Disappeared

Our eye-liner gal last Oct (about 4 months old) where she was born. Later ventured across the road - picture taken this July.


2 other siblings who chose to stay among the tall grasses. ALL OF THEM HAVE DISAPPEARED.

These 3 dogs of ours are born across Tiger's farm. For their entire childhood, they stayed among the tall grasses, separated from the road by a drain, never venturing out to the other side. They chose to hide among the grasses, coming out only when they hear V's car horn.

Where they are, among the grasses, there is NO food for them. And cos they choose not to venture behind their patch of land, all the more there is no possibility of them rummaging through the trash for some any scraps.

It was impossible for V to jump across the drain to feed them so whenever there were some people around, V would stop them for help. On days when we could follow on the route, we would jump over the drain and leave the food for these 3.

Soon after, one of them (the gal who looks like she has eye-liner on) plucked up enough courage to venture to the other side - Tiger's farm. Their mom was usually around there too. Her 2 siblings continued living among the tall grasses.

These dogs have no choice in where they are born. And even when they chose to stay in seclusion, away from the human crowd, being of NO disturbance to the people who ply that area, STILL they were tracked down and taken away.

All of them have 'disappeared' now. Including their mom.

Gone.

It is hard to deal with the emotions that come along our journey with our strays. It is hard to come to them, to know them, and then to lose them. It is even harder NOT TO KNOW exactly what has happened to them cos they are not even given the decency of accountability and explanation when they were really taken and culled. They were no more than a number in the files. The objects of convenient and random extermination.

How many man hours and expenses have been channelled into the business of culling when it has been proven across countries that it is inefficient in stray population control? When will we ever learn that the quickest way is not always the best way?


* Channel those very resources into an islandwide sterilisation programme.
* Engage our vets' support in this more humane and effective means of population control.
* Educate our people on the importance of sterilisation.
* Have more stringent regulations on breeding farms and pet shops selling pets indiscriminately.
THIS IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE AS INDISCRIMINATE BREEDING AND SELLING IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM - leading to large numbers of unwanted animals, pets ending up in inexperienced and irresponsible families, animals relegated to being breeding machines their entire lives (never let out of their cramped cages...dying every minute while they are living).

* Conduct REGULAR checks on ALL breeding farms and pet shops. How regular are checks being done presently - maybe the next time you visit a breeding farm/pet shop,that sells pets, just casually ask when is the last time they have been checked.

* Enforce compulsory microchipping to track all pets and deter irresponsible pet abandonment.
THIS IS THE ONLY EFFECTIVE AND WISE WAY OF TRACKING DOWN THE OWNERS WHO LOSE/ABANDON THEIR PETS. (what are we waiting for?) It would help deter irresponsible owners from dumping their pets and gradually heighten the message that the authorities are SERIOUS about responsibility pet ownership.

Education is crucial in changing the mindsets of people slowly and steadily BUT in the immediate now, MICROCHIPPING ALL PETS BEING BRED AND SOLD in Singapore is the wisest way to deter people from pet abandonment (make them think twice before buying a pet) and thus, also reducing the number of dogs roaming our streets who are now removed by culling.

I think we cannot purport to be gracious and we cannot claim we have animal welfare in mind when we keep on doing the same thing over and over again, when it has been proven NOT to improve the situation at all.

When LIFE is not accorded the bare minimum decency of LIVING when the truth is laid bare on the grounds, when clear efforts are not seen to be made to really improve the situation, when actions taken appear to be more out of convenience and cost-saving than a sincere gesture of really wanting to resolve an issue. When the same actions are taken day after day, week after week, year after year with NO POSITIVE CHANGE TO THE VERY SITUATION THEY CLAIM TO BE WANTING TO IMPROVE.

I think we call that insanity.

Let us not reach for the quickest 'solution' and forget our responsibility in that very position we hold. Power in the right hands can resolve any issues longstanding.

Live up to your responsibility.