FWD: Wildlife Dept gave cubs the okay, says pet store

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This article is from The Star Online

URL:

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2005/3/23/nation/10492124 & sec=nation

 

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Wednesday March 23, 2005

Wildlife Dept gave cubs the okay, says pet store

BY HILARY CHIEW

 

PETALING JAYA: The tiger cubs which were displayed at a pet store here, had

proper documentation from the authorities.

 

Pet Safari communications manager Shameem Abdul Rahman said the cubs were

delivered to the outlet at the Ikano Power Centre after the animals’ owner had

sorted out the paperwork with the Department of Wildlife and National Parks

(Perhilitan).

 

In a statement faxed to The Star yesterday, she said: “The tiger cubs are

privately owned and all communication between the owner and the enforcement

director (of Perhilitan) were sorted out and written documentation appropriately

done way before the cubs arrived at our premises.

 

“Signs saying ‘Not for sale, Only for display’ were placed inside the

enclosure. This was advised by the department.”

 

When contacted on Monday, Perhilitan enforcement director Misliah Mohamed

Bashir had said the presence of the cubs at the outlet was technically illegal

as tigers were classified as a totally protected species under the Wildlife

Protection Act 1972. She had also said that Pet Safari did not have a permit.

 

She disclosed that acting on public complaint, enforcement officers had visited

Pet Safari last Thursday and told them to stop the display.

 

Asked why the animals were not seized, she said the department did not want to

act harshly on the owner who was not well-informed and added that if the owner

defied the order, the animals would be confiscated.

 

When told that the cubs had been on display until Sunday, Misliah merely said

“they didn’t keep their promise”.

 

Asked why the pet store was allowed to display the cubs in the first place,

Misliah said permission was given as the owner had intended to use the cubs for

“educational purposes”.

 

Misliah also disclosed that the cubs were the offspring of a female Bengal

tiger owned by wildlife trader Anson Wong of Sg Rusa Wildlife in Penang and a

male Siberian tiger belonging to Sunway Lagoon.

 

“Wong owns the cubs,” she added.

 

 

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