This Takeaway Shop Owner Uses Her Profits to Help House Stray Cats
(Chow Sum-tin and a stray cat)
Since 2014, Chow Sum-tin has been able to help over 100 felines she had found on the streets of the Yau Tsim Mong district. More recently, she has been able to progress in her efforts by opening a takeaway store – named Spicy Fish Balls Please. While this has been able to give more funding for her projects, it has also allowed her to pursue a childhood dream.
Chow Sum-tin lost her job as a football coach in the early stages of the pandemic, but was lucky enough to find new means of work by befriending a Japanese restaurant owner who was aware of her interest in cooking. When he fell ill, he offered for her to take over the store, which she agreed to. This new opportunity gave her the ability to cook during the day and go out to rescue cats at night.
The love she has for animals was a result of her upbringing, as she jokes her house was similar to that of a zoo; containing roosters, hens, turtles, a dog, and most importantly, cats. One memory that had always stuck out to her was watching her grandfather bring home a stray cat, which she would take as inspiration for the work she does now.
It is important for people to choose the adoption of animals over buying from a breeder. Many animals that go into shelters are already in need of care, which some charities find difficult to accommodate due to the growing numbers of pet overpopulation. By taking one of these animals, it is possible to break that cycle of losing animals to euthanization and gives an incentive for others to go down the same path. Most importantly, you are able to welcome these animals to a loving home.
Following the growing attraction to her business, potential adopters have been able to contact Chow through social media and share videos of her cats in their new homes. Looking to the future, she says, “I miss them, but it’s OK because there will always be new ones needing me. My ultimate goal is to open an actual chicken pot restaurant, not just a takeaway shop. And next to the restaurant, I would rent a space ... so people can come to look at the cats and play with them.”
References
https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3211460/labour-love-owner-takeaway-shop-hong-kong-uses-her-profits-rescue-stray-cats-and-get-them-adopted
https://www.hhhstopeka.org/adopt/top-10-reasons-to-adopt-from-an-animal-shelter/#:~:text=You%20help%20break%20the%20cycle,not%20enough%20homes%20for%20them.
