One of the most dreaded issues

in pet adoption is when you encounter strange and unreliable characters, whose intentions you do not comprehend.

We have been informed that one owner experienced this unfortunately with her Bull Terrier, Xander.

Xander was treated for chronic skin problems and a bout of benign growths some months back. When he was discharged from the vet, he had a clean bill of health.

Xander is all about loyalty. He may look cool and intimidating but his steadfastness to his owner is all warm and toasty. And it is after much consideration that the owner decided to find Xander a new home as she is unable to care for him anymore due to personal reasons.

Eventually, a young man was introduced who expressed interest in Xander, and after some sessions, Xander was adopted by him. However, a series of unfortunate and frustrating incidents followed where this man failed to show his sincerity for the welfare of Xander: (1) he lied about bringing Xander to the vet when his skin condition recurred, (2) he avoided all phone calls, (3) the address he gave was fake.

The owner has met up with this man a couple of times below his flat near Holland Village, old blocks near the cemetery (Block 12 cluster). However, when they next went to look for him at his unit, they realise the address is fake. Thereafter they have posted posters looking for Xander around the neighbourhood and also enlisted help from animal welfare authorities, but no progress.

The owner is concerned about the implications of getting the police/media involved as this man could possibly discard the dog and feigned ignorance.

We know you may have a lot of questions like how could this have happened, and how it could have been prevented. But for now, let's stay focused on the issue on hand and try to locate Xander. That's most important.

* Please inform your contacts around Holland Village area to look out for a Bull Terrier like Xander, handled by a young man of about 30 years. And inform 8157-8648 immediately if you have any news.

Thank you.

"Only if we understand

can we care. Only if we care will we help. Only if we help shall all be saved."

Dr Jane Goodall

These are the 3 pups next to be sterilised soon.

Vet Care Seminar

To have a fulfilling relationship with your pet, it is vital that you make efforts to find out and understand the needs of your animal companion - physical, mental, social.

This is a great opportunity for you to hear from our vets on key topics including: Behavioural Medicine, Caring for Your Aged Pet, Canine Dermatology: Allergies Affecting Our Dogs.

Click on the poster for more details.

This is the boy

we've been trying to contact the security guard on. He is a licenced resident at the factory but not sterilised. Some months back, a female came along and chose to settle down with him. Soon after, she gave birth to a litter which the Malay guard said was 'taken away by someone'.

This female is wary and hard to reach. Even the guards cannot reach him. The next best thing to do is to neuter this boy, cos around that area, there doesn't appear to have any other strays.

Wary gal

Unfortunately, the chinese security guard who is the owner of this male dog is very hard to reach as he does the late night shift and he hasn't contacted us, though he has been informed to.

Give us some more time, we'll arrange for this boy to be neutered soon.

* We need to build up our funds to prepare for our next batch of sterilisations to be done soon. As well as one of our dogs who looks to be suffering from tick fever, though it is unsure as yet, we will monitor him for the next few days.

* We are also seeking donations to cover the expenses of our dogs who have been relocated to Noah's Ark in Johor. We have not been able to be prompt in our payments to Noah's Ark due to shortage of funds on our ends. We do not have a reserve of funds to work from. So far, we have been working from case to case with your very kind support.

The original intention in the beginning was to relocate ALL the dogs that our stray feeder is feeding along her route to Noah's Ark. We had hoped that, once all the dogs are relocated, the amount of money spent on feeding these dogs along the streets plus other expenses incurred in transport etc...can then be channelled to Noah's Ark in caring for them. That was the plan when we started working with Noah's Ark. Most importantly, we had hoped that by doing so, our stray feeder, who is already in the autumn of her life, can retire and rest in peace knowing that all her dogs are safe within the confines of Noah's Ark.


However, the plan did not carry out to fruition. We cease the relocation after 18 dogs. We have 13 dogs there at this moment. (Mommy Dog, Romeo, Charcoal succumbed to heartworms, Bongo to prostate cancer, Abbie escaped). Thus, we have to finance the dogs in Noah's Ark, and at the same time, our stray feeder persists in caring for those still along the route, with some more dogs being dumped/born now and then.

Please email us at projectjkteam@yahoo.com.sg. We need your support to carry on. Thank you.

SKC will be organising

a Veterinary Care Seminar on 27 July, Friday, 7pm - 9pm.

I believe many dog owners will be very keen on the topics:

(1) Behavioural Medicine
Understand the complexities behind your dog's social behaviour & reasons for issues like anxiety, insecurity, excitability, aggression.

(2) Caring for Your Aged Pet
Make the life of your ageing pet more comfortable by understanding his/her changing needs interms of nutrition & exercise requirements. Learn how to recognise symptoms of common diseases in geriatric animals for early disease detection & understand how therapeutics & supplements can ease your pet thru their final years.

(3) Canine Dermatology: Allergies Affecting our Dogs - The Facts & The Fiction
Understand the causes of common skin ailments that plaque our dogs in our environment & climate, and how to prevent & treat these conditions.

Each topic is of great value to all dog owners, even cat owners will benefit, esp on the topic for aged pets. And if your dogs seem to be plaqued by recurring skin problems, hotspots, eczema etc..and you're wondering if it's environment, food, immunity .... this will be a great chance to hear from Dr Simon Quek, Animal Medical Centre. He has completed post-graduate studies in Veterinary Dermatology and in collaboration with Murdoch University Dermatology Clinic & NUS, he started Singapore's 1st Intra-Dermal Skin Testing & Immunotheraphy for allergic dogs.

So mark your calendar down for this date. More details will be provided once all is firmed up.

Tiger & Tommy

are good and well. Thanks R once again for sponsoring their sterilisation fees. As promised, here are some recent pix of them, taken on Sat.


Tiger

Tommy

We will be sterilising 3 pups and a few more adult dogs very soon. To enable us to do that, we sincerely seek your support and donations towards the sterilisation expenses. Pls email projectjkteam@yahoo.com.sg for more details.

The authorities has told us that they never had and does not have now a Catch-Neuter-Release program for strays. As such, any stray, (whether sterilised, microchipped, collared,licenced), so long as they are straying, ie, walking around the streets unsupervised and unleashed, they can be caught and destroyed if no one claims them back.


* It would appear that Animal Control in our country is solely missioned for catching and culling of strays. There is no programme, no support, not any plans for a Catch-Neuter-Release program that other countries are adopting.


Thus, it would also appear that: to keep our stray population numbers controlled in a humane way, proved to be effective in the long run by countries who have the CNR program, we will have to depend on public funds (donations from supporters like yourself) to pay for the sterilisation expenses of the strays.


But even then, even after we have sterilised our strays with our pooled efforts (leg work from us and monetary support from you), to assist the authorities in keeping the stray population controlled - in a humane way - the authorities will still catch them off the streets for culling. Because they violate their regulation of: DOGS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO STRAY.

_____________________________________________
From the authorities:

22 June 2007

AVA's assistance in catching strays

I refer to your email and our discussion yesterday at my office concerning stray dogs.

As mentioned we cannot allow the release of sterilised dogs to the environment. Dogs must be licensed and kept in homes and must be on leash when out in public places.


I would like to inform you that there are some pest control companies that provide services to catch dogs. You may engage their services to catch dogs.


You may call me if you wish to seek any clarification.

