THE last time Sabrina Yeap bade farewell to Hitam, she told him he was a good boy and that she would visit him every month.

Hitam responded by wagging his tail and licking her right shoulder, as if to say, “I love you and thank you.”

That was their last meeting on Sept 29, at a fish farm off the Pulau Selat Kering mangrove island. Seven days later Hitam died from pneumonia, after being sent back to the fish farm on the demand of the farm owner.

Today Hitam evokes sweet memories for Sabrina who took care of the welfare of the stray dog that had so courageously assisted in her rescue mission to bring all the remaining dogs who were stranded and left to die on the mangrove island.

Hitam, who touched the hearts of dog and animal lovers all over Malaysia, left a beautiful memory that Sabrina felt the canine telling her: “No matter how deep my sleep, I shall hear you, and not all the power of death can keep my spirit from wagging a grateful tail.”

Hitam was supported by the Furry Friends Farm, a private organisation, led by Sabrina that rescued and cared of abused and abandoned stray dogs and cats.

The farm is a two-acre shelter for the abused and abandoned stray animals rescued in Selangor.

The rescued strays are given immediate medical attention, vaccinated, de-wormed, with heart-worm prevention and neutered.

Says Sabrina of her animal caring mission: “I can’t believe there is a heaven without dogs” and of the animal her considered opinion is “Dogs do more for people than people do for one another.”

“They don’t ask for anything in return. They are not part of today's great “I want.” Suddenly, Sabrina has become the talisman of dog lovers throughout Malaysia following her rescue mission of hundreds of dogs abandoned on an island near Pulau Ketam earlier this year.

Hitam, the brave jet black mongrel, died tragically, aged four-and-a-half years (almost 35 in human years) and was in the prime of his life, with many bones left to bury, and many carpets left to stain.

Hitam was unquestionably the most popular dog in Malaysia. Once his plight was made known, many emails and phone calls were received from animal lovers throughout Malaysia, sending their condolences. Many addressed the mail simply: To Hitam, the Black Beauty of Furry Friends Farm.

According to Sabrina, Hitam’s hobbies included running around to explore and swimming. With his warm and friendly nature Hitam did get along well with his other “inmates” during his short stay at the Furry Friends Farm at Kundang, Selangor, that came complete with basic sheltered areas for dogs, a kitchen, a storeroom and a cattery. Hitam is survived by his best friend Kuning, who was rescued along with him and who is today recuperating from a minor kidney malfunction.

After Hitam and Kuning were plucked from the jaws of death at Pulau Selat Kering in early May, they helped greatly in the evacuation of all the stray dogs on Pulau Selat Kering mangrove island.The dogs were all weak and malnourished almost to the point of death.

Following his death, Hitam was bestowed full honours by both human and canine admirers. When Hitam was laid to rest at Furry Friends Farm, Kuning and most of the other dogs, farm volunteers Chetz Yusof, Hoe Choy Lin, his wife Sharon, Miza Nordin, Marianne and Sabrina were present at his funeral service.

Sabrina and most of her fellow farm volunteers rose to their feet in observing a moment of barking.

Her strong affiliation and love for dogs stems from her belief that dogs are wiser than man. “They do not set great store upon things.

“They do not waste their day hoarding property. They do not ruin their sleep worrying about how to keep the objects they have and obtain the objects they have not,” added Sabrina, 40, a partime mathematics and science teacher.

Two months ago, Hitam arrived at the Furry Friends Farm uncared and unloved.

Now, as he departed, Sabrina wept beside his grave.