The Electric New Paper :
AVA should provide free sterilisation instead of euthanasia for cats
19 May 2009
I KNOW an expatriate who lives in a condominium apartment in a prime district.
She has several neighbours who think that the presence of cats devalues their properties.
These neighbours request free loans of cat traps from the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA).
Cats trapped, whether they are strays or free-roaming pets, are euthanised free at the AVA.
This does not resolve the problem as new cats will move in to fill the vacuum and hence, there is an endless cycle of killing.
This is ironic as there are people like myself who have to borrow traps from the Cat Welfare Society to trap cats in our estates, bring them to the vets for neutering and then release them back to the estate, all at our own expense.
This T(rap)N(euter)R(elease) is an evidence-based method of controlling the cat population, humanely and effectively.
Yet, we failed repeatedly to get AVA to provide free sterilisation at its premises.
If people who live in private estates feel that cats are 'pests', then they should pay for private pest controller services.
I appeal to the AVA to stop this free service that is unfair to taxpayers.
FROM READER DR TAN CHEK WEE
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