A Muslim couple is breaking taboos about contact with dogs within the Malaysian Muslim community through their work of rescuing stray dogs in need.

Shah Alam residents Nurul Ain Abdul Hamid, 28, and her husband Muhammad Razeef Che Samah, 39, said they both grew up being around dogs, such as the guard dogs for their family farm.

But what prompted their journey as dog rescuers was a little dog called Marvela...