Thank you and kind regards

______________________________________________________

It may appear a daunting and hopeless task - catching and sterilising our strays when there is no support from a governing body to relook at current regulations to review the feasibility and explore other options of stray population control - instead of keeping to a method used for decades which has been proven in many countries to be short-term, ineffective, and not to mention, inhumane.


* What is it about a Catch-Neuter-Release program that is rejected by the authorities? Why is Culling their preferred method? If culling is so effective that it is the method of choice, then why hasn't there been significant reduction in our numbers of strays? Why does culling need to be done and done and done again - if it is effective?


And if it is NOT effective, why is it still being used as the SOLE means of stray control?

Xiao Bai is all

sterilized, microchipped, ear-tipped. All done.

Note his left tipped ear to indicate that he has already been sterilised.

On the way back to his home - he looks like he knows, doesn't he?

Back home. It must have been an adventure of sorts for him since Tues. Many like him never make it back home. Stay safe now Xiao Bai.

His owner is only able to pay $100 to cover part of the AVA fine, which he has given me. And we received $180 in donations so far. Including his medical bills (sterilisation, microchip, tick treatment, vaccination, deworming, transport), we are still short of about $100. We will appreciate any amount of donation that you can offer towards Xiao Bai's expenses.

Please email us at projectjkteam@yahoo.com.sg on how you can be part of this.

Thank you.

The Grizzly Man premieres

this Sunday, Discovery Channel 12, 9pm.

The media is always intrigued by characters with great passion, though at times, it borders on obsession. Obsession that blinds and kills.

I am personally very curious about the very man of Timothy Treadwell, who died at the hands of the very animal he loves. Mauled and devoured by a grizzly. How did that happen? Has he forgotten to honour that shred of respect that every being must accord to the other - that respect of self in a world of others. The respect of a time to come together, and a time to be alone.

"I discovered a film of human ecstasies and darkest inner turmoil. As if there was a desire in him to leave the confinements of his humanness and bond with the bears. Treadwell reached out, seeking a primordial encounter. But in doing so he crossed an invisible borderline." (Werner Herzog)

We should always bear in mind: in our walk with the animals, we are not desiring to trash our humanness and bond with them, nor do we want to humanise them and force them to live like us.

Embrace our commonness and honour our differences. Enjoy each other's company on earth. Never force. But rather, be patient and wait.

One of the most beautiful moments, to me, is when an animal comes up to you, out of pure choice of his own. No bribery of food or praise. No fear of threat or hurt. Just 2 living beings, side by side, nothing to give and nothing to take. But each becoming fuller just by a mingling and connection of souls.

An act of trust - so simple and yet so full of what it means to know and be known.

When I see a person whom an animal trusts, that person will also have my trust.

http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/grizzlyman/about/about.html

Have gone to bail Xiao Bai out.

We paid $230 to AVA for: impoundment fee, boarding fee, fine for no licence, fine for straying, application for licence.

Xiao Bai handed over to us.

With cab driver I met yesterday who happened to know the farm people, small world.


Xiao Bai is now at Dr T to be sterilised, microchipped, ear-tipped. He'll also be dewormed and vaccinated and treated for ticks. All in all, estimated cost will be about $200++.

The farm people will not be able to foot the entire bill. We've spoken with him and he agreed to pay as much as he can. I'll speak with him again when we bring Xiao Bai back to the farm this weekend. For the remaining, we seek for your kind donation. If you can offer any amount of donation, it will surely help us cover our expenses.

Pls email projectjkteam@yahoo.com.sg for details on how you can contribute.

THANK YOU.

At the vet. He looks like Bicycle doesn't he?

In the opening paragraph of "Man Meets Dog",

Konrad Lorenz (1954) makes the following statement:

"Today for breakfast I ate some fried bread and sausage. Both the sausage and the lard that the bread was fried in came from a pig that I used to know as a dear little piglet. Once that stage was over, to save my conscience from conflict, I meticulously avoided any further acquaintance with that pig."

This casual observation actually contains 2 very important theoretical ideas:
(a) people find it difficult to eat or mistreat animals they have developed any sort of attachment for, and
(b) if one finds it ultimately necessary to eat or mistreat an animal, it is sensible to tske active steps to avoid becoming too attached to it beforehand.

[Taken from "Best Friend or Worst Enemy: Cross Cultural Variation in Attitudes to the Domestic Dogs - James A Serpell]

I guess this is the only way for some people to deal with the things they do - avoid any acquaintance with the animal that they are going to mistreat, or going to destroy. Any other way will surely kill the spirit and conscience of a normal man. And no one can live for long a peaceful life with a crushed conscience.

For what you come to know, you will never destroy.

It may seem futile fighting little bush fires like this, bailing out one single dog like Xiao Bai, who is a pin prick in the sea of strays. Whose life or death won't change the current landscape one wee bit.

However, NOT saving him amounts to agreeing with the present animal control methods that seem to focus solely on culling on the grounds, with no aid and no plans for a capture-sterilise-release programme.

That there is nothing wrong in what was done yesterday - and will continue to be done - for the violation of a regulation they seem to adhere so strictly to: All dogs found straying can be caught and culled.

How I wish to see this same passion in their checks on our many breeding farms. Or are we waiting for yet another undercover mission to expose the horrors of puppy mills out there, smelling so awfully right under our noses? What will we discover next?

Tomorrow we will pay the fine of $231 to bail Xiao Bai out.

We could have gotten 2 more dogs sterilised with that amount. Now, won't that be a better way to spend public funds?

We will be bailing Xiao Bai out tomorrow.

Otherwise, tomorrow being the 3rd day since he was caught, by this Friday Xiao Bai would have been destroyed.

For 'straying' just outside the gate of his farm.

"Any dog, even if he is wearing a collar,

even if his ear is tipped (to show that he is sterilised), any dog so long as they are straying, we will catch".

This came from a staff of the Animal Control section of the authorities.

Me: How do you keep a dog WITHIN the confines of a farm, when a farm is just like an open, sprawling area, the gates are all open during the day?

Him: "The owner should tie up the dog la".

Me: Tie up the dog the whole day?

Him: "No la, the owner should tie up the dog during the day, and when he has time, take the dog for a walk...." ---- ......(??!!).......

[never mind...breathe......]

Me: How much do we need to pay to get this dog out tomorrow?

Him: $93 for compoundment, $100 for straying and no licence...

Me: That's a lot of money

Him: No la, to save a life what....

Me: To save a life?? In the first place, your team should speak with the farm owners there and find out from them, whether their dog is licensed at all? At least explain to them what they can do, give them a chance. This one is not licensed cos they can't get the main owner to sign the documents. What if in other cases, the dog is already licenced, already sterilised, wearing a collar....will you just catch the dog without speaking with the owners??

Him: Ya. So long as the dog is straying, we will catch...

Me: How do we get a licence for him now? Can his owner, the tenant, sign on the form?

Him: No, the main owner of the farm must come down personally and sign...

Me: But the main owner is not interested at all and not very helpful in this...and the tenant is the one looking after the dog and he's now willing to take legal ownership of the dog and asked me to ask you if he can be the one to authorise for the licence?

Him: Cannot, cos what if the main owner does not allow the tenants to keep the dog?

