(MY) done out of mercy

[Guest guest]

I Say: Done out of mercy - Malay Mail

Rina Omar

Nov 20:

--

 

THE Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) recently

came under fire after a family who gave up their cat and four kittens

to the shelter found that their beloved felines were put to sleep four

days later.

 

They were outraged; after all, how can the SPCA – a refuge for

homeless and abused animals – kill them?

 

I used to be one of these people, angry and skeptical about the

practices of animal shelters. It didn't help that Hollywood liked to

give an evil face to workers from such organisations (read – big bad

guy from the dog pound), and the pictures of cute little dogs and cats

that we saw were always so heartbreaking.

 

One fine day, I found myself going to the SPCA for my work – to shoot

the premises, talk with the workers, check things out. I wasn't sure

what to expect, what to feel when I got there.

 

What my visit to the SPCA showed me were examples of human cruelty,

ignorance and indifference, the results of which ended up in the sad

overcrowding in the cages. Cats, kittens, dogs, puppies, mutts,

pedigrees… all unwanted, and awaiting their fate which depended on the

same species that had put them there.

 

Of course, not all the animals were there out of neglect or abuse.

Some, like the Aliff Lam family, had no choice since they lived in an

apartment.

 

For them, it was a humane decision to give up the pets, no matter how

painful it was for the family. I should know, being a cat-lover

myself. Four kittens will grow up into four cats; throw mommy cat in,

and it's five cats cramped in a tight space with a human family.

 

But it was also a humane decision by the SPCA to put the animals to

sleep, rather than letting them suffer serious overcrowding in the

shelters.

 

Take a trip down to the shelter and see for yourself what they're

dealing with. Seventeen kennels can only hold so much, and with about

1,000 cats and dogs dropped at the premises every month, the animal

lovers running the place itself break their own hearts regularly

having to make difficult decisions.

 

The operations are funded through donations alone, and what's worse is

that property developers are already eyeing the land the SPCA is on.

With barely enough to sustain their good work, they now have to worry

about losing their land as well.

 

Although word has it that Putrajaya may be the next location for the

shelter, that may pose a problem because, well, we're Malaysians. We'd

take the elevator to the next floor instead of using the stairs. We'd

rather drive a few blocks than walk. We'd never drive so far just to

adopt a pet, especially when there are petstores conveniently found in

the malls. Why get a " second-hand " mutt when you can go for a " brand

new " option, right?

 

When animal care is second-class at best, there's no difference.

People tie their dogs outside the house, and forget they need shelter,

proper food and health checks. And then when the animal falls sick,

it's bye-bye doggy. Cats who stop being cute are left at the mamak

stalls to fend for themselves. Pedigrees are bred in houses under

horrific conditions just for money-making purposes. And of course,

those are punished with sticks or worse for disobedience.

 

Pet owners may say that spaying is cruel, but are they going to

maintain and keep all the offspring? And the offsprings' offspring? Or

maybe separate the family, giving out the babies as gifts to friends,

or putting them on sale? Or just put them all in a box and leave them

at a shelter?

 

Give the SPCA a break...

 

They're trying to make things work the best they can, keep the animals

as comfortable as possible, hold within the dilapidated enclosures as

many as they can, within very limited means.

 

Understand that if regular and adequate funding and support are given

for them to improve and expand their infrastructure and services,

maybe then there is less need to resort to mercy-killing.

 

Aliff did the right thing by sending the animals in. The SPCA did the

right thing too. Both decisions were made because there was no choice.