The Straits Times
STForum Online
June 25, 2009
Abandoning pets should never be an option for owners
I REFER to last Saturday's Forum Online letter by Mr Ang Jun Ping, 'Crack down on animal abusers', and would like to thank him for speaking up on this issue.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) supports his call for those who mistreat and abandon pets to be punished. Unfortunately, there were no witnesses to the recent acts of abandonment and mistreatment highlighted in the press, so the owners are unlikely to be prosecuted.
As Mr Ang mentioned, many people buy pets recklessly and on impulse, only to abandon them when the novelty wears off. The SPCA, unfortunately, is on the receiving end of this practice, with countless unwanted pets received every month.
The main reason people give for not wanting their pet any more is, 'no time to look after'.
Up to half of the 700 animals received every month by us are unwanted and abandoned pets. In May alone, more than 120 unwanted small domestic animals, including rabbits and hamsters, were taken in by the SPCA.
If pet owners could take on the responsibility of finding new homes for their animals, instead of handing them over to the SPCA, we would not have to face dreaded decisions daily which affect each and every life that is passed over to us.
Due to the large number we receive, and the fact that only 85 animals on average are adopted each month, there are selection criteria for animals we can keep for adoption, based on health, temperament, age and space.
Although we have been looking at new ways to decrease our euthanasia rate - which is dropping considerably, through sterilisation of strays and counselling people on the implications if they give up a pet or a stray to the SPCA, the SPCA sadly still has to put too many unwanted animals to sleep.
We believe that potential pet owners should be counselled thoroughly and briefed on their responsibilities before owning a pet, as currently there does not seem to be enough education at the point of sale. This results in widespread discarding when the novelty wears off and when the pet's needs become more apparent.
SPCA's prime role is the prevention of cruelty to animals and education, but this, our core mission, is overshadowed at times when we are daily put in a position of having to decide the fate of the many unwanted pets entrusted to us.
Our wish for all pets is that they be treated as a lifetime commitment and as a treasured family member. Abandonment should never be an option.
Deirdre Moss (Ms)
Executive Officer
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