Me: The main owner is basically not involved and hardly at the farm at all...and this dog has been at the farm for a few years already...you say it's good to save a life, so how can you help us in this licensing issue?

Him: If you are bringing the dog back to a private property, that's ok, but if you bring him back to the farm, the main owner must come and sign the documents.

Me: We do not have a private property to bring the dog to, and it is not easy to find homes for local breeds like him, I'm sure you understand. We'll bring him to the vet tomorrow, get him neutered, tip ear, microchip, everything done, and I'll get the tenant to apply for a licence. Let me know how you can help me with this licence part.

Him: Maybe you just come down tomorrow and discuss with Mr M, he's in charge and see what he says....


* This boy was caught just in front of his farm yesterday. The authorities did not attempt to find out who is the owner, nor did they offer any explanation nor advice to the owner. They came, loop the boy up and left. He is an easy target. Now, we have to pay them to get the dog back.

Our white boy is in the pound now.

AVA said that he was caught because he was wandering on the streets. They didn't know who is his owner, and that he was caught away from the farm where he belongs. That was not what the farm people saw and told us. I will verify that again.

He was wearing his blue collar. Isn't that an indication that he most possibly belongs to someone? And he was apparently the only one who was caught yesterday at the farm area. They don't have the other black and tan boy, they said. We'll have to check on that again.

To bail this white boy out, we will have to pay:

$86 - impoundment
$50 - for straying
$50 - for not having licence
$15/day - for boarding at the pound

Total $231 if we take him out tomorrow.

Have told AVA to hold the boy and they will do that till tomorrow, while we speak with the farm people on what they intend to do, if they able to pay this fine.

They are unable to take licence for this dog as the farm is sub-let to a few tenants and to get licence, you need the main owner to sign on the documents and produce his IC for verification. The main owner of that farm has not been helpful in that area at all.

Was all this taken into account before the dog was taken away?

What is Animal Control?

Take a read of WSPA's Dog Control Techniques and let's think about what exactly is ANIMAL CONTROL?

Animal control is not simply a matter of removing animals from the streets, but requires a comprehensive and proactive programme, ideally implemented by local governments of municipalities.

An effective programme will aim to encompass:

- animal welfare legislation
- humane capture & handling of animals
- efficient removal of public waste/garbage
- providing shelter suitable for the animals' needs
- providing veterinary care
- spaying/neutering programmes
- humane euthanasia of animals when necessary
- public education
- liaison between government authority and non-government organisation

Read in particular page 13 on Euthanasia:

* While euthanasia is an option, on its own it is ineffective. Simply catching and killing animals does not work as a stray control programme ... By neutering animals, populations can be stabilised and gradually reduced. Shooting and poisoning therefore have no place in an effective humane stray control programme.

* Strict criteria should be applied to animals considered for euthanasia: eg, very young puppies, sick animals, dangerous animals, animals unsuitable for rehoming or return to the streets.

The 2 dogs caught from the farm today do not fall into any of the categories above. But if no one claims them in the next few days, they WILL be destroyed.

And to claim them back, you need to pay compounded fees amounting to more than $200 for each dog.

Let's see if they are in the pound now. We'll update tomorrow.

http://www.wspa-international.org/publicfiles/Animal_control_officer.pdf

We were informed:

2 AVA vans went to a farm area this afternoon. 1 van was already full of dogs who were caught (from where?)

The AVA team of dog catchers parked outside a farm. And without speaking with the farm owners nor giving them a chance of explanation, they went into the farm and caught 2 of the dogs there.

They used cable loops.

And in case you are wondering, yes, these 2 boys are friendly ones. You would never call them a menace. 1 is a gentle fellow, quite slow in movements, at times, he will come close and stay a while for some pats, but it is still tough to catch him down. The other, a handsome white-furred fellow, has never disturbed anyone at all. He strolls along quietly and settles down well with the farm owners.

Among the strays in that area, these 2 are the closest to what you would call to be 'belonging to someone'. While the rest are obviously hardcore strays.

Yet, why were these 2 the ones who were caught today? And did the AVA team speak to the farm owners at all to verify if these dogs belong to them?

Btw, the white-furred boy was wearing a collar.

So, what do you think about this?

I am sorry to say

that Guppy has passed away this morning.

Very sorry.

I went to Dr T too late, an hour odd after he passed away early this morning. We wanted to know what was the actual cause of his death so we did a necropsy. The infected growth at his testicles was full of pus, extending a little distance upwards. But that didn't looked like anything that could have taken his life.

That leaves the heartworms. What we thought could be a moderate case presented itself as a very chronic stage of heartworms - masses and masses of worms were colonising and clogging Guppy's heart and lungs.


A segment of the heartworms that killed Guppy.

Guppy has been given the first line of treatment for heartworms. What has occurred clearly shows the complications in the --

"Elimination of the Heartworm Parasite:

This is a two-step process. The adult worms and the microfilaria are eliminated separately. No one medication kills both. The adults are treated first then a different treatment is used to kill the microfilaria and migrating larvae.

The most serious side effects usually occur with the treatment of the adult worms. As the worms die they lodge in the lung arteries and block even more blood vessels than before treatment. Besides the usual inflammation caused by the presence of the worms, the inflammation is amplified due to the decomposing worms within the blood vessels. This worm destruction releases foreign substances in to the dog’s circulation as the worms break down and are eliminated from the dog by the immune systems. A large amount of inflammation and swelling generally occurs during this period. "

Guppy has passed away at a young age of 2. And Discus has lost his brother.

Very sorry to share this news.


http://www.thepetcenter.com/gen/heartwormindogs.html
http://www.heartwormsociety.org/article.asp?id=11
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1621&articleid=743

Guppy is not well.

It is always sad to see a person or an animal taken over by the strains of illness. Especially so when the person or animal has always been so full of the joy of life.

Guppy at 3 months

Guppy & brother, Discus

Guppy has always been the happy fellow in his neighbourhood. Ever full of grins and fishy wags, he and brother Discus roam the fish farm, strutting around with his head held high, tail a beacon of welcome whenever he sees us.

Guppy trying to steal someone's gal

He is a handsome fellow, at times a bully to his meeker brother. But other times, he totally relishes grooming Discus to bits, and good 'ol Discus will grin and bear thru the Guppy-sessions.

Grooming time for Discus!

But now, Guppy is not well. His sturdy frame has diminished into near skin and bones. He is sick and not eating. He is also running a fever. Diagnosis - Heartworms and badly infected testicles with an inner growth that could be benign or malignant.

With heartworms, his heart condition is compromised and to put him under GA for an operation to remove that growth, will be too dangerous for an already weak heart. He might not wake up.

Dr T asked if we want to carry on with the treatment as it would cost quite abit. We've gone thru this a few times. The issue of cost versus life. There shouldn't be any consideration at all, should there?

When money is brought to the foreground of issues, the plain truth is frosted over and an answer that is clear becomes foggy by the fear of not being able to afford the treatment, and clouds the good news that hey, heartworms can be treated if detected early. And hey, when his heartworm condition is cured, the growth can be operated out and Guppy will get his young, active life back.

So, yes, the answer is always "Yes". We will proceed with treatment.

And we will need your help.

Guppy is now at Dr T's. He will start his heartworm treatment now, and his infected testicles will be medically treated first until he is fit for operation. This will require him to be hospitalised.

