Among the many tenants at The Animal Lodge on Sungai Tengah Road is Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD), a local organisation that rescues and rehomes abandoned stray dogs. Their facility, located in this hub for animal shelters and pet-related businesses in the northwestern part of Singapore, currently houses more than 50 rescue dogs.
And if there’s anyone who can name each and every one of these doggos, it’s Kamruzzaman and Miah Nayem, the dynamic duo from Bangladesh who work as full-time caretakers at SOSD.
THE BACKBONE OF SOSD
Kamruzzaman, known affectionately as Babu, was introduced to SOSD by his brother-in-law and has worked at the shelter for 11 years. Having always had a deep affection for dogs, the job was a perfect fit.
“I have dogs back home in Bangladesh so I’ve been taking care of dogs for a long time. I love all animals, but especially dogs. And I think dogs like me, too,” said the 44-year-old with a smile.
Meanwhile, 27-year-old Nayem joined five years ago after his previous workplace closed down. “I moved to Singapore eight years ago and started working at a construction site,” he shared. “When the site shut down, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) connected me with this job at SOSD. I’ve always liked dogs, and playing with them makes me happy. So, I decided to join.”
While both Nayem and Babu have dogs back home in Bangladesh, caring for rescue dogs was a completely different thing. The work demands dedication, skill, patience, and caution as each dog arrives with its own personality and past experiences.
Both caretakers underwent specialised training with a trainer when they first joined, shadowing their manager, Kieran Kua, who heads operations at SOSD. They also received English lessons to better communicate with staff and volunteers.
“The first two or three days were a bit difficult,” Babu recalled. “But after that, we knew everything.”
The two also live on-site in separate rooms within the facility, allowing them to provide round-the-clock care for the dogs. While their official working hours are from 8.30am to 6pm, their proximity to the kennels means they’re always available to attend to the dogs if anything arises outside of working hours.
“Our rooms are very nice, with a lot of privacy. I can call my wife and son at night after work. Sometimes, the dogs can be quite noisy and disturb us, but it’s okay lah,” Babu said, with a laugh.
A DAY IN THE LIFE
Babu and Nayem begin their day with prayers at 5am before breakfast. Their first task at 8.30am is clearing the enclosures of pee and poop before preparing breakfast for the dogs – and giving medicine for those who need it. After that, they wash and clean all four kennels, often with the help of other staff and volunteers on selected days.
Although the pair aren’t responsible for going out on rescue missions, they assist in preparing the dogs for quarantine when they arrive at the shelter. Rescue operations are mainly handled by other staff members and volunteers. Upon arrival, each dog is examined by a veterinarian to assess any medical needs. Babu and Nayem are then briefed on what to look out for in terms of care and treatment.
Lunchtime for them brings a taste of home, with the two taking turns to cook Bangladeshi dishes, usually rice and curry. When asked who’s the better cook, Babu laughed. “Same lah. When we’re in a good mood, the food is good. But sometimes, when we’re in a bad mood, we would just cook quickly, and the food is not good. But we can still eat it.”
The afternoon schedule includes more cleaning and playtime, with a dedicated naptime for the dogs from 2.30pm to 3.30pm, during which Babu and Nayem take turns having breaks. Their workday ends at 6pm, leaving evenings free for cooking, meeting friends, or calling family back home.
THE CHALLENGES OF CARING FOR RESCUE DOGS
While the job brings joy, it also comes with challenges. Many rescue dogs have a history of trauma or phobias, especially if they’ve been abused or abandoned, which sometimes make their behaviour unpredictable.
Nayem recalled an incident with a dog named Cosmo. “One morning, I was cleaning his enclosure when a car honked outside. Cosmo got scared and bit my hand. When I tried to stop him, he bit my other hand. There was so much blood, and I needed surgery. It was very painful. But slowly, I got better.”
