(MY) jumbo's death

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Calf's death a disgrace to Malaysians - Malaysiakini

Shoba Mano

Jun 27, 06 3:21pm

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The Remembering Sheena Campaign (RSC) is shocked and distressed over the

death of Mat Chepor, the orphaned elephant calf that was found at Kampung

Chepor, in Lenggong.

 

The needless death of this elephant calf once again highlights the fact that

our Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) officers and others

entrusted with the care and protection of wildlife and domestic pets do not

have the most basic knowledge to do the job.

 

The veterinarian who certified his death said Mat Chepor had died of

exhaustion and dehydration. Although the calf was located in the morning,

the veterinarian did not even get to the scene until late in the night. This

is sheer incompetence on the part of Perhilitan and could have been totally

avoided.

 

If Perhilitan did not know how to intelligently move Mat Chepor, they should

have sought the expertise of the Malaysian Nature Society, a local NGO with

a better track record for being caring and knowledgeable about animals.

Instead, their incompetence has killed this innocent calf.

 

Anyone who claims to have experience in animal welfare would know that a

baby elephant would dehydrate when dragged for hours from one place to

another. Adequate preparations should have been made, and rest and water

provided to him.

 

Our entire education system and websites of the Department of Veterinary

Services and Perhilitan have hardly anything on the issue of 'animal welfare

which only goes to show how little this matters to them.

 

Unless these people have some love for animals, they will forever blunder

and be incompetent in their jobs because they see them (the animals) as

products to be used and discarded when they no longer function effectively.

 

We know of children who pick up injured birds, cats and puppies and nurse

them back to health. They have no veterinary training, but are able to do

this simply because their love for animals magically helps them understand

what is hurting their wards.

 

Didn't Perhilitan staff know that all animal need not just food but water

too? They were so quick to draw 'positive' publicity and give themselves a

pat on the back when they were featured in the media but will they now

conduct an investigation into the death of the calf?

 

When will it all end? When will domestic pets and wildlife be cared for and

protected by intelligent, educated and experienced personnel?

 

It was a sad day and a disgrace to all Malaysians when Mat Chepor died at

the hands of the very people entrusted with his care. In seeming to protect

and care for Mat Chepor, ignorant Perhilitan staff had killed him instead.

 

But as 'blur' as they are, I bet they will miss the whole point of this

letter and go to bed proud that their names and faces appeared in the

newspapers. The rest of us, however, will continue to grieve and pray that

dawn will finally rise for animals in Malaysia.