Costs (estimated):

- Heartworm treatment: $200-$300
- Medication for fever, infection: $150-$200
- Operation: $350-$500


I will get a better estimate on the expected cost this Sat as well as photos of Guppy to show to all.


* If you, like us, have a heart to see Guppy all well and back with his brother again soon, pls email projectjkteam@yahoo.com.sg on how you can contribute to his medical expenses.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

In the midst of deep thoughts,

of fighting the urge to fight back, I am reminded of this beautiful verse:

"I shut my eyes and see the little girl I knew myself to be, eighty years ago, racing barefoot down a slope after a bunch of colourful, fluttering butterflies. Not to catch them. Not to break their wings. Not to preserve them in a jar to show off to friends. I know now that the girl was chasing after them to share their freedom."

I have to keep reminding myself -- no matter how much fight in me there is, to fight for the freedom of animals in silence -- Do not fight. Even when my whole being launches in ready flight of attack...when my guts abhor the injustice so plain in my eyes yet hopelessly overlooked by others. Especially then, do not fight.

I still fail. I still find myself fighting.

And in such fighting may I fail. And when I do, so goes the freedom I 'fight' for.

Date: 21 May 2007

To AVA:

We are aware that the AVA has sent letters informing farm owners of the stray dogs situation at their farms in PR farmway.

In the letter, it is stated that 'any dogs found in a premise is deemed to be owned by the occupier/owner of the premise' and it asks the owner to license the dogs to avoid a fine. It also state that 'action will be taken against a licensee if dogs are found kept in premises without valid licences'.

Most of the dogs around farm areas are not owned by anyone in particular. They are strays. In fact, your officers would understand the difficulty in getting farm owners to take up legal ownership of the dogs by applying and renewing licences annually as most of the dogs are not their dogs in the sense that a home owner's dog is his/her dog.

In most cases, many of these dogs will be deemed as strays, and thus they are subject to being caught and culled.

Your officers will also be aware that animal welfare volunteers have been on the streets helping with stray population control by catching and sterilising strays with own expenses or public donations. However, we are able to catch the friendlier ones, leaving the more wary ones at loose.

We noted that the letter ended off by saying, "If you have any unwanted dogs, please contact our office for collection".

Looking at the situation, we hereby request for AVA's expertise to help us catch the more wary dogs that have escaped us, as we do not have the expertise nor the proper equipment and techniques that AVA team has. With your cooperation and expertise, AVA will be able to reach the dogs while we, on our part, will raise public funds to have the dogs sterilised and returned to their communities. And after that, advise the farm owners to license the dogs, while taking into account that many may not accede.

But the more important and pressing issue here is to help AVA with your mission in stray population control, and to do it together, in a humane way.

We look forward to working with your team of dog catchers.

Thank you.

__________________________________________

Date: 6 June 2007

From: AVA

Thank you for your emails of 25 and 21 May 07.

We had written to the farms because some of them were found harbouring and feeding stray dogs. This compounded the stray dog problem in the farm areas as the dogs multiplied.

We are asking the farms to be responsible and to apply for dog licences and confine the dogs properly if they want to take care of the stray dogs.

However, if they have stray dogs that they cannot take care, they can surrender them to AVA.

As you are aware stray dogs that are wary of strangers are very difficult to catch. However ,with the farms' help, stray dogs in the farm areas can be reduced.

We would suggest that you approach the farms for assistance with your sterilisation programme. However, we would like to remind you that sterilised stray dogs must not be put back on the streets. They should placed in suitable homes and licensed.

Thank you for your concern for the dogs. You may call me if you wish to seek further clarification.

_______________________________________________

Date: 13 June 2007

To: AVA

Thanks for your reply. However, you missed out in your reply on our request for a meeting.

1. We are all aware many of the dogs around farms do not exactly 'belong' to anyone.
2. Yes, unsterilised dogs breed and add onto the existing number of dogs.

3. There are various reasons why these dogs are not sterilised and licenced:

a) the farm owners do not take legal ownership of these dogs
b) they cannot afford the expenses in sterilisation and licensing
c) some of the dogs cannot be caught for sterilisation, not even by the farm owners

4. Confining dogs: It is difficult to confine dogs on farm areas, especially when many farms do not have enclosed boundaries nor gates. The alternative of chaining/caging the dogs the whole day is also not humanely feasible.

5. Approaching farm owners for help: For reasons stated in point 3, farm owners are unable to help, which is why we are approaching the AVA for help, with your expertise & experience.

6. Is culling the sole means of AVA's stray population control? Or does AVA set aside funds and manpower to assist the public in catching & sterilising these strays? If not, would AVA consider doing this?

7. We acknowledge AVA's efforts and finances spent on education. However, education alone, with no immediate help on ground level to rectify stray issues, and also no strict laws and penalty on abandonment and illegal breeding, will drag the resolution of current issues. * As in the recent case of Junior and Ginne, ( found all the way in Punggol from their home in Bkt Timah and Punggol being where Ginne was adopted), but due to no concrete evidence, no charge of abandonment was made to the family, which sends a negative message to the public that they can easily get away with abandonment. And the illegal breeding of bulldogs on Pasir Ris Farmway 1, with all bulldogs seemingly adopted after investigation was made.

8. Sterilised strays cannot be placed back on the streets: Opportunities of adoption for local breeds in Singapore is very low, with so many dogs (small breeds included) for adoption in SPCA, ASD etc. For lack of homes, where should the sterilised strays be placed then? If boarding shelters is the answer, from where will the finances come from to pay for each sterilised dog in a shelter for the rest of his life?

9. If a stray has been sterilised and ear-tipped, will he still be caught and culled?

10. Private dog catchers: We had hoped to work with AVA as we believe your team of dog catchers are well-trained to capture strays in a humane manner. However, if AVA is unable to assist in this area, please provide us a list of AVA-approved dog catchers / pest control companies whom we can engage, those that AVA is assured of their skills and treatment of animals. We will then raise funds from public to pay for this service.


For the past years we spent on the streets, looking at our stray issue, the solution is beyond small groups of volunteers, both in terms of manpower and finances. Now, lay public are putting in time and their own money to catch, transport, sterilise, licence our strays just to give them a legal lease of life.

Ironically, we are a small island, manageable if actions are taken on a large and supportive scale. My personal opinion: in a gracious society, culling should be the final option after all possible solutions are taken in hand and given the efforts and financial commitment to see them through. I am certain, with AVA's support in a nationwide sterilisation program, you will see much support coming towards you from our people. We just need you to lead the way.

On our end, we will continue to:

- try to catch those strays that we can reach
- raise funds from public to pay for their sterilisation expenses
- raise funds from public to pay for boarding of abandoned dogs/dogs hurt from catching process by dog catchers
- report cases of illegal breeding/abandonment to the AVA.

There may be areas in which we are not clear about on AVA's responsibilities and ability to assist in this stray control issue. We will be most appreciative if you could advise us accordingly.

Thank you

Was watching Animal Planet just now

on the illegal wildlife trade in Thailand. Sad and angering. For both the people and the animals.

It shows the great numbers of wild animals captured from their natural habitats, the babies snatched from their moms after the poachers shoot the moms dead, ripping the babies from their tight clutches to the safe comfort they will never feel ever again...thrown into tiny cages...and sent straight to the many markets peppering Thailand to fetch some quick bucks from people who have taken to this illegal trade as a means to put food on the table. However, with the exorbitant prices labelled on these animals, I guess some of these poachers are putting a whole lot of food and more on their tables.

