Singapore is a nation known for its spellbinding infrastructure, noteworthy commerce, and affluent lifestyles. However, it is a charitable cause by the name of Project LUNI that has impressed us the most today.
Feline family
Project LUNI is a registered NGO helping street cats in Singapore since 2016. We connected with Audrey, a volunteer from Project LUNI. Audrey offered to narrate the sequence of events that eventually inspired her into joining the organization. It was in the midst of 2021 that Audrey decided to adopt cats. She says she wanted to build her 'feline family’. It was at this point that she stumbled upon Project LUNI and decided to contact them to seek help with adoption. With the relentless effort of a dedicated group of members from Project LUNI, she was able to adopt two cats- Cardamom and Chamomile. True to their names, Audrey says her cats are now an inseparable couple. They have bonded beautifully over the past year and a half. Before Cardamom and Chamomile found their furrever home and their living mother, they were living on a local farm. However, Cardamom and Chamomile found themselves on the verge of becoming homeless when the farmland was reclaimed and closed down. Luckily, Cardamom and Chamomile were safely handed over to Project LUNI by a kind individual. They were then placed under the care of a loving and patient fosterer associated with the organization prior to their adoption. It is Cardamom and Chamomile's shyness and sweet temper that impressed their mother. Since being adopted, the two cats have grown very fond of the hoomans in their family.
A project of hope
But the Audrey's story does not end there. She has a second encounter with Project LUNI that finally propels her into joining the organization. Audrey came across a distressed cat by chance as she was heading back home on a rainy day in September 2022. Audrey soon discovered that the kitten was limping. She rescued the kitten from the heavy downpour that fateful day and proceeded to take him home. She named the kitten Zumi and kept him isolated in her kitchen with only a glass panel separating him from Cardamom and Chamomile. To Audrey's surprise, Cardamom and Zumi would often stare at each other through the glass and sometimes even sniff the other. Cardamom and Chamomile were not perturbed by the presence of Zumi.
After two days under the care of Audrey, Zumi was taken to a veterinary clinic for inspection. The veterinarian identified an injury to Zumi’s femur (bone of the thigh) that was not just making him limp but also causing him excruciating pain with each step. Unfortunately, the surgical bill was projected to be around 2000 SGD.
Audrey found herself in a challenging situation as the surgery had to be performed on Zumi almost immediately in order to prevent a potentially permanent disability. A helpless Audrey turned to Project LUNI for hope. To her relief, Project LUNI offered to help perform Zumi's surgery but on a single condition: she must agree to foster Zumi until he has recovered completely. Audrey wholeheartedly agreed to take care of little Zumi after his surgery and nurse him back to health. The money required to pay Zumi's surgical bill was raised through crowdfunding. Almost two weeks later, Zumi’s surgery was successfully completed. He was also neutered before discharge. Despite having undergone not one but two surgeries, Zumi remained cheerful and lively. As mandated earlier, Zumi was cared for at Audrey's home as he began recuperating after the surgeries. Audrey and her family could not bear to let go of Zumi at the end of his fostering period. Moreover, Zumi got on well with Cardamom and Chamomile. Cardamom, Chamomile and Zumi bonded with each other and became an instant family. It was 6 months after Zumi’s surgery that Audrey decided to take the plunge and adopt her. A classic case of foster failure!
The final push
Having been personally involved in two of Project LUNI’s sincere efforts, Audrey decided to join the organization as a volunteer to help out in any way she can. We asked her to tell us more about Project LUNI and their vision. She calls Project LUNI an ‘incredible organization’ run by a group of dedicated individuals. It is worth mentioning that Project LUNI is one of the few charities in Singapore working towards kitty welfare. Project LUNI conducts Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) in several areas of Singapore to curb the overpopulation of stray cats. Project LUNI provides medical care for sick and/or ill cats in the community. Project LUNI has also taken on the fostering, socializing and rehoming of street cats. The organization solely takes care of all the expenses of the afflicted stray cats. In addition, the organization works with a strong community of feeders to ensure timely and nutritious meals for stray cats in Singapore. Project LUNI is also involved with Cat Paradise- an adoption cat café based in Singapore. For a nominal entry fee, visitors can spend time with the cats at the café. The cats are also up for adoption. Since Project LUNI’s beginning in 2016, they have endeavoured in establishing a sister organization based in Lombok, Indonesia. Established in 2021, Yayasan LUNI Lombok is situated on the island of Gili Trawangan close to Lombok, Indonesia.Yayasan LUNI Lombok runs the only veterinary clinic on this island and treats stray animals free of cost. They routinely organize Trap-Neuter-Release programs on these islands. In addition, they provide clean drinking water and nourishing food for stray animals daily. Yayasan LUNI Lombok is also actively involved in the rescuing and treatment of wildlife on the islands.
With a wide range of initiatives ensuring animal welfare, the financial strain on Project LUNI is difficult to keep up with. Whether it is a donation of your time or money or even a like, share or follow on Project LUNI & LUNI Lombok’s social media, you can make a difference!
Visit https://www.project-luni.com/ to contribute to their cause.