(MY) on dogs

[Guest guest]

Thursday July 20, 2006-The Star

 

Senseless killings

 

*WHEEL POWER BY ANTHONY THANASAYAN *

 

JUNE 30 is a day that will forever hold bittersweet memories for me. The

pleasant part about that day last month was that I received a telephone call

from the Registrar of Societies (ROS) in Kuala Lumpur announcing the

official formation of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled

and Elderly Association – or Petpositive – which I now serve as president.

 

With a group of medical and veterinary doctors, even a dentist and other

professionals on the committee, we hope to bring about a better

understanding and appreciation of the immense therapeutic benefits that

animals can impart to people.

 

Our target groups are, of course, people with disabilities and the elderly.

 

 

Hence, you can understand how deeply distraught we all were to learn – on

the same day of the news from the ROS – of the horrible deaths of 13 out of

26 canines belonging to a dog owner in Seremban the day before.

 

The animals were hunted down and cold-bloodedly shot dead in the owner's

(and animals') home by the local council for posing a " nuisance to the

neighbours. "

 

Whilst I can understand that something had to be done about the overcrowded

dog situation, I simply cannot accept the cruel, senseless and violent way

in which the owner's pets were terminated.

 

What did the dogs do to deserve or suffer such a horrifying fate? Why

weren't the animals saved instead and either given to new owners or trained

as companion canines for the sick, the disabled and the elderly?

 

Also, killing the dogs in front of their owner Eng Her Sun and his sister

(both nearing their 60s) was extremely insensitive and cold-hearted.

 

Remember, these were extraordinarily kind and exemplary human beings who had

fed and nursed the wounds of the dogs, and opened their homes and raised the

animals that nobody wanted or cared for; they treated the dogs like their

own children.

 

The trauma that both of them went through was so unexpected and unimaginable

that it would've been kinder simply to lock them up and throw the key away.

What happened was a punishment that no human being or animal deserves.

 

It's a wonder that the couple didn't collapse from a heart attack, stroke or

epileptic seizure from the shock and trauma.

 

The psychological scar and impact (even for neighbours witnessing or hearing

the incident) may never be erased.

 

When I met Eng at a press conference organised by several animal rights

groups – including Petpositive – tears welled up in his eyes when he got up

to speak even though it had been almost a week since his dogs had been

killed.

 

Hearing him talk to the crowd about his pets echoed similar experiences and

sentiments that retired senior citizens go through and feel.

 

Caring for and building bonds with animals give the elderly a new purpose

and a hope for living, a pleasant diversion to stop worrying about

disability or death – all making them feel useful in society again.

 

Animals also help the elderly exercise and stay fit through taking their

dogs for walks, cleaning and caring for them.

 

Did the council consider any of these factors before making their drastic

move, I wonder?

 

I shudder to think that, as we grow to become an elderly Malaysian society,

what happened could serve as a kind of benchmark for how our society is

going to treat the weak, vulnerable and defenceless in our society.