The episode follows the rescue of 2 sun bears who have been bought and kept as pets in a fish farm, in small rusty cages with no room for such magnificent animals to run or swim or climb - to BE simply bears and do the things they are born to do.

Day in, day out, the 2 bears never got to smell the fresh air outdoors, never knew how grass feels like under their feet, never seen pools of water other than their rusty water bucket, and so very sadly, NEVER FELT THE SUN ON THEIR FACES.

For 5 long years.....1 of the bear has lived a dead life. He must have wished many times that he has died.

The rescue crew was going around some areas talking and convincing the people to surrender their illegal pets so that they can be brought to the animal sanctuary for a better life before all sense of hope in their souls is crushed.

The lady owner of these 2 bears eventually agreed to let the rescuers take her 2 bears, and at the point of rescue, few other people came to surrender their illegal wildlife as well.

The pivotol moment of these 2 bears' life - after 5 hard years under men who have betrayed the wildness they were born for - one of the bear was released from his quarantine cell to the sanctuary that is to be his new home.

You can see the utter apprehension on his face and his slow, careful movements. That must be the first time he has seen so much SPACE, with no bars blocking his view. After 5 long years on a concrete flooring, he carefully takes baby steps on the concrete perimeters of the sanctuary....then a lick at some ants crawling up a wall.....

and then very slowly, in a moment that made one rescue team member cry, and which made my eyes water as well --- very slowly, his face almost void of expression, still lost in the zone where dreams come true....this wondrous creature, robbed off his life in the wilderness where he belongs --- he very slowly turns his head up to the sky....and for the very first time after 5 years in captivity, he basks in the glory of the sun.

His eyes and expression still lingers on my mind and I can still see and feel his sigh of inexpressible relief ... not exactly joy he was feeling as yet for I think he has forgotten how to be joyful anymore and it will take time to remember it......but this deep, deep resonance of relief that knows no words but is understood by all who were watching him.

This heartwrenching moment of what exactly men has done to creations out there whom we have no right of authority over, for they are of a life of their own, with their very own dignified and meaningful path to take in nature. In nature is where they are born to live, to feed, to rest, to fight, to mate, to die.

That scene -- a bear feeling the sun on his face after 5 long years -- it makes me shameful of mankind.

I am very sorry for the many animals out there at this very minute who are groaning out for help, many whom will never get to feel the sun on their faces ever again, many whom I will never know of and never get to touch and save.

It makes me angry at the many frivolous distractions of our earthly life out there - the frivolity of manicures and pedicures, of what color dress is nicer over another, of branded stuff so low in quality and utterly devoid of a shred of meaning -- more and more, better, faster, newer THINGS that are lifeless and yet we allow them to eat into the precious minutes of our ONE DAY where so much can be done, so much needs to be done.

Make full use of each day. Waste not an opportunity where you can make a difference. Every day is FILLED with moments where you can step forward and make a difference. It is every moments like these that will make up the LIFE you look back on when you have lived richly and fully and are ready to move on.

Yes, I do feel angry and disappointed at mankind at times. And yet, in the ironical twist of truths, it shows yet again that beneath our screaming platform of animals in need, lies a jungle of human beings who have not open their eyes and hearts to accept the rights to life of all living beings, for their own lives are in desperate need.

Save the people and they will save the animals? The question - where do we start?

With the very person next to you. Cos every one of us has something deep within, that needs to be saved.

Tiger and Tommy

are well and fine back at the farm. Tommy has the misfortune of being not so welcomed by the gang though, and this is from the beginning. Some members of the old pack just don't take a liking to him.

It's interesting to see and wonder how animals make up their minds whether they are going to like you or not - a human or another one of its kind.

Some take an immediate fondness to another, buddying up all chummy and nice. Others just stir up wrath of displeasure and persistent attempts to drive the newcomer away.

It is quite sad to see a newcomer being ostracized by the pack. Being ignored brings loneliness, but being disliked to the point of being attacked can be dangerous.

Little Tommy is slowly but steadily doing all he knows how to be welcomed into his new pack. he is all submission and belly up in silent politeness when the resident female comes baring her teeth at him, with one or two other accomplices lending power to her intimidation.

But I'm sure Tommy boy will win their hearts eventually, if his inherent macho size doesn't catch up and win first!

For now, all at the farm are well and fine. All sterilised. We just hope that they will be left alone to live out their lives in peace.

* Thank you so much to our supporter, R, for coming forward with his donation to fully sponsor Tommy and Tiger's sterilisation expense. We can only say THANK YOU again.

Yesterday, we brought 2 brothers

brothers to Dr T for sterilisation. These 2 had appeared at one of the farms out of the blue about 2 months ago. One is the boy who looks just like Tiger, the lovely brindled, roly-poly fellow who just walked into the farm one fine day. His brother (we presumed) came along a few days later. Very friendly guys so very likely they were handled by humans from young. No fear of humans in them, which may or may not be a good thing for our strays.

We went in the morning to get them both. They have put on much weight, especially Tiger, he is a tub of puppy fats now! While in the car on the way to Dr T, and thinking of a name for Tiger's brother, we happen to talk a bit about Tommy Koh....so okie! Tommy it shall be.

So off to Dr T both Tiger and Tommy. Both were curiously gazing at the passing scene, then after a while Tommy settled down next to me, his tail wagging almost all the way to the clinic.

Today, they are sterilised well and fine, and back to the farm and gang. Judging from their size, especially Tiger, at just about 6 months now, these boys are gonna be big fellows towering over most of the rest in no time.

In a couple more months, we'll be bringing 3 more pups for sterilisation.

For the 2 dogs that I've seen last nite,

guess it's better not to reveal their location. There's no need to, anyway. Just to be safe. Anyway, didn't manage to get much good info today. Let's wait till Monday and I'll find a chance to speak with the management of that area.

For the 7 pups whom we're going to sterilise sometime end June when they're ready, THANK YOU to much to SB and R who have stepped forward to offer their donations. We'll let you all know again after we've made their sterilisation appointments as to which vet clinic the donations should be made to. We truly appreciate.

Got a notice this noon

about 2 dog spotted at an area, seemingly staying there and unafraid of humans. The person who informed me was concerned that they could be easily caught by the authorities as they are easily seen.

I was running some errands tonight and so happen to end up around that area so I popped by to check it out. In fact, I didn't realise from the address given that I have passed by this place more than a few times and yes, I have seen these 2 dogs hanging around that area.

Whenever I pass by, they were either strolling along the paths or lazing on the grass. They seemed very well settled.

When we drove in just now, I saw one of the dogs resting by the table of the security guard. I hadn't notice before that this boy has already been licensed. His temperament is fine, not particularly friendly but not hostile either. He was limping though, probably a light knock from a passing vehicle. The security guard couldn't tell me more though. I asked if both dogs have been sterilised and initially he said yes, then upon further queries, he said he doesn't know.

The boy is the resident dog, guard dog I presume. I asked who is responsible to care and feed him, and the guard says that the dog eats whatever is leftover from the workers there. For the girl apparently she came along later. Well, she is more wary and keeps her distance, and looking at her body, she must have given birth at least once before. I doubt she has been sterilised.

