(MY) cruelty to animals and puppy killer

[Guest guest]

2007/06/27-New Straits Times

Cruelty To Animals: Where do you draw the line?

By : H.E.TEOH, Ampang, Selangor

 

 

I REFER to the call by Christine Chin of the Society for the

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( " Don't treat pets as livestock " —

NST, June 22) that animals traditionally regarded as pets should not

be killed for food.

Although I agree that such acts are abhorrent, a question arises as to

the legitimacy of bestowing such a privilege on only certain animals

under the category of pets while those that are excluded in the

line-up can be slaughtered for human consumption.

 

Cattle, goats and poultry can also be raised as pets. Those who have

been keeping these animals as pets will tell you that they can be very

lovable, too. So, where do we go from here?

 

Personally, I think we should not be eating meat, or too much of it.

 

While some people have inhibitions about the consumption of certain

types of animals, some people are not picky about what is put in front

of them.

When I was young, I lived in a village where dog meat was regarded as

a delicacy.

 

Dogs were not the only animals that were eaten.

 

I remember an incident at my neighbour's house where some people were

arguing about the morals of killing animals for food when my friend's

grandmother walked in.

 

She overheard the argument and chipped in.

 

" All living things which have their backs facing the sky can be killed

and eaten as food, " she declared.

 

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Veterinary department still looking for puppy killer-Malay Mail -

27th June 2007

By DAWN CHAN

 

IT has been seven weeks since the death of a puppy that was chained to

the gate of a house in Taman Bukit Anggerik in Cheras and efforts to

trace the person responsible still draw a blank.

 

The Federal Territory Veterinary Services Department, which has been

carrying out investigation into the case, has no positive leads to

pinpoint the culprit.

 

" This is because the person responsible for the puppy's death had left

the house the day after the incident, and cannot be traced, "

department enforcement chief Zainuddin Isma Yatim said.

 

" In addition, the person's housemates were not co-operative. They

claimed they had no idea where the person had gone to, " he added.

 

The Malay Mail highlighted on May 8 the case of the dead puppy, which

was one of two canines chained to the gate of a neighbouring house and

were deprived of food and water for two days.

 

Firemen had to cut the metal chain to free the puppies after residents

contacted the department.

 

When firemen arrived, one of the puppies had died of strangulation.

 

The surviving puppy was surrendered to the Society for the Prevention

of Cruelty to Animals.

 

Resident Chan Ah Kam, 59, was quoted as saying that the puppies had

barked non-stop due to hunger and thirst.

 

It was reported on May 18 that the department was looking into

prosecuting the owner after the SPCA had referred the case to them.

 

The department has since obtained statements from SPCA personnel,

including deputy general manager Alan Hor, Taman Segar Fire and Rescue

officers who cut the metal chain to free the puppies and residents in

the neighbourhood.

 

It has also obtained the veterinary medical report of the surviving

dog, named Cody.

 

Zainuddin said despite the snag the department would continue its

efforts to gather more evidence to bring the suspect to book.

 

" We are going to exhaust other avenues and try our best to identify

the owner, and subsequently charge and prosecute him or her, " he

added.

 

Zainuddin had previously said that the person responsible for the

death will have a summons lodged against him or her under Section 44

of the Animal Act, which carries a maximum

summons of RM200 of six months' jail or both.