One of the joys of coming home after a long day of work is to greet, and be greeted by, your pets. Seeing them jump in excitement, or brushing up against your legs, or demanding your attention is surely a mood booster that melts away the worst part of the day.
For AirAsia staff, however, this joy and happiness awaits even before they get to their work stations. Waiting for them at RedQ, AirAsia’s headquarters in Sepang, Kuala Lumpur, are the four dogs they recently adopted and now consider as part of their work family.
In fact, these dogs have occupied the area next to KLIA2 longer than most of the workers there. Every morning, with tails wagging, the dogs run up excitedly to the familiar faces, especially the ones they have formed a close bond with, and of course, those who come bearing doggie treats.
“We found the dogs, when they were still puppies, at the construction site of RedQ. Even then, some of our staff members fed them and played with them. They let the dogs roam the area, and ensured that they didn’t harm themselves, or posed a threat to others. When we moved to RedQ last year, the dogs were still here, and there was talk of sending them to shelters,” says AirAsia People Department executive Ahmad Faizul Ahmad Rusli during an interview at RedQ.
A group of animal-loving colleagues then decided to approach their boss, AirAsia group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, with a plan that benefits the dogs and them.
“They asked if they can keep the dogs, and I immediately said yes. The dogs literally grew up in RedQ. We should not just keep them, but build a proper home for them,” says Fernandes in a text message.
Quickly, a taskforce dedicated for the caring of the animals was formed and interested staff members were encouraged to join. Around 10 people – the number increases by the day, by the way – pledged to care for the dogs. As a joke, they say that any work relating to the dogs starts only at 6.01pm, after working hours, so that it doesn’t interfere with their day-to-day operations.
The first thing they did as a committee was to get licenses for the dogs from their local municipal council but found out that they weren’t issued to dogs staying in a company building. Faizul nevertheless says that they would apply again and find a way to get proper licenses for the dogs as they do not want them to be forcefully taken away.
“We then came up with a blueprint for the dog shelter and found contractors to do the job. A corner of RedQ’s parking lot was then decided as the best and turned into a shelter that could fit the four dogs.
“Besides that, we had to come up with a working plan that includes the cost of keeping the dogs. This should cover their food, medication, and other miscellaneous expenses,” explains AirAsia Government Relations head Vijaya Priya Ananthan.
AirAsia DogQ’s committee members Kumaravel Subramaniam and Melissa Fok take turns to feed and walk the dogs.
Once again, Fernandes proved his generosity when he offered to personally cover the expenses for the construction of the shelter – which he dubbed the DogQ – as well as pledged monetary support for the cause. Although they prefer not to disclose the exact amount that was given by Fernandes, they share that it costs approximately RM3,000 yearly to care for each dog.
“We took them to the vet to have them spayed and get the necessary immunisation,” shares Faizul. Members of the DogQ committee also actively do their part by taking turns to purchase food and treats, and keep the dogs engaged with fun activities.
“We feed and play with them, and the dogs follow some of us for after-work hiking sessions. Most of the time, they follow the security guards on their rounds. They really have formed a bond with them,” says Priya.
Faizul adds: “We do have staff members who are afraid of dogs or who cannot interact with dogs, but they are not complaining. That’s because the dogs do not threaten them in any way, and everyone is just happy to go about their ways like they normally do.”
Ahmad Faizul Ahmad Rusli (left) and Vijaya Priya Ananthan say that the DogQ project has brought together AirAsia staff members from different departments.
The dogs have yet to be named, as the committee has decided to run a contest and let the big bosses pick the winning names.
“The poor dogs are quite confused as each one of us has a nickname for them. But they still come to us when we call them,” says Faizul, with laugh.
The dogs are undergoing obedience training and therefore can respond to simple commands. “We’re not training them to become commando dogs. We just want them to listen to us when we call them or tell them not to go somewhere,” adds Priya.
Security is of utmost importance to the DogQ committee as they do not want the dogs to interfere with KLIA2’s operations nearby. The dogs are not allowed to roam beyond certain areas, and the ever-present security personnel keep an eye on the dogs to ensure that they do not wander into restricted sections.
“They cannot enter the airport and the office building. Other than that, the dogs are free to go wherever they want. Their shelter will only be used when they are sick, or when they need to be isolated – like when we have big events with guests,” she further explains.
Faizul would also like to avoid the misconception that the public can come and drop their unwanted animals at the shelter.
The AirAsia DogQ committee members take it upon themselves to care for the four abandoned dogs that grew up within AirAsias headquarters compound in Sepang, KL.
“We are keeping just the four dogs. They are our dogs. We don’t plan to turn DogQ into a shelter – at least not yet – because firstly, we don’t have the expertise. But, under special circumstances, we would care for any animal that finds its way here and we will try to find a new home for them. We also have two cats that we’re taking care of right now, and we are trying to find people who would take them in,” says Faizul.
AirAsia staff members are used to undertaking big and tough projects, but Faizul and Priya say that the DogQ is one that has united them all – bringing together people from different departments who otherwise wouldn’t have a reason to work together.
“I always say that AirAsia is less of a company and more of a family. We are a company that looks after everyone – our guests, our staff and our partners. Now, we have four new ‘staff members’ to look after,” says Fernandes.
