(HK) Activists welcome policy to spare pets

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South China Morning Post Thursday, January 3, 2002

http://hongkong.scmp.com/ZZZZCSXSNVC.html

by ELLA LEE

 

Animal rights activists and officials have welcomed the decision by

the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) to halt its

policy of putting down abandoned healthy animals.

 

But they have called for new measures to avoid an increase in unwanted

pets being dumped.

 

The Society for Abandoned Animals (SAA) and the Agriculture, Fisheries

and Conservation Department are in discussions with the SPCA over the new

policy, revealed by the South China Morning Post yesterday.

 

The SPCA is concerned about how to tackle the growing number of

unwanted pets. Every day it puts down 30 abandoned animals that cannot be

found homes. Under the new policy, it will help owners keep their pets by

providing behaviour training courses and education.

 

SAA chairman El Chan Suk-kuen said the organisation supported the

policy because " animals' lives should be respected " .

 

" It must be matched with other measures, such as educating people to

be responsible owners and lobbying the Government to let public housing

tenants keep dogs, " she said.

 

The SAA, an animal welfare group that houses more than 200 abandoned

animals at its Yuen Long sanctuaries, has a long waiting list for its

shelters.

 

Owners have to wait a few months for a place for unwanted pets. The

SAA has had a no-kill policy since it was established in 1998. Every month,

up to six owners leave unwanted pets on the SAA's doorstep.

 

A spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department

said it was preparing for any increase in its workload that may arise from

the no-kill policy.

 

The department caught 13,000 animals from January to November last

year. Unclaimed animals that are unsuitable for rehousing are put down.