Rescue Fund to prevent cases like Friendly's from happening again.

If you are curious to find out more about Love Kuching Project, feel free to visit their blog where they have regular updates about their news and activities.

Top photo from here

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'I Luv Kuching City' spirit shines through the rain – BorneoPost ...

Posted: 24 May 2014 09:26 AM PDT

by Georgette Tan, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on May 25, 2014, Sunday

KUCHING: The morning downpour meant everyone who came to Padang Merdeka for Kuching City North Commission's (DBKU) event yesterday really embodied the spirit of the programme – 'I Luv Kuching City'.

Although weather conditions slowed the programme, many participants shrugged it off after getting damp.

The futsal players played in the rain and mud, and the fl ea market carried on with business under canopies.

The rain was no deterrent for the team giving away 200 Car Rubbish Bags to passing motorists.

The items were handed out by political secretary to the Chief Minister Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali.

The objective was to encourage drivers and passengers to be more mindful about disposing their garbage, in line with the commission's Clean, Beautiful and Safe (CBS) Plan.

Other events scheduled for this weekend include busking, band performances, Kuching Street Workout, and Aerobathon.

Yesterday's Aerobathon was divided into two categories – Departments/Agencies and NGOs/Open.

In the Departments/Agencies category, team STIDC 2 took the fi rst prize of hampers and RM300 in cash.

In second place was STIDC 1, which also won hampers and cash of RM200.

Sarawak Energy Berhad won third place (RM100 and hampers), while DBKU's own team won fourth place (RM50 and hampers).

In the NGOs/Open category, first place went to Puteri Panggong 2 (hampers and RM300 in cash).

Another DBKU team won second place (RM200 and hampers), while Fit Dancers took third place (RM100 and hampers).

Fourth place went to PBB N7 Semariang (RM50 and hampers).

Kuching to host R16 Borneo dance tourney - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 24 May 2014 11:54 AM PDT

KUCHING: Kuching will play host for the first time to the R16 Borneo Annual International Dance Tournament on May 31 at Plaza Merdeka.

The tournament is divided into four categories: B-Boy Crew, B-Boy 1-on-1, Popping 1-on-1, and Locking 1-on-1.

Thus far, 120 participants from Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei have registered.

"R16 is an annual international B-Boy tournament and urban arts cultural festival sponsored primarily by the Korea Tourism Organisation and the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Korea.

"The winner in this round will compete in Singapore for the South East Asia Championship, before proceeding to the grand finals in South Korea," said Soul Dance Event Management founder Decole Yong at a press conference, yesterday.

He said international judges had been invited for the event, and they are Suga Pop (USA), Blue (Korea/Australia), Sollah Doc (Indonesia/Australia), Dyzee (Canada/Korea), Alien Ness(USA) and Puzzles (Canada/Beijing).

Besides the competition, there would also be dance workshops and dancers meet-up on May 30, meet-and-greet session with international guests on May 31 and dance workshop by the judges on June 1.

"By holding the R16 Borneo this year, we hope we are able to bring R16 South East Asia Championship to Kuching next year."

Those interested to participate can still do so as registration is open until May 30. To register, they can call 016-8997676.

The event sponsors and supporting partners include ouryouth.my, Plaza Merdeka, Merdeka Palace, Events Horizon, Filmmakers Co and Roc Streetwear.

Actors ecstatic with #Happykch music video shot in Kuching ...

Posted: 24 May 2014 11:22 AM PDT

KUCHING: The launching of #Happykch music video attracted a huge crowd to Merdeka Plaza on Friday.

The video, a cover version of American artiste Pharrell Williams' hit song 'Happy', was shot entirely in Kuching. A total of 175 people participated in the making of the music video, which took two months to complete.

Those who turned up cheered as they viewed the over 100 scenes around Kuching that they recognised when the video was played.

"The purpose of the video was to connect passionate Kuchingnites together, both dancers and non-dancers alike. We all love this beautiful city and we want to share with the world how happy Kuchingnites are," said music video director Samuel Wong.

The music video debuted on youtube the same night and captured 3,422 views as at 11.30am yesterday, and garnered 254 likes and two dislikes.

During the launch, the audience was also treated to a lively flash dance.

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Entertainers' Night 2014 lights up Kuching - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 18 May 2014 06:24 PM PDT

by Karen Bong reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on May 19, 2014, Monday

KUCHING: The 2014 Kuching Entertainers' Night on Friday attracted a big number of revellers to Lido Star for a night of fun, music and dance.

Twenty-one top local indie acts from diverse backgrounds set the stage alight all night long.

The party began with DJ Ryan spinning hot tracks to get the mood going before Ryan Chung took the stage and dazzled the crowd with his yo-yo skills.

Other home-grown talents who wowed included Havence, Sam Drumming, DJ Cheryse, Feasible Bboy, Nading Rhapsody, Drumcall, Dream Machine, SlaP!, 13Arttitude, 1st August, Dj Chaca, DJ Zam, 2.AL and Rain Lee.

This year's edition was also participated by the Supercar Club and big bikers. It also featured a Supermodels' fashion show and magic shows.

Organiser Leslie Tnay hoped the state government could support this event as it had the potential to become a major annual spectacle.

"This event can become another major festival to boost the local entertainment and music industry, much like the Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF)," Tnay told thesundaypost.

Tnay, who plays drum for SlaP!, opined that the state had plenty of local talent in the music and entertainment industry, and as such there should be a platform for them to unleash their creativities.

"That is why we are doing this for the fifth year because we love Sarawak. It is sort of a responsibility for this industry.

"SlaP! members have always been committed in our efforts to take the industry forward."

Tnay said locals should have more confidence for home-grown talents and motivate them to develop further.

He praised the Malay and Dayak communities for their great passion and love towards their rich cultural heritage, especially in terms of music, dance and art.

"The Chinese should emulate them."

Cat rescue group Love Kuching will make you want to hold all the ...

Cat rescue group Love <b>Kuching</b> will make you want to hold all the <b>...</b>

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