I will call the company tomorrow to find out more details and if both are not sterilised, will get some of the workers there who are close to the dogs to help us catch to the vet. The guard is a malay so he can't help.

They appeared fine and well-settled where they are. So we'll speak with the management and advise them to sterilise both and license the girl as well. And they can then be left to live there safely, with no threat of being culled.

Will update again.

At times, it gets difficult.

Difficult to move on. Yet difficult to cease.

Looking back to what we've done, it's a raindrop in a thunderstorm. Looking forward to what needs to be done, it is an amazonic task.

At times, I don't know what to do.

There's pain. Anger. Frustration. Impatience. Fear. Yes, there's fear. Lately, it seems like I'm fighting for time. I'm dashing in my mind as if I'm running out of time. My days flash by so quickly, I stay up so late, and yet I can't wait to wake up the next morning and get going cos there's so much to be done.

And there are areas we just can't help and we hope you understand.

We do not have a holding area/foster homes for our local strays. And the bigger issue is, once you take in a stray from off the streets, you most probably cannot put him/her back on the streets again. You will have to be responsible for his/her life till death.

We cannot take in any strays cos simply, we have nowhere to keep them. From the area where our stray feeder tends to, we have 5 in the boarding shelter. They were taken off the streets cos they have been caught by the authorities (and bailed out after paying the fines) - Ben & Kumar, injured while being caught - John John, or abandoned by their previous owner - Junior & Ginne. We have to continuously raise funds to pay for their boarding fees, and this will go on for their entire life until someone adopts them.

We can't go and take any strays off the streets unless someone commits to their lifetime of expenses, else down the road, we will run dry and lose our focus in the bigger issues that matter while fighting little bush fires.

This sense of fear - of what's going to happen to all the dogs on the feeding route of our stray feeder when she can't go on feeding them anymore - if it grips me momentarily at times when I get myopic and fleshly, imagine how our stray feeder feels as she plies the streets day in and day out, knowing full well that there will come a day when she is not able to do this anymore ... a day when dogs outlive their carers ... and then what happens next?

At time I wish I had never started on anything. Like many people who live their lives..day after day after day...tight and comfy in pigeon-holes of a society that prides on safety and security be it legitimate or a false sense that is flitting if not utterly boring and kills the soul. A mundane existence, living so small a life, just for yourself and maybe expanding to include your spouse and family, but yet in the universal of infinity, our life is so so small and our concerns so so selfish that the entire creation laughs and cries over that worry of what to wear, and what to eat, and what hairstyle is the latest in thing....when the whole creation cries out for some people to stand up and SPEAK the truth of what is right and what is wrong but most of the time, it gets the cowardice of "it's ok", "never mind", "leave it to someone else".... and we sit in front of our TVs and wonder why the world seems to be crumbling downwards. Don't think for a moment that what happens across the globe has nothing to do with you.

Everything that is happening now and not happening now, everything is a result of you. A result of me. It is the culminating conclusion of a nation of silence.

Our lips are closed. Our hearts are small. We fear men and their responses. We withdraw and live a life of pretense in the Pleasantville of our minds. Hearts shut to the cries of help from our fellow human beings. Silent cries of help from the very person next to you. Spouses sleep with backs to the other. Kids are not talking to their parents. Bosses are intimidating their staff.

Then look further. Our fellow human beings in neighbouring countries are living lives so vastly different from ours, we are like kings. It is all a matter of comparison and there is no end to it.

The whole world is crying out but we must start in our own backyard. Forget about the starving kids in Africa if you won't even take a drive down to one of our children's home to offer the kids your time and gifts. Forget about saving the Sumatran Rhino if you don't even give a hoot about our native animals and the strays at your neighbourhood. It reeks of hypocrisy if you stand on a platform proclaiming your fight to save the rhinos, the sharks, the pandas... when upon your homeland, you turn your eye on that neglected animal in your neighbour's cage, that chained up animal pleading to you to do something, that captured wild bird languishing in ridiculously small cages of men who have robbed it of the vast freedom it was born to enjoy.

Aren't we all humans and aren't they all animals? What makes a human more important and worth helping than another? What makes this animal more valuable than the other that one has to be conserved and the other destroyed? One reason is the scale of numbers. We have too few of this animal cos many have been killed by men. And we have too many of this other animal thus men have to kill them. If it is indeed the sheer number that is causing a problem, then let us resolve it in the most humane manner available.

LIFE. We all have it. And we should all be given the decency to live it. And should men decide to take it away, the very least to ask is to take it with utmost humanity.

But to live, to truly live, not just for this small, minute creature called 'me, myself and I" - it involves the pain of sacrifice. If you want to help, you cannot live each day for your own convenience. Your own profits. Your own security. You will be safe, yes. But so will you be small. And you will die half the man you were born to be.

For, in an absence of pain, neither can you taste pleasure.

There's a constant refrain in my mind

for a good many days.

Do not do anything out of fear.

For fear is the antithesis of peace. The sediments clouding your vision in the glass of clarity.

Whenever you are uncertain, rushed, threatened to move, to make a decision, to act, to sign that document.....take a step back and take your time. Let no one rush you into rashness. If that deal is only good for today or it's gone, let it be gone!

When the waters are murky, take your time and let the sediments settle down well.

Things always look different the next morning.

Do not do anything out of fear. Be guided by the peace within.

These are the other 2 boys

whom we're gonna sterilise in a month or 2. Both friendly fellows who'll come dashing up with the pack to greet you with full bodied wags and hugs. These 2 turned up out of the blue. From where or from whom, we do not know.

Now, all we want is to 'make' them ACCEPTABLE to live on where they are - by sterilising them and advising the farm owners to take up licence.

However, with more than 3 dogs at the farm, the licence for the 4th dog on is gonna cost much more and subject to the approval of the authories. They may come down to check on the place before the allow the issuance of additional licence.

Such is the dilemma.

Now and then, you meet good farm people who do care for the strays. The dogs do not legally belong to them, not in the way your home pet belongs to you. Many have been strays for years and just happen to stay on. Some are abandoned and others were born there or wandered there somehow.

Not many farm owners will bother to even cooperate with stray feeders to catch, sterilise and license the dogs, much less to pay for the expenses of sterilisation and licensing.

Ocassionally, you do meet an understanding owner who agrees with the importance of sterilisation and even takes up the responsibility of paying for the procedures and also licensing.

But due to the fact that there are more than 3 dogs on the farm, the dilemma is whether or not to inform the authorities to apply for additional licences. Cos the authorities may come down to do a check and if for whatever reason, they deem the place unsuited for more than 3 dogs and if they enforce their regulation that dogs must be confined and not allowed to stray, then what would happen to the 4th and more dogs? Will they have to be removed? Even though they have all been sterilised?

Btw, confining these dogs on a premise like a farm is impossible. Simply cos there are no gates.... So how would the authorities suggest the dogs be 'confined'? We've asked one representative before and the answer is - to chain the dog up.

Will the authorities say 'No'

to an offer from the public for a CO-OPERATIVE EFFORT in stray population control?

Will the authorities say 'No' to offer their expertise in catching wilder strays?

Will the authorities say 'No' to handing the strays over to animal welfare societies who will raise public funds to sterilise them?

