Been a while since I went on the road,

I wonder if some people out there somehow think that we can be out there on the road with V every single day.

Much as I wish to, we are unable to.

Looking at the scheme of things, and mulling it over in my head as we drove along today, let me clarify here to all our supporters: there is no way, right at this moment, for us to be on the road as often as we know we should be, if we are to rectify the stray population issue in time.

We are not full-time in this. Though I wish I can be.

The issue of our stray population has fallen into the hands of small core groups scattered over our island. There is insufficient manpower who is able to get onto the road every day or at least a few days a week, very regularly, to get close to the dogs so that they can be caught to the vet easily.

Many people have a misconception that such a responsibility falls upon the shoulders of the stray feeders. Some people even point fingers at stray feeders for causing the stray pop problems.

Let us take a step back, retreat into our hearts, think, and find out the truth before jumping to conclusions.

Firstly, find out who exactly are these stray feeders. You will find that quite a few of them are getting on with age. They had been active in stray sterilisation in their earlier years, and had done all they can to control a problem, in as humane a way as possible, which actually falls under the responsibilty of a greater authority. Or so I think.

Stray feeders are on the roads everyday. It is easy to arrow them to catch the strays along the route since they are already feeding them. From my encounters, the stray feeders I know are NOT able to handle the task of (i) feeding....(ii) plus catching a stray...(iii) plus driving the stray to the vet....all on their own. It is unsafe to drive with a feisty stray jumping around in your car with no one to hold him/her down, and it is not possible to place a big cage in a sedan.

And as for finances, who will shoulder the entire costs of all the sterilisation, medical needs, transportation costs? Each society has their own fundings for their own needs. For a group like ours, who is not a registered society, fundings is currently irregular and coming in on a per case basis. We do not have a reserve of funds for our use as and when it is needed. But we carry on with urgent cases, trusting on in faith, that as we walk on, our needs shall be met.

When you get down to the grounds, you see for yourself that many strays are near impossible to catch, no matter how long you have been feeding them. They just do not come near. Which may be a good defence, as that makes them less likely to be caught for culling.

So it may appear that some stray feeders are at an area for many years and yet unable to catch a certain dog for sterilisation. To the lay person, they don't understand that. But for those on the roads, we see the truth.

I see the viscious cycle coming round and round if we miss just one female dog on heat. The result is 2 to 10 puppies scampering around in a few months time, and the dreaded decision of bringing them to SPCA.

I understand that people will openly lament on why aren't we working fast enough to catch and sterilise those dogs on our routes? Why open the door to yet another litter of pups who might have to be put down?

Let me hereby seek your understanding that we are just 2 people, finding as much time as we can, to get onto the road, and offer a hand in this big arena of issues termed animal welfare, which somehow seemed to have mortified into 'human affairs'.

In fact, I think we have to look far and beyond scattered groups of people working on their own, digging deep into their pockets and giving up their personal lives to remedy an issue that sometimes seem too big for us to swallow.

This issue of stray population control must be taken up by the authorities if the results are to be widespread and permanent.

We are fighting the little fires. And the bushes keep on burning.

If you are reading this blog, and your heart is not in line with ours, with thoughts other than to lend your support, then I do humbly ask of you to reconsider your participation.

The people on the roads deserve your co-operation and encouragement. Let us not be a hindrance and discouragement instead.