Every day, Viriya Raman feeds dozens of dogs at this isolated quarry in Gombak. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)
KUALA LUMPUR: One sound of the horn and they instantly know he’s here. Tails wagging, the dogs sprint to meet the man who has fed them every day, without fail, for the past 14 years.
Viriya Raman works as a lorry driver by day while single-handedly feeding around 100 strays in the Gombak region every evening.
At an isolated quarry, numerous canines are left with nothing to eat. This, sadly, is where animals are often abandoned – even pets that are no longer deemed desirable by their heartless former owners.
In this harsh reality, Viriya is their lifeline.
FMT Lifestyle spent a day with the 65-year-old, starting in his kitchen at the Kampung Indian Settlement in Batu Caves, and following him to more than 10 locations, where he made sure each dog had its fill.
Viriya juggles his day job as a lorry driver with his mission to care for strays. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)
It all started in 2010 when he witnessed a heart-wrenching scene on the streets.
“I was sitting in my lorry when I saw a mother dog kill a cat and run away with the dead cat in her mouth. I followed the dog into the jungle. When I looked closer, she was giving this cat meat to her babies,” Viriya recalled.
That’s when he realised the mother dog wasn’t nourished enough to produce milk for her pups.
“I immediately bought a packet of cooked rice to give to the dog. But once I did that, I noticed other dogs looking my way. I didn’t have the heart to leave the rest without food.”
Thus began his mission. Initially, Viriya would collect leftovers from eateries to feed the dogs, but during the pandemic – one of the most challenging times for strays in Malaysia – he started cooking fresh meals for them every day.
Every day, Viriya tirelessly loads tubs of rice and chicken into his Kancil. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)
Using a large pot, he cooks about 25kg of rice and 40kg of chicken daily, ensuring it’s soft enough for even the smallest dogs to eat.
“Sometimes there are so many of them that it’s never enough for all the dogs to share. So I buy kibble as well, in case,” he added.
Viriya spends about RM300 daily on food for the canines. He also helps to get some of them neutered – close to 40 so far – at his own expense.
In light of this, he welcomes donations of rice and kibble from members of the public so he can keep helping the stray population.
He shared that while friends and relatives assist him in the kitchen, the bulk of the responsibility rests on his shoulders. “I don’t have any spare time for entertainment,” Viriya admitted. Yet, he has no intention of stopping.
Despite having asthma, the big-hearted man tirelessly loads tubs of food into his Kancil and travels along Jalan Gombak, stopping at various spots to feed the strays there, even if there are only three or four of them at a time.
Thanks to Viriya, who stops at more than 10 locations, these dogs on Jalan Gombak are able to have full bellies. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)
Navigating the rough terrain to reach the top of the quarry – his final location – is no easy task, but it is well worth it to see over 50 dogs eagerly scampering over to Viriya.
“I don’t even need to sound the horn – the moment they hear my car engine, they rush to the roadside and wait for me, wagging their tails.”
He isn’t wrong: the dogs – young, old, small, big, a few even injured and disabled – can’t wait to gobble down the food he has brought, eagerly sticking their snouts deep into each tub to get at every scrap.
Whether it’s the weekend or a public holiday, Viriya never misses a day. “These dogs are in a very remote area near the jungle. If I don’t feed them, no one else will.
“I can’t sleep at night knowing they haven’t eaten,” he concluded.
If you’d like to help, contact Viriya at 012-380 9417.
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