For the love of huskies

THE moment you step into The Huskitory in Melaka, you will be greeted by a pack of Siberian huskies about 50 to 60 centimetres tall running towards you.

Established in the year 2010, the pet gallery was founded by Henry Chew when he adopted

his very first Siberian husky, Sugar. He later added seven more to the brood.

The idea to set up The Huskitory came about when Chew was looking for a bigger home for his furry friends to roam about.

“It started as an ordinary pet shop, where I sold dog food and equipment in order to pay the

maintenance fee of the building and to groom the dogs, but as we progressed, I realised that we could do more than that,” he said.

Seeing the interest of visitors who turned up just to play and spend time with the dogs, Chew was spurred to share his knowledge of the husky breed to the general public – specifically how to breed a Siberian husky that lives up to the standards of the World Canine Organisation.

“A pure breed of a standard and healthy Siberian husky is not easy to come by, for it takes a lot of effort and time in order to match the genes of the dogs to ensure a healthy and stable breed,” Chew explained.

Through the years, Chew has taken the huskies to dog shows and competitions organised by the Malaysia Kennel Association, and overseas.

To improve his knowledge and to ensure the well-being of the huskies, he works closely with professional dog handlers and breeders from all over the world, as well as veterinarians.

The huskies in the gallery have specific diets that are prepared based on validated recipes by professional caretakers – each recipe is different from the other due to the different diets of the dogs.

“It is our principle to not give up on any single life we have. The hardest part for us is to come to terms with the fact that the huskies will grow old and leave us one day,” Chew said.

Other than running the gallery, Chew and his team dedicate a lot of time in giving back to society, specifically in the field of education. They have not only partnered with Make-A-Wish Foundation Malaysia, but also collaborated with nearby schools to collect donations for the children.

Chew is happy with the growth of The Huskitory – it has earned positive reviews from visitors, with some travelling to Melaka specifically to visit the gallery.

Since 2017, it has been the top destination to visit when in Melaka, as rated by TripAdvisor.

Chew shared that he has received invitations from countries like the United States and Bulgaria to compete and participate in related projects, although he is not prepared for it yet.

“At present, we just want to focus on the pet gallery in Melaka. We also have a separate pet grooming salon and cafe. Our business is not just a business, but a platform to share our passion and love for Siberian huskies,” he said.

This article was published in the Newspaper in Education (NIE) pullout by The Star Newspaper dated 26 June 2019