Babu also shared a similar experience with an injured dog that needed regular medication. “One day, as I was feeding her, she bit my hand. My hand was bleeding and I was in so much pain that I couldn’t see anything for a while. When I tried to escape the enclosure, she tried to attack my leg. My manager Kieran sent me to the hospital right away and I rested for two weeks after undergoing surgery.”
But the incidents didn’t dampen their spirits. “It’s not a problem,” said Babu. “That day when the accident happened, maybe it was my bad luck. Maybe she got scared, and just suddenly bit me.”
When asked about the biggest challenges of the job, both were quick to respond: “Nothing is difficult.”
In fact, they expressed a special fondness for the more mischievous ones. “We even love the ‘naughty’ dogs,” said Babu. “They’re more playful, and they don’t run away from us. They’re more fun!”
SAYING GOODBYE
The shelter experiences two types of goodbyes – one joyful, the other heartbreaking.
“When dogs find a home, we’re very, very happy,” Babu shared. SOSD offers both adoption and fostering programmes, giving dogs the chance to find temporary or permanent homes.
“They don’t get to enjoy their lives in the shelter. The volunteers do come and play with them on some days, but when they find a home, they get taken care of every day. They get nice food, a nice house and they can even sleep on a sofa or a bed. Dogs happy, we’re also happy.”
However, there are also times when adopted dogs are returned to the shelter.
“Sometimes, the owner returns the dog because they got bitten, or the dog barks too much and their neighbours complained. When that happens, we feel very upset. But we have no choice – we just put them back in the enclosure and care for them again. We’re happy when new rescue dogs come, but it’s very sad when our old dogs return.”
The other type of goodbye comes when older dogs pass away or succumb to illness. Sometimes, they see a dog healthy one evening only to find it has passed away the next morning.
“There was this racing champion dog from New Zealand with us and before lunch, I saw him just sitting down in his enclosure. After lunch, when I visited him again, he just passed away,” Babu recalled sadly.
“We feel very, very sad (when dogs pass away)” Nayem added. “We see them every day… eating and playing. And they see us every day as well. Suddenly, we just don’t see them anymore. It’s very painful. Aiyo, we miss them.”
BONDS BEYOND WORK
While they care for all dogs equally, some connections run especially deep. For Babu, it’s his relationship with Lucki.
“Lucki likes and loves me, I also like him,” he says with evident affection. “When I go home for holiday, I always miss him. Sometimes, volunteers would bring him out for a walk and he would refuse to go back inside. But when I call his name, he would go in right away. He’s my heart.”
Over the years, Babu and Nayem have developed strong connections with others in the shelter community. On Saturdays, Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and public holidays, volunteers come to assist them by cleaning enclosures, training the dogs, bathing them, and even taking them out for walks. The volunteers also step up to help more when Babu or Nayem returns home for a visit, which typically lasts a couple of weeks.
“When more volunteers are around, it makes us happy because we have others to talk to. The dogs are also happier, as they get to go outside and play,” Nayem said.
The SOSD management team, particularly their manager Kieran Kua, is dedicated to ensuring Babu and Nayem’s well-being. She makes sure they receive medical attention when needed and organises their trips back home to Bangladesh.
“The SOSD team really takes care of me,” Babu shared. “I’ve been experiencing pain in my lower back, and ‘sister’ Kieran brought me to the hospital. After an MRI scan, the doctor recommended therapy. The CEO of SOSD was very supportive and covered the cost of my treatments. ‘Sister’ Kieran really loves and cares for us – she even accompanies me to the hospital every month. They are very good to us and our families.”
For Kua, the feeling is mutual. “Babu and Nayem are the backbone of our shelter,” she said. “Having them around creates a sense of stability. They know the dogs better than anyone else, and their commitment to this work comes from the strong bond they share with the dogs.”
As for the dynamic duo, the experiences they’ve shared and their dedication to the dogs have only strengthened the bond. Over time, their connection has grown into something special. They support each other through work challenges and personal matters, sharing both duties and confidences.
When asked about their friendship, Nayem’s response is simple yet profound: “We do not feel like this is friendship. It’s family.”