Will the authorities say 'No' to releasing the strays back to their communities after they are sterilised?

Will the authorities demand that volunteer groups pay the compounded fees to rescue a caught stray from their pound?

Will the authorities demand that every stray who has been sterilised must be LICENSED also?

* On a pamphlet given out by AVA on "Stray Dogs", it states:

(A) What Can A Site Management Do To Control Stray Dogs?
One of the pointers is: Engage an experienced pest control company to remove unwanted dogs.

Wait a minute, aren't pest control companies licensed by NEA? Licensed to do what? - check on the list of pest control companies under Singapore Pest Management Association and you will see the Services provided and what I understand to constitute as PESTS - cockroaches, termites, mosquitoes, rats, some include crows.

Tell me if you see a pest control companies listing cats and dogs under the list of pests that they handle?

http://www.spma.org.sg/skillupgrade2.htm

It also states that "In Singapore, all vector management field staff are required to be licensed or certified by the National Environment Agency (NEA). In addition, SPMA strongly recommends that you insist on (National Skills Recognition Scheme) NSRS-trained staff to service your premises. "

** But are these staff TRAINED IN CATCHING DOGS & CATS? WHO TRAINS THEM??

If the staff are NOT trained to handle cats and dogs, AND there is no governance on pest control companies catching cats and dogs, (remember....NEA ONLY license pest control companies to catch cockroaches, termites, rats etc....), thus their licence CANNOT be revoked even if they are caught mistreating the cats and dogs that they are NOT licensed nor trained to catch ---

WHY ARE WE ADVISING THE PUBLIC TO CONTACT PEST CONTROL COMPANIES TO REMOVE UNWANTED DOGS??

The pamphlet states: "Engage an experienced pest control company...". I think we are not talking about EXPERIENCE here. We are talking about a non-existence of governance over pest control companies paid to catch cats and dogs.

And who is monitoring the amount of 'experience' the staff has in humanely catching strays? Is experience monitored by the number of 'successful captures'? And who is monitoring the guidelines set out for the companies to observe?


One of the core functions of the authorities is to "safeguard the welfare of animals in Singapore by strictly enforcing regulations to protect animals against cruel treatment and educating the public on responsible pet ownership."

"Protect animals against cruel treatment"...conflicts with exposing them to the unfortunate situations of mistreatment by ignorant, untrained pest control staff.

Are we not opening doors in creating unfavourable situations whereby some cats and dogs WOULD be mistreated by inexperienced pest control companies?

In a field where lives are being managed, can we safely advise the public to engage services from companies who are NOT even governed by any licensing bodies? Whose licence to operate as pest control companies cannot be revoked even if they mistreat cats/dogs cos their licence does not cover that? Whose mistreatment of animals will only be investigated WHEN some eye witness spots anything amiss and reports to the AVA? And how many mistreatment will go UNNOTICED and not reported?

There is an angering illogical cycle happening here.

I thought the authorities have their own trained team of stray catchers who will do a better and more humane job at capturing strays? A team of trained cat/dog catchers who are under the governance of the very authorities whom we look upon as the body safeguarding the welfare of animals, and thus whom we can trust to handle all cases of stray-capture in a humane manner? And whom we can also trust to bring the captures to a proper closure by the humane method of euthanasia - by a quick injection to put the captured strays to sleep?

Is it a lack of manpower that makes the authorities advise the public to engage pest control companies?

Does the AVA ensure that the 'experienced' pest control companies are fully trained and equipped with the proper equipment and techniques of stray management?

Which are these 'experienced' pest control companies?

Do these pest control companies bring the strays to AVA pound to be humanely out down?

In fact, I am sure some of you have seen Town Council cleaners catching strays as well, particularly stray cats. Similarly, are these people, who are employed as cleaners, and who are mostly foreign workers - are they trained in proper stray management?? Or has the duty of stray population control fallen onto the shoulders of cleaners who may have no clue on how to handle a cat/dog other than to catch it with whatever methods that works?

Why are there cases of 'vanished' cats and dogs? Why have they 'disappeared' into thin air when they should have been sent to the AVA to be humanely put down, if that is the agreement with Town Councils and pest control companies?

Where do you think they they been taken? And how do you think they have been killed?

And do you know that till now, they still are cases of dogs being poisoned to death, dying slowly and painfully, foaming at the mouths. What is this poison used and where was it gotten from? Unfortunately, there was no 'concrete evidence' as no one saw who placed the poison. In one case, no one knew who committed that crime, just that the restricted drug was placed in a pack of rice and meat and the dogs ate it.

So, the next time you call a pest control company, be fully aware that the methods of stray catching are not as innocent as you may think. If you have a heart for HOW an animal would die from your complaint and report, the least you could do is to make sure that the animal has been sent to the AVA pound to be put down HUMANELY. At the very least, you have a decent closure of how that animal has been destroyed, in the proper humane way, under the needle.

If not, if you don't give a hoot about how that stray dog will die, you might as well be that person who places a packet of poisoned rice and meat to that dog. You would achieve the very same end yourself. DEATH. The only difference is, where the blood is on your hands, you have paid someone else to have his hands stained.

To all the people who have knowingly caused a practice of unethical treatment of animals out there, by commission or omission to act, the blood is on your hands.

http://www.hrss.net/abt/news/sars/TNP_09jun.htm
http://habitatnews.nus.edu.sg/pdf/straydogsabused-tnp15feb2005.pdf

Take a very close look at

(Click for full view)

our girl here and tell me what you think has happened?

Note her right eye and teeth on lower left jaw.

A large budget has been set aside

in the name of animal welfare education.

I am for education. Our young generation is the hope of our future.

However, whereas education is setting the climate for our future, government law is changing our very present weather today.

Only when directed hand-in-hand (education and law), can many issues, not only animal concerns but all-encompassing issues, be resolved with the prompt urgency of the law and reinforced by the steady progress of human understanding and acceptance.

I'm sure, S, our fellow counterpart in Bangladesh understands this most clearly.

It takes just one strike to light a match. But it takes much more to keep it burning. When the air of support is stifled, no matter how many matches you strike, the light is but for a moment.

But let us take heart!

Breathe.

Just when you feel that bit stifled, that bit weary... that refreshing breeze SHALL be there to carry you on, one more day. One more day. And one more after that.

Live today well and full. Leave the cares of tomorrow to tomorrow.

TODAY is our gift. Today, BE a gift.

Pardon the rambling in my previous post

as my thoughts were running along as I wrote.

The main point I wished to put across is this:

That there is expertise available who are able to catch the wary strays whom we are not able to reach. They have the manpower and the equipment. However, unfortunately, this expertise either come with a price or are instructed by the authorities to catch the strays for culling.

Some of them (which I shall not call 'expertise') are pest control companies.
http://habitatnews.nus.edu.sg/pdf/newguidelinescapturestrays-tnp15feb2005.pdf

Read the article above from 2005 which I have commented earlier. Let me know if it puzzles you as it puzzles me.

- pest control companies tasked to catch strays were found to be NOT handling the caught strays properly (there have been cases of strays dying from heat stroke after being locked in a heated van...of stray dogs and cats kept together in the same van...of strays being strangled to death when they were lasso-ed and pulled up the vehicle....)

