Ipoh, which is gaining popularity among tourists around the world after it was nominated as one the leading tourist destinations, is gradually turning into a city full of abandoned pets and strays. In the last couple of years the stray population of cats and dogs in Ipoh has increased many folds. The situation is made worse with the increase in numbers of pets, especially dogs, being abandoned by heartless and irresponsible pet owners for one reason or other.

In the last couple of months several people have related to me horrifying stories of how stray dogs and cats have been poisoned and brutally killed by individuals and residents in many parts of the city. These gory and senseless killings of stray animals have been also circulating in the social media. However, till today the Ipoh City Council authorities, including the veterinary authorities, are keeping exceptionally quiet on the matter.

Many residents are of the view that these heinous acts of cruelty apparently are taking place due to the failure or inability of the local authorities to manage or handle the stray population increase in the city.

To make matters worse, animal welfare organisations in the city are at loggerheads to a point that it is affecting the confidence and trust of the the public. The alleged open feud between the Ipoh Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) and Noah’s Ark, another-well known animal welfare organisation in Ipoh, has somewhat made the situation worse.

Animal welfare organisations like the ISPCA are declining to take in any stray pets from the public because their facilities are said to be full to the brim. I understand that these animal welfare homes are also facing serious financial constraints to manage the animals under their care. With their reputation somewhat tainted due to open allegations of all sorts, I wonder how they are going to convince the public to support and donate to these organisations.

At this juncture as an ardent animal lover I wish to take this opportunity to appeal to all animal lovers in Ipoh, especially those who leading these organisations, to put aside their differences and focus on the primary objective - that is the welfare of the sick and unwanted animals in our environment.

Once we get our acts together, the public will be just too willing to help us in the noble endeavour. There is no need to throw one’s weight around to the detriment of the voluntary movement.

Having said that, I wish to highlight the negative implications of the issue of ‘no kill’ policy of strays that animal welfare organisations are advocating. How are we going to solve the population explosion of stray dogs and cats in our environment? As it is, all our animal welfare shelters are full and the ‘neuter and release’ method is not effective enough to control the ever-increasing stray population.

We need to be pragmatic and ought to look at humane and internationally-accepted ways to reduce the stray population under these situations. Animal shelters that depend on public donation cannot afford to sustain running these animal homes due to the ever-increasing operating cost and veterinary care for these animals in the shelters.

Pressured into focussing on the symptoms

Every day scores of abandoned and stray animals are brought into animal shelters, far outnumbering the availability of good homes to take them in. Instead of solving the problem at the source, that is the runaway animal birth rate, we are being pressured into focussing on the symptoms.

The ‘neuter and release’ method is one welfare-oriented move that should be given high priority. Finding homes for needy cats and dogs is gratifying but it is like bailing out a sinking ship with a teaspoon, according to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta). The boat will still go down unless we fix the gaping hole in the bottom.

Finding a home for a dog or cat may save a live, but sterilising one dog or cat will save hundreds if not thousands of lives by preventing generations of potentially homeless kittens and puppies from being born.

Depending solely on animal welfare organisations like the SPCAs to carry out this ‘neuter and release’ method in the country is not going to be effective for the obvious reasons due to lack of funds and resources.The local authorities, including district councils, should play a major role in this ‘neuter and release’ stray management method.

The Ipoh City Council should carry out free neutering and spaying campaigns periodically and this should be extended to all the districts in Perak. The local authorities can seek the support and cooperation of the local animal welfare organisations to assist in the campaign. This neuter campaign can be done effectively with well-equipped and manned ‘mobile neuter units’.

The local authorities cannot continue to ignore the ever-increasing stray population increases and their associated social and health issues.

In the meanwhile, animal welfare organisations should realise that the ‘no kill’ policy that they are fiercely advocating has some deadly consequences when there is a stray population explosion that has reached unmanageable proportions. It is appalling to stick to the ‘no kill’ policy before establishing an effective and sufficient neutering spaying services and the inability to overcome the breeding and selling of animals in our community.

This appalling situation apparently only exposes the poor creatures to worse conditions rather than a peaceful death through euthanasia. The ‘no kill’ policy has its limitations and Peta has urged animal lovers around the globe to also take into consideration of the unimaginable consequences animals may have to endure due to the ‘no kill’ policy. (Read here for details.)

Our local councils should consider introducing a ‘spay-neuter law’ for all pet owners which will further help avert the potential birth of unwanted puppies and kittens in the event the animal for some reason or other escapes or is abandoned in the environment.

The increase in numbers of illegal pet breeders in the country are also a contributing factor to the increase of abandoned animals in the community. The authorities need to check on this menace and find ways to discourage pet shops from trading in puppies and kittens. Illegal breeders are suspected to be the main source of animals for pet shops.

Campaigns to educate the public on pet ownership responsibilities and the consequences and implications of abandoning pets should be highlighted frequently. Micro-chipping of pets must be made mandatory. The authorities should consider making it mandatory for puppies and kittens sold in pet shops to be inserted with microchips upon purchase.