Sunday Times
December 13, 2009
Shuli Sudderuddin
News that yet another cat has been viciously killed by an animal abuser is always a call to action for Ms Pauline Tan.
The 36-year-old financial consultant, together with two like-minded friends, has taken to patrolling neighbourhoods where cat abuse cases have been reported.
They hand out fliers asking for help in looking for the culprit, who is typically someone from the area.
Four years ago, Ms Tan and her two friends started a group, Paw Pledge, to help catch and sterilise stray cats.
Around that time, they also noticed that cat abuse was on the rise.
They decided to take initiative to start anti-cat abuse patrols, and to help the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals distribute fliers to create public awareness about such abuse.
The fliers cite actual incidents and sometimes offer a reward for information.
Each patrol lasts a few hours and takes place whenever abuse is reported.
Paw Pledge also catches, neuters and releases cats in the neighbourhoods.
Said Ms Tan: "We started with the aim of raising funds for sterilisation, but the number of abuse cases seems to be rising rapidly.
"Cats cannot fight back when attacked, so we are fighting on their behalf."
Added Paw Pledge member Fiona Yuen, 35, who works in sales: "When abuse happens in a neighbourhood, we can't afford to have kittens running around any more as they may be next. So we get the cats in the area sterilised."
