Write an article about The brave farm dogs that saved Lavinesh from a cobra .Organize the content with appropriate headings and subheadings (h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6), Retain any existing tags from Lavinesh Vimalanathan, a former farmer, is now inseparable from his dogs Collar (left) and Blackie. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)
PETALING JAYA: Blackie and Collar may look like your average canines, but for Lavinesh Vimalanathan, they are his life-savers – literally.
Fondly called “chellams”, or “sweetie” in Tamil, the two-year-old sisters are inseparable companions. Their sweet relationship started on a farm in Temerloh, Pahang.
“As a new farmer, I had to get dogs to guard my land. My neighbour had a dog that was about to give birth. I told him to let them nurse for a month before passing them over to me.”
Lavinesh’s life changed forever on May 5, 2023 – that’s when puppy love blossomed.
Originally, he had six puppies. But due to the harsh realities of farm life, four did not make it.
“To this day, I still do think of them and how life would be with all six of them together. Losing them was one of the most painful events in my life,” he told FMT Lifestyle.
Blackie and Collar survived though, bringing boundless energy and joy to his demanding days.
“Farming is hard work. The weather gets extremely hot and you are super exhausted.” That is when these pups would come running to him with wide smiles plastered on their faces. “They gave me the boost of energy to carry on.”
Blackie (left) and Collar were just puppies when they went home with Lavinesh. (Lavinesh Vimalanathan pic)
But it wasn’t all just fun and games. One day, he truly understood the meaning of dogs being man’s best friend, and just how far they’d go to protect him.
“I was chilling at the back of my pick-up truck and my dogs were sleeping under it, one of their favourite spots,” he recalled.
“Suddenly, Blackie and Collar were barking aggressively… I turned around and it was the scariest thing I ever saw in my life.”
A king cobra, its hood fully expanded, towered at four feet.
“My immediate instinct was to turn the other way and run. But these doggies, being just a few months old, started charging at it.”
The ever-inquisitive Blackie is always sniffing around at the farm. (Lavinesh Vimalanathan pic)
What happened next felt like something out of a movie.
“The second I realised that my chellams were charging at it, I went after them in fear that the snake might attack, or worse, eat them whole.”
Lavinesh said it felt like they saved him, and he saved them too. The cobra, estimated at about four- to five-metres long, slithered away.
“Of course, the next day I did get them some high-quality treats. It was also the beginning of me spoiling them with food like nasi lemak ayam goreng and karipap.”
As the weeks passed, Lavinesh’s bond with Blackie and Collar deepened. “They kept me company on those lonely days at the farm. Honestly, they mean the world to me.”
Lavinesh says Blackie and Collar are his main sources of joy. (Lavinesh Vimalanathan pic)
Eventually, due to unforeseen circumstances, Lavinesh had to leave the farm and move back into his family home in Petaling Jaya. But there was no question about it: the girls were coming along.
“I have a debt of life that I owe them for saving me multiple times, from various animals at the farm. Secondly, I have grown too attached to them, that even the thought of giving them away crushes my heart deeply,” he said.
And though they were originally meant to be guard dogs, their personalities had other plans.
“Ever since they came to PJ, they’ve become super friendly. These two love to greet visitors at the gate in hopes of getting some belly rubs,” he said.
Blackie and Collar now live with Lavinesh in his family home in Petaling Jaya. (Lavinesh Vimalanathan pic)
When Lavinesh whistles, they come bounding towards him, a trick they learnt back in the farm.
Collar, in particular, is a little extreme! “She charges at random people and jumps up to lick them.”
To give them the freedom they enjoyed on the farm, Lavinesh takes them on walks around 3am to 6am, off leash.
“Blackie and Collar are one of the main reasons why I haven’t given up my entrepreneurial spirit. My determination to succeed is so I can give my family, and especially Blackie and Collar, a better life.”
This article was written by Theevya Ragu @ FMT Lifestyle. Read more pet stories here.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR PET: FMT Lifestyle readers are invited to send in pictures (landscape format) and a short video (if any) of their furry, scaly or feathery friends to [email protected]. Don’t forget to include details like your pet’s name, age, breed and a short story about them.
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