The BURO Impact Awards celebrates the creativity, originality, passion, and accomplishments of Malaysia’s trailblazing talents. Ahead, we delve into conversation with our Voice of the Year, Aunty Aileen Lee.
Having the “aunty” title affixed to your name is a sign of affection here in Malaysia. But having it become the one and only way people address you (and being famous for it) is a hallmark of the impact you’ve had on your community. Aileen Lee—more affectionately and widely known as Aunty Aileen—is the founder of My Pets Haven. For about two decades now, she has dedicated her life to caring for and rescuing stray animals, especially those that are injured. She is the self-appointed mouthpiece for those that bark and meow. This year, even at the age of 67, she hasn’t found any reason to slow down. If anything, her efforts and drive to connect the rescued animals with forever homes is at an all-time high. And that is why she is BURO’s Voice of the Year.
FROM PUB TO PUP
Aunty Aileen wasn’t always in the business of rescuing animals. Her hard-earned stripes came from running her own pub, serving customers and working late nights. However, it wasn’t just her customers that she served. The stray dogs that hung around the alleyway behind her pub could always find food waiting for them by the back door. Despite having a business to run, the animal lover in her always took precedence over her day job. “I’ve loved dogs since I was young,” says Aunty Aileen. “That’s why I’m not scared of them!”
“On a hot day, I will always provide the dogs with water,” she continues. “There was always water in my car and food at my pub for them. I have a soft spot for them. Not because I pity them, but because I simply want to help them. They’ve been through so much.”
Eventually, Aunty Aileen shuttered the doors to her pub and got a job at a pet store to learn the ropes of working with animals. “From there, I gained a lot of experience,” recalls Aunty Aileen. “But then, people started asking me questions about whether they could leave their dogs with me after operations at the vet because paying for boarding was really expensive.”
While she was merely an employee at the store, customers were looking to her to find support for their own pets. This led to her developing greater ambitions to do more for animals and her stumbling upon her first space. “While I was working at the pet store, I actually wasn’t allowed to walk the dogs. But I wouldn’t listen,” chuckles Aunty Aileen. “When my boss went out, I would walk them myself, sometimes with friends. On one of my walks, I saw a beautiful empty shoplot nearby that had a huge space. So I immediately gathered a group of friends and we opened up My Pets Haven.”
Just as finding its space was a serendipitous encounter, naming the shelter itself was also a rather happy coincidence. “When we went to register the name, the two that I wanted were already taken! So, we had to settle with My Pets Haven,” shares Aunty Aileen. “But then I thought the word ‘haven’ was quite fitting because when dogs cross the rainbow bridge, they go to heaven.” With a space, a name, and Aunty Aileen’s commitment to helping animals, My Pets Haven was born.
LEADER OF THE PACK
As the sole, full-time caretaker of over 60 dogs at My Pets Haven, Aunty Aileen’s days start at five in the morning when her daily dog-walking duties begin. “She insists on walking one dog at a time,” shares Terry, a long-time volunteer who accompanied Aunty Aileen to her BURO Impact Awards shoot. “Yes, it’s easier for her to handle them individually because she’s just one person, but it’s also so she gets to spend more personal time with each dog. She doesn’t compromise on that.”
After three to four hours of walking the dogs, Aunty Aileen gets straight to work, cooking in the shelter’s kitchen. She goes through about ten kilograms of rice a day, not only feeding those under her roof but also on the streets. “I usually make a mixture of rice, chicken livers, some unwanted parts from the chicken rice shop nearby, and gravy,” explains Aunty Aileen. “Usually, street dogs are used to eating food waste, so they might not go for kibble. But we do have to mix some in so they have enough to eat. I also mash everything up by hand! Because it can’t be too hot for us to feed the dogs.”
Once the feeding is done, Aunty Aileen’s chores turn to keeping things clean in the shelter. “I have to make sure I clean their poo!” says Aunty Aileen. “I can’t have them sitting and standing with poo in their crates.” Her day then winds down…but only for a while. “After settling everything [the animals] need by about 1pm, then I finally get some time to have my own breakfast and watch a little bit of TV,” describes Aunty Aileen. “Even then, I look out for the animals and by 4pm, my volunteers arrive to help me walk the dogs. If there aren’t any arriving, I start to prepare to walk them myself.”
When the sun sets, Aunty Aileen then preps for another round of feeding, but this time she also heads out to feed the strays. “I start to feed them around 8pm and finish around 11pm, so by the time I settle down for the night, I only have time for about two hours of sleep,” tells Aunty Aileen.
