New hope of forever home, new name for Kuala Lumpur’s loyal ‘traffic dog’ Jon

PETALING JAYA – Just days after his story captured the hearts of thousands of Malaysians, Jon the dog has been rescued and is now receiving veterinary care.

The stray, who has now been renamed Chase by independent rescuer Shima Aris, was rescued by her and her team at about 8.30pm on April 12, following a three-day operation.

“He was an extremely friendly, curious and smart boy. He actually came up and allowed us to pat him,” she said, when contacted.

“The moment he saw the leash, he ran away, and it took some time to rebuild that trust.”

She said medical assessments by a veterinarian also found that Chase has tick fever.

“The priority is getting him back to health, and for cases of tick fever, it can take up to a month,” she added.

“He will also be sent for neutering and vaccination... he will be taken home with me. Only once he is fully recovered – he will be put up for adoption.”

Examinations by the veterinarian also found that Chase is underweight for his age and has multiple wounds on his body.

He is estimated to be around four to five years old.

On why the name Chase was chosen, Ms Shima said this was because it matches the name of a well-known police dog character.

On April 11, The Star reported about the young, beige dog who had been greeting motorists along with traffic cops and “manning” the bustling stretch of Jalan Parlimen in Kuala Lumpur on weekdays with its stream of ­vehicles.

The dog was also seen “working” along with any traffic police officer on duty at the intersections that lead to both Taman Tugu and Bukit Aman.

Most times, the lively dog stood loyally next to the officers as though he was part of the team.

The dog’s presence has also not gone unnoticed among regular ­morning motorists, with some slowing down along their journey to pass treats to the officer for the dog, who responds with eager tail wags and excited little hops as he is fed. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK