Cover image via Francis (Provided to SAYS)
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At 3am, while most of Bintulu, Sarawak, is still fast asleep, the lights are already on in Francis Ngu's kitchen
He's chopping chicken, steaming liver, and mixing rice, not for himself, but for nearly 80 stray dogs waiting at feeding stations scattered across town.
Francis with his dog, Bella.
Image via Francis (Provided to SAYS)Growing up in Bintulu after moving from Brunei with his family, Francis never imagined he would spend his days feeding strays.
Among his rescues is Bella, a stray dog he adopted from Pine Court, where he also runs a provision shop.
Bella now follows him everywhere, from grocery runs to his daily stray-feeding rounds. It is because of her that his followers have started fondly calling him "Daddy Bella".
But Francis' story isn't just about one dog. Since 2000, he has been a familiar face at Pine Court, running his shop and quietly helping the community.
In 2014, he founded the Extrameal Bintulu Project, which distributes food and necessities to families who can't make ends meet, especially those overlooked by welfare support.
His work with people soon led him to think about the animals he saw every day.
"If people are neglected to such living conditions to a state that they are helpless, how are the lives of stray dogs and cats?" he asked.
That was the question that pushed him to start feeding strays, a routine that has since become his daily mission.
"I am blessed to have my supportive wife and children, who are also compassionate towards dogs and cats. Aside from the house chores, my wife helps with the feeding at a location near our shop and those that come to our house daily. My daughter has a couple of stray cats that she rescued from the streets," he told SAYS.
Francis now feeds up to 80 stray dogs daily at seven feeding stations, including a Chinese cemetery
While most people only visit the cemetery once a year, Francis goes every single day — often before sunrise — to feed the stray dogs that roam the grounds.
He's been doing this for five years, waking up at 3am to cook chicken, liver, and minced meat mixed with rice. By 5am, he's already at the first station, ensuring each stray has its share.
On top of that, he leaves kibbles behind in case the dogs get hungry before the next round.
"The food is divided into portions for each feeding station. It's tedious, but the furkids never go hungry," he shared with SAYS.
And yes, he names every single one of them.
His most unforgettable rescue happened during the Bintulu flood on Chinese New Year
On 29 January this year, floodwaters rose chest-high near Francis' shop. Inside, three dogs named Tam Tam, Moimoi, Panjang, as well as two cats, Noty, Simba, were trapped.
Francis waded through the water, forced open the door, and found his furkids clinging desperately to floating objects.
One was perched on a fridge. Another was hiding on a stack of rice bags. All of them survived because Francis didn't think twice before rushing to them.
He lost his shop's belongings in the flood, but in his words, "I dread to think if I had arrived just 30 minutes later as the floodwater was rising fast. I lost everything in the flood but this is nothing compared to the lives of my furkids all saved."
Despite feeding strays solo, Francis believes in community solutions like Trap-Neuter-Release-Manage (TNRM)
Unlike big rescue groups, Francis calls himself a "solo feeder". He doesn't go out hunting for strays, as most are dumped at his feeding stations.
He pays for their food and medical needs through shop earnings, livestream promotions, Facebook support, and kind contributions from followers.
Almost all the strays under his care are spayed, neutered, and vaccinated. Francis is a strong advocate for the TNRM method, which he has successfully implemented at Pine Court.
"Remember, the dogs and cats did not ask to be born as strays. So, let us unite for legal reform and humane management of strays. Being a stray is not a crime," he expressed.
He hopes authorities across Malaysia will adopt the approach on a larger scale, instead of relying on ineffective culling
Francis admits the hardest part is when a dog doesn't show up at feeding time. Some come back. Some disappear forever. Which is why he makes sure they live happily for as long as they're around.
And despite the emotional and financial struggles, he carries on.
"It's their unwavering affection when they look at me. They can recognise the sound of my vehicle's engine, and they always come running, eager to greet me. There is a strong human-animal bond between me and my furkids. No strays should be left to die of hunger," he shared.
Francis' commitment aligns with Execute AWA — Malaysia's first national humanity mission for greater animal welfare — by the people of Malaysia, for the animals of Malaysia.
This positive and professional community movement champions unity and grassroots collaboration, demands strict enforcement of laws that uphold justice, and advocates for legal reforms to raise the standards of animal rights nationwide.
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