Just as it is physically taxing to run My Pets Haven, being on the ground also has its own emotional load. By tending to these animals from sun up to sun down, Aunty Aileen builds her own relationship with each of them. So, when the time comes for her to separate with any of them, it weighs on her heart. “When they pass away or fall sick, it’s very difficult but I just have to be brave and let the doctor do their job,” explains Aunty Aileen. “Also, when the animals are adopted, it is bittersweet, because I’ve been taking care of them all this while! It’s definitely good for the animal but I do get sad and just hope that the adopter will take good care of them.”
PET SUPPORT
Rescue shelters or organisations tend to go faceless most of the time. To the public, there is a tendency for them to simply be viewed as an entity that takes strays in, without regard for the people who work behind the scenes. For My Pets Haven, that isn’t the case. Aunty Aileen has proudly been the face of the shelter, alongside her volunteers who support her in every way possible. From answering the phone to liaising with potential adopters on social media, her volunteers have also been an integral part of My Pets Haven’s operations.
This year, Aunty Aileen has upped her online game. With the help of her young volunteers, My Pets Haven has amassed over 41,000 followers on Instagram. On its page, you’ll find photos of adoptable cats and dogs, event posters, light-hearted social media trends, and general coverage of My Pets Haven. Her confidence in front of the camera shone during her BURO Impact Awards photo and video shoot, during which she danced, sung, and smiled for the lens without reservations. Her energy was radiating throughout the studio, rubbing off on Team BURO, the production crew, and even Terry and Tiffany, the two volunteers who accompanied her, despite the long hours.
During our few hours together, Aunty Aileen’s close relationship with her volunteers was very apparent. They laughed off her antics, predicted her next moves, helped with replying to text messages, and more. “My volunteers are so passionate with the dogs,” says Aunty Aileen while smiling proudly. “They just keep coming to the shelter, not even to volunteer, but just to help me. I’m very proud of that group I have. And I still have my old, original team with me like Terry, Stephanie, Janice, and all who are always there to help me and I’m so grateful.”
HOWL IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS
“Dogs are here for a reason,” expresses Aunty Aileen when asked what motivates her to continue her work. “They are not only here to make you happy, but they are here whenever you’re lonely. They’re always by your side. For me, they’re the most trustworthy friends you could have—they’ll never backstab you.” Her adoration for dogs—animals in general—is almost tangible. It is this deep respect and care for these animals that drives her to do this day in and day out. “You gain a lot from them,” says Aunty Aileen. “From the way they look at you with their eyes to their actions, there’s meaning behind everything.”
By now, it’s not difficult to recognise that our city’s stray population has been growing. It is people like Aunty Aileen who help bring in these animals, including those that are injured, to make sure they get the care and love that they deserve. “Each one of them deserves a second chance,” shares Aunty Aileen. “Don’t be so quick to not like these animals. Everyone should at least try to love them because when there’s a landslide or any natural disaster, the dogs are the ones there to rescue people.”
At the same time, it is also important to remember that at the end of the day, Aunty Aileen is also human. At 67, she is pushing her very own physical limits to heights that even those much younger would struggle to reach. She shares stories of puppies and kittens being dumped at her front door with no note or phone number.
“I can’t take all of them in so I do call for help sometimes,” says Aunty Aileen. “People can always call me, even though I’m not with my phone all the time, at least try! If I can’t take the animal in, I will at least guide you through the steps of properly rescuing the animal and taking care of them. When the puppies are bigger, you can send us photos and we’ll share them on our social media to help them be adopted. You should think of me too and whether I can take care of the animals properly or not. There is no point in me taking them in if I can’t tend to them properly.”
As our conversation ends, Aunty Aileen gives everyone in the room a hug. Her warmth and bubbly personality stole our hearts to say the least. Knowing that the best she can do is continue to do the work she’s doing, Aunty Aileen keeps her head high through everything that she does. “Please, adopt! Don’t buy! Neuter your pets!” is Aunty Aileen’s message to the world. “Come and volunteer because age is also catching up to me. And please, adopt!”
Information on donations to My Pets Haven can be found on its website. Additionally, volunteer information can be found here. Contact My Pets Haven on Instagram or call Aunty Aileen at +6019 663 2828 to learn more about how you can support the organisation.
CREDITS
Editor-In-Chief / JASON LIM. Creative Direction and Styling / SARAH TAI. Text and Interview / AMANDA FUNG. Art Direction Assisted by / EVE LYN LAU. Photography / CHAM ZIHAO | MÒ SHĒNG RÉN. Assisted by / SAIFUL AZWAN. Videography / DENNIS KHO. Makeup / JOEY YAP FOR YSL BEAUTY. Hair / MAY WOO FOR SCHWARZKOPF PROFESSIONAL.
Check out the 2024 BURO Impact Award winners here.
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