Animal lovers voice opposition to intensified culling of strays

May 23, 2003

By Farah Abdul Rahim

Animal protection groups in Singapore have protested moves by town councils

to catch and cull more stray cats as part of the ongoing " Singapore's OK "

campaign to improve public hygiene.

For the first time, cat lovers and dog lovers have come together for a

common cause -- to raise public awareness and try to stop an intensified

campaign to kill stray animals, mainly cats.

They say the initiative by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority and town

councils is distressing.

" This could escalate to the culling of thousands of cats. We heard a few

days ago about cats gone missing -- it's not just one or two cats, its tens

of cats from each of these caregivers which adds up to hundreds of cats, "

said Dr Lynn Yeo, president of the Cat Welfare Society.

Authorities say they have intensified the culling of stray cats in housing

estates, food centres and markets as part of the " Singapore's OK " programme

to clean up the environment and improve public hygiene.

" The animal welfare societies are saddened by these actions as they're

sending out the wrong message, " said Deirdre Moss, executive officer of the

Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

" This Singapore's OK campaign is extending to strays and by rounding and

culling them more intensively. So are we sending the message animals spread

SARS? "

Veterinary surgeon Dr Grace Heng added, " There's no need to throw anxiety,

panic and look at animals in a different perspective. Killing is not the

solution. We have to act responsibly to our own pets ... there's no

evidence pets can transmit the virus to humans. "

A check by Channel NewsAsia found only two stray cats in one neighbourhood,

which used to have many more.

The authorities estimate there are about 80,000 stray cats in Singapore.

AVA has also stopped its sterilisation service, which animal lovers say is

a more humane way to manage strays.

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