- cases were reported to the AVA
- the question was: If a pest control company is found to violate the guidelines (of catching strays), will its licence be revoked?
- the answer from AVA was: "NEA licenses pest control companies for ....fumigation, white ant and rat control. They do not licence the activity of catching dogs and cats. NEA has indicated that they would thus not be able to revoke the licence if they violate the guidelines."

My question is:

* WHO, THEN, LICENSE PEST CONTROL COMPANIES TO CATCH DOGS AND CATS?

And if no one can revoke their licence, cos no one is GIVING them the licence to catch dogs and cats, then how can they be catching the dogs and cats?

Am I missing something here??

And to go on further, such pest control companies are profit-making companies. They do not catch strays and bring them to be sterilised. Of cos not. Someone has instructed them and they are paid to catch the strays. To be rid off the streets. To be culled.

And then, where do these caught animals go to? Where are they culled?


The AVA goes on to say that although NEA cannot revoke the licence of the pest control companies even if they were caught mistreating the animals they caught, AVA can charge the offender for animal cruelty.

To me, isn't it better to PREVENT any more potential cases of mishandling by pest control companies rather than to react at the next case?

My issue with pest control companies is that the very nature of their profession is that of destruction. They do not have the right expertise and attitude in stray catching. How do you expect a worker to treat a stray humanely when he knows that cat/dog he caught is to be killed? When in his mind, the dog/cat is a pest?


It is the mentality that governs the actions. And until there is proper governance in having pest control companies catch dogs/cats, they should stick to their business of white ants and rats.

But even then, rats also deserve a humane destruction. All living beings do.

To end off this train of thoughts, I am sure the authorities have a trained team, equipped both with the correct equipment and correct mindset, to catch the strays. A team who knows better how to hande strays then pest control companies. It is their team whom we want to work with, to reach the unreachables.

Now, do you think such cooperation will materialise? We'll let you know in time.

Pondering moments....

Think about this.

The authorities who look into the issues of animal control have, throughout many years, been catching stray dogs and cats, for culling. There is a need for stray population control, we accept and agree on that.


What many do not agree on is (1) the manner of catching dogs, and (2) the 'solution' applied, ie, culling.

Think about this.

If the authorities have been ABLE to be culling so many strays out there, it shows that CATCHING the strays is not too big an issue. That they have people who are ABLE to catch the strays.

Ocassionally, I do not know how often, the authorities issue a letter to an area where there are strays roaming about, informing the farm owners there that they have to sterilise and licence the dogs, or else, the dogs will be subject to culling.

There has been such a letter received recently.

Now, think about this.


Around our areas, as in all areas where stray feeders are plying, those strays that are friendly and easily caught will already have been caught and sterilised. They are now 'done' and of no problem to the population. They will NOT cause any more unwanted puppies.


BUT, the ironical part is that THESE sterilised, friendly ones are the ones most likely to be caught and culled. Hey, they are easy to get. In fact, they may jolly well wag up to the catchers who entice with morsels of treats.


Hmm...is that why the years of culling hasn't seem to reduce the population issue? Have we been killing the already sterilised ones? Maybe the statistics will show?


On the other hand, we have the wary and wild ones who are out of our reach. Now, these we need help to get, to sterilise, to advise the farm/industrial owners to licence.


In view of the fact that the authorities have been able to catch some even wary ones, could animal welfare societies WORK TOGETHER with the authorities? And more puzzling, why have animal welfare societies not worked WITH the authorities, who have the expertise in dog catching?


(A) Current situation:

- Authorities send their dog catchers to catch the strays
- Strays caught are brought back to the pounds
- To claim the stray back, we must pay a fee.
- If the stray is not licenced, there will also be a fine.
- Strays not claimed will be culled in a few days (ie, put to sleep)



* Claiming of impounded dogs and cats: (from AVA website)


To claim impounded dogs or cats, the following fees have to be paid:

- Impoundment fee: S$86 for dog / S$42 for cat
- Boarding fee: S$15 per day for both dog and cat
- Licence fee (for unlicensed dogs).


In addition, a composition amount of S$50 has to be paid for each of the following:


- If the dog was not licensed
- If the dog was straying



(B) Proposed situation: In cases where the authorities request that the strays around an area be sterilised and licenced, or else they face culling

- In cases where the dogs are more wary and cannot be caught by farm/industrial owners/stray feeders to accede to the authorities' instruction, request for help from the authorities who have their dog catchers with expertise to catch strays
- If they are able to catch the wilder, unsterilised ones that animal welfare societies are unable to reach, hand over the strays to animal welfare societies
- Animal welfare societies will raise the money needed to sterilise the strays
- Animal welfare societies will advise farm/industrial owners to licence the strays (getting them to licence dogs around their area is not as simple as it seems as most of the case, no one wants to take legal responsibility)
- Release the sterilised, licenced dogs back into their community



* If the authorities are able to catch the wilder ones which have escaped us, that is good news indeed! And since these dogs are going to be caught ANYWAY by the authorities, if the feeders/owners cannot catch them, it is just going on with plan (A) or (B). IF the dogs are escape artistes and can't be caught by either feeder/owner/dog catchers, then it is a non-issue as in they get to live another day.



In fact, the most ideal solution is a nationwide sterilisation programme where the authorities fully step in with their support. Whereby they support the catching of the strays, and follow up with STERILISATION of these strays that they catch, instead of culling. Cos right now, the financial burden of watching out for the strays fall upon the shoulders of individual feeders/societies.

But I guess there must be reasons for not doing so, but rather to stay on with the culling process.

But just pondering on - Why are we not working together? Why are 2 parties seemingly at loggerheads when:

(1) one party has the expertise to catch dogs, albeit for culling
(2) one party has the heart to give the dogs another chance by raising public funds to sterilise them, but not the expertise/equipment to reach the wild ones

Bring these 2 groups together, and we have both the ability AND the heart to reach the wilder strays and make them 'acceptable' to carry on their existence in their community.

If we can work together to offer a more humane finality to captured strays, let us explore that avenue.

Because, if the instructions is to have the strays sterilised and licenced, and the issue is an inability of the farm/industrial people/feeders to catch the dogs, let not those dogs die for it. Let's get some help from the authorities to catch the dogs with their expertise as they are going to catch the dogs anyway.

It is then just a matter of to kill or not to kill. And you know our stand.

These are the 3 friendly brown siblings,

2 females and 1 male. We'll have them sterilised in a few months time. They would most probably make good family pets as I said before. If you are a sincere, genuine family with experience in local/big dogs, do contact us at projectjkteam@yahoo.com.sg and we will discuss further in great detail.

The other 2 are bit more wary, about the same age too, so we will arrange for them to be sterilised also in a couple months time.

* We will appreciate your assistance in their sterilisation expenses. Once they are sterilised, they will be 'safe' to live on where they are with no unfortunate and unneeded pregnancies happening to add onto the stray pop load out there.

One at a time. We will do this - with your help - one at a time.

AGILITY WORKSHOP under SKC's Companion Dog Section

(click to full view)

Check out www.skc.org.sg for the upcoming AGILITY WORKSHOP organised under the SKC's Companion Dog Section - a new section that welcomes ALL dogs - regardless of breed, pedigree, looks!

ALL dogs are welcomed. Bring your companion dogs down and let them have fun on the Agility runs!