A woman in Ho Chi Minh City is taking care of 150 dogs and cats which have been abandoned or left by their owners during the Covid-19 outbreak in the area.
Nguyen Thi Thuy Phuong besides a dog
Nguyen Thi Thuy Phuong, 34, started to take care of three little abandoned cats which she met on a street in early 2020 while working as a motorbike taxi driver.
Then during the recent Covid-19 outbreak in the city, some of her neighbours asked her to help look after their pets when they went to hospital for Covid-19 treatment. Hearing about her love for the animals, many other Covid-19 patients have also come to her to ask for help with their pets. Some have returned to reclaim their pets but many others haven't. Phuong now takes care of 100 dogs and 50 cats.
Phuong earns a modest income as a motorbike-taxi driver, but as more dogs and cats arrive, she has had to hire a larger house to host them.
"I've had to borrow money to use as collateral to rent this big house for me and the animals," she said. "The house is 300 square metres and lies far away from the residential area. Now we can live peacefully here and don't have to hear complaints or fear legal issues due to annoying the neighbours anymore."
Phuong is working extra hours as a delivery person to earn some more money to support the animals. Her work has been greatly affected by the pandemic but she has also received support from some kind donors to raise the poor animals.
"They can finish a big pack of dry food a day and 100 kilos of fresh meat every three days," she said. "I also cook rice and vegetables to feed them. It usually costs over VND 10 million (USD435) a month to buy food for them."
The woman shares that the scars left by the dogs and cats on her hands and face have never been a problem to her. But she is feeling sad and worried about her being unable to receive more animals that need her help.
"Due to limited time and money, I've had to tell myself to refuse new cases," she admitted. "But sometimes when hearing about one that desperately needs help, I still can’t turn them away."
