Kuching There Has Been A Drastic Drop In The Adopt..

KUCHING: There has been a drastic drop in the adoption rate at the Sarawak Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) shelter here since the first rabies case broke out two years ago.

According to SSPCA president Datin Dona Drury-Wee, the shelter recorded only 47 animals being adopted last year, versus 425 adoptions in 2017 – representing a decline of over 80 per cent

“This year to date, we only have about 20 animals adopted from the shelter,” she said during SSPCA Shelter Open Day at its premises in Mile 7, near Kota Sentosa here yesterday.

According to the Health Department, the number of confirmed rabies cases involving humans in Sarawak has reached 19, since the epidemic was declared on July 1, 2017.

Of the 19, 18 were fatal cases and three were reported this year.

In this respect, Wee stressed that the battle against the deadly virus was ‘a long-term process’, in that it was difficult to be get rid of once it infected the local dog population.

“The people (especially dog owners) have to be vigilant and must make sure that they vaccinate their dogs every year. The government is offering free vaccinations for dogs – you can also go to any veterinary office for the service.”

Moreover, Wee also spoke about the worrying trend of animal dumping throughout the city, saying the SSPCA

shelter alone receives, on average, five puppies and kittens a day.

“On average, I would say the dumping of 20 to 30 animals is happening in the city every day,” she said, pointing out that some people would just ‘throw’ their unwanted puppies over the fence and into the shelter, only for the young animals to be killed by the adult dogs in the compound.

“Actually, dogs are very territorial. So when the bigger dogs see puppies being thrown in, they would kill these puppies because the former would perceive the latter as entering their territory.”

On a related subject, Wee said the Sarawak government had agreed to provide SSPCA with two acres of land, slated for a new shelter to cater for the ever-growing dog population.

The earth-breaking for the project is planned for next month, where Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg has been invited to officiate at the ceremony.

Wee said the proposed shelter would have a ‘dog park’ and also an education centre, meant to educate the public on the proper way to take care of their pets.

The estimated cost for the new shelter is about RM5 million and in this respect, the SSPCA is embarking on an aggressive fundraising campaign themed ‘Animal Village’.

The existing shelter at Jalan Penrissen here houses about 600 animals. It incurs a monthly operational expense of RM30,000, covering the provision of pet food,

medical treatments and staff salaries.

Wee also disclosed during the open day that a low-cost neutering clinic is to be set up soon under a collaboration between the SSPCA and the Sarawak government.

“Right now, we are still looking for a site. We do have one or two locations in mind,” she said, adding that the clinic would help ensure that the animals could be properly neutered before being put up for adoption.

Only one dog was adopted during the SSPCA Shelter Open Day yesterday.

Taken from The Borneo 05/08/2019

Source: https://www.facebook.com/SarawakSPCA/photos/a.10151839329759..

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The Sarawak Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals believes that animals, as living creatures, have value beyond economic measurement, and are entitled to legal, moral and ethical consideration and protection. The Sarawak SPCA's mission is to act as an advocate on behalf of animals and as an enforcer of their rights; to provide for the well-being of the animals of the State of Sarawak who are abandoned, injured, subjected to unfair or cruel treatment, or otherwise in need; to cultivate in the people of our community an awareness of the animals whose world we share; to promote a bond of mutual assistance between people and animals; and to instill respect for and appreciation of all living things.

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