STI News: How we treat animals says much about us

[Guest guest]

This message was forwarded to you from Straits Times Interactive

(http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg) by yitzeling

 

How we treat animals says much about us

 

 

 

WHEN you find a cat in distress, whom do you call? The Society for the

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals? The police? The Singapore Civil Defence Force?

Well, my wife and I called all three one night when we saw a cat in distress in

Clementi West.

 

Its leg was entangled in construction wire but we could not free it as it

attacked us when we went closer.

 

So we called the SPCA. We found out that it was too busy to send anyone to the

scene but warned us that even if it did, it 'cannot guarantee that the cat will

not be put down'.

 

We then asked the SCDF for help. It had staff stationed at a Housing Board

block just three minutes' walk from the spot. Its reply? Saving cats was not its

responsibility.

 

Finally, we tried the Clementi West Neighbour-hood Police Post. It sent two

officers almost immediately who promptly freed the cat, to the delight of the

small crowd that had gathered.

 

We are not cat lovers but it pains us to see an animal suffer. We are sure that

the police could have made some excuse for not helping. But they did not. They

have shown that they, too, have a heart.

 

 

 

 

 

SEAH LIANG CHIANG

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IT WAS refreshing and heartwarming to read about the Davamoni family in the

report, 'Under one roof: A couple, two girls and 40 bats' (ST, Dec 9).

 

Their behaviour towards animals is so different from what we usually read about

in the press, which is of animals being treated as a nuisance.

 

As we develop our scarce land and water resources to cater to the four million

people who live here, it is unavoidable that many wild animals will be dislodged

from their natural habitats.

 

It would be best if the authorities could do proper environmental assessments

and project planning to avoid disrupting wildlife habitats.

 

But where disruption is unavoidable, let us learn from the Davamoni family and

accommodate the animals.

 

 

 

JOSEPHINE TEO SIEW ING (MS)

IP Address:203.106.151.83

[Guest guest]

you know what? i have contacted SPCA many times regarding many fields about

animals, but they dun care as they advertise! they dun even wanan help!!!

did you see any words from SPCA when animals are being killed? have you seen

anyone from SPCA help when animals need them? i dun believe SPCA now, i believe

IFAW, AAF who actually and physically give hands to those animals!!!!

 

yitzeling wrote:

This message was forwarded to you from Straits Times Interactive

(http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg) by yitzeling

 

How we treat animals says much about us

 

 

 

WHEN you find a cat in distress, whom do you call? The Society for the

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals? The police? The Singapore Civil Defence Force?

Well, my wife and I called all three one night when we saw a cat in distress in

Clementi West.

 

Its leg was entangled in construction wire but we could not free it as it

attacked us when we went closer.

 

So we called the SPCA. We found out that it was too busy to send anyone to the

scene but warned us that even if it did, it 'cannot guarantee that the cat will

not be put down'.

 

We then asked the SCDF for help. It had staff stationed at a Housing Board block

just three minutes' walk from the spot. Its reply? Saving cats was not its

responsibility.

 

Finally, we tried the Clementi West Neighbour-hood Police Post. It sent two

officers almost immediately who promptly freed the cat, to the delight of the

small crowd that had gathered.

 

We are not cat lovers but it pains us to see an animal suffer. We are sure that

the police could have made some excuse for not helping. But they did not. They

have shown that they, too, have a heart.

 

 

 

 

 

SEAH LIANG CHIANG

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IT WAS refreshing and heartwarming to read about the Davamoni family in the

report, 'Under one roof: A couple, two girls and 40 bats' (ST, Dec 9).

 

Their behaviour towards animals is so different from what we usually read about

in the press, which is of animals being treated as a nuisance.

 

As we develop our scarce land and water resources to cater to the four million

people who live here, it is unavoidable that many wild animals will be dislodged

from their natural habitats.

 

It would be best if the authorities could do proper environmental assessments

and project planning to avoid disrupting wildlife habitats.

 

But where disruption is unavoidable, let us learn from the Davamoni family and

accommodate the animals.

 

 

 

JOSEPHINE TEO SIEW ING (MS)

IP Address:203.106.151.83

 

 

 

For more information on Asian animal issues, please use the search feature on

the AAPN website: http://www.aapn.org/ or search the list archives at:

aapn

Please feel free to send any relevant news or comments to the list at

aapn

 

[Guest guest]

Hello,

 

I agree with you. The SPCA seems to be more a name than what it actually

does for animals, which I find unfortunate. I believe it should be more involved

with the day to day cases in which animals need help.