(MY) - animal abuse

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New Straits Times » Letters

 

ANIMAL ABUSE: Make the penalties really tough for miscreants

 

Nov 9:

--

 

AS animal lovers, my wife and I were very sad to see the picture of

the Persian cat in such a deplorable condition (NST, Oct 29).

As we have the same breed of cat, we are appalled by the state of

affairs described in the papers.

 

To prevent such abuse of animals, I propose the following measures:

 

• Review the scale of punishment under the Animal Ordinance 1953 to

make it more severe;

 

• Revamp and update the present Animal Ordinance;

 

• Animal breeders must be licensed and their licence withdrawn if they

mistreat animals;

 

• The Veterinary Services Department must carry out health due

diligence before licences are approved;

 

• The department must periodically check all breeders' premises;

 

• As a back-up, bodies like the SPCA must be given the authority to

check animal breeders and private homes on receiving complaints;

 

• Set up an emergency line for the public to report any animal mistreatment.

 

To Rashid and other animal abusers, I quote a poem by an anonymous writer:

 

A man of kindness to his beast is kind

A brutal action shows a brutal mind

Remember, He gave thee speech and formed him mute

He can't complain, but God's all-seeing eye

Behold the cruelty and hears his cry

He was designed thy servant not thy drudge

Remember thy Creator is thy judge.

 

DATUK NORDIN YUSOF

Subang Jaya

 

Keep promise

 

IT is heartening to note that the Veterinary Services Department has

of late been tough with animal abusers.

 

Those who subject animals to cruelty should not be allowed to go

scot-free in a civilised society.

 

However, we are not going to achieve anything if the archaic 1953

Animal Ordinance is not amended to include stiff penalties for those

guilty of cruelty to animals.

 

Every time issues of animal cruelty are raised, the Veterinary

Services Department is quick to promise that it will look into

amending the Animal Ordinance.

 

It is now more than 15 years since the previous director-general last

promised the public that the amended Animal Ordinance (Veterinary Act)

was in the final stages.

 

We hear again of another promise. Will the department keep its promise

this time around?

 

S.P.

Ipoh