An ex-community cat, now a home companion

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Dying dog dumped out of car

Dying dog dumped out of car

A sickly 12-year-old pomeranian was dumped by her owners near the Chomp Chomp food centre, but brings to light similar cases of animal abandonment. -TNP

Fri, Sep 17, 2010
The New Paper

By Elysa Chen

IT WAS old, blind and suffering from cancer.

After spending most of her life giving joy and companionship to her owners, the 12-year-old pomeranian was unceremoniously thrown out of the back seat of a car by the side of a busy road.

A woman saw the dog being dumped near Chomp Chomp Food Centre, but was so stunned that she didn't note down the car's licence plate number.

Recalling the 2007 incident, Mr Ricky Yeo, 42, president of Action for Singapore Dogs (ASD), said: "Flora was in a daze after she was abandoned. She was blind, so she couldn't have gone anywhere."

"She was left by the side of a busy road and could have been hit by a car."

Other dogs remain in the same spot thinking their owners will come back for them, Mr Yeo added.

ASD, a non-profit organisation which takes in stray and abandoned dogs, was alerted to the discarded pomeranian by the witness.

Flora's foster owner, Mrs Yvonne Tan, 39, a supervisor at the ASD adoption and rescue centre, said: "She was so scared, she kept shivering."

"When I take her downstairs for walks and some fresh air, she would be scared of vehicle sounds."

Flora, who was also suffering from gum infection, had to have her teeth pulled out.

She also had two operations to treat her cancer.

The veterinarian gave her only six months to live, yet Flora is doing well.

Mr Yeo said: "She's a feisty, plucky dog. She has a strong will to live."

Other cases

Recent cases of animal abuse here have thrown the spotlight on how pets are treated.

In a recent forum post, a groomer described how the owner of a miniature schnauzer sent the dog to her pet shop for grooming, but left fake contact details and did not return for his pet.

The post has since been taken down and attempts to reach the groomer have failed.

Pet shop owners and dog obedience trainers said that abandonment cases are common, with ASD handling about two or three a week.

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) said that last year, 1,772 dogs and 2,681 cats were impounded.

Miss Claire Heng, 32, a pet care specialist at K9 Boarding School, said she has come across cases of people using umbrellas to shield their faces from CCTV cameras when they intend to abandon their dogs there.

Recalling a dog who was abandoned near Christmas last year, Ms Heng said: "The next morning, the dog was shivering because it wasout in the rain."

Mr Owen Sim, 42, who owns Best Friends Doggy and Kitty Salon, said that owners often ditch animals at pet shops because they think the pet shop would be able to sell them.

He once discovered a box of three kittens just two or three days old left outside his shop.

Two weeks ago, Madam Patricia Chen, 38, a civil servant, took in a shih tzu that was hit by a taxi.

Read also:

» Dog believed to have been bashed to death

» SPCA offers reward for info on dog's killer

» Woman hits dog repeatedly with wooden sticks

The dog, which was suffering from badly infected ears, kidney stones and skin disease, had been wandering around the Yishun area.

Madam Chen also suspects that the dog, which the vet she took it to said was about 10 years old, has cancer because of the lumps all over his body.

"It's clear that the owners neglected him terribly," she added.

Mr Yeo said that a cross-breed terrier, which he estimates to be seven years old - judging from his teeth and pigmentation - and suffering from tick fever, was left in his garden in February.

He said: "A teenage couple had tracked down my residential address because I listed it as the address for ASD. They checked with my neighbours if my home was the place, then left the dog in my garden with a chicken wing."

When he tracked down the couple by tracing the calls made to the organisation's hotline number, they claimed they had found the dog in a coffee shop in Tampines.

"As the dog was not micro-chipped, we couldn't tell if they were telling the truth," said Mr Yeo, who is still caring for the canine which he has named Jar Jar because he is shaped like a jar.

Mr Yeo, who also runs a boarding service at the pet rescue centre in Lim Chu Kang, is so cautious that he asks owners who leave dogs at the kennel for their identification cards.

He also calls their mobile phones to ensure that they have not provided fake details.

Ms Deirdre Moss, executive officer of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' (SPCA), felt that the cases of abandonment could be linked to how easily people can buy pets.

Ms Moss added: "It's too easy to buy a pet on a whim, and once the novelty wears off, owners find that they do not have the time to look after their pets."

Pet abandonment is considered an act of animal cruelty. If convicted, offenders can be fined $10,000 and jailed a year.

This article was first published in The New Paper.

Want to own a pet? Take a class first

The Electric New Paper :

On abandoned pets
Want to own a pet? Take a class first
By Charlene Chua
29 September 2010

MY ENTIRE day was ruined after reading the report, 'Dying dog...dumped out of car' (The New Paper, Sept 15).

There seems to be an increase in the number of dog abuse and abandonment cases, and the perpetrators have not been found.

Two reasons could account for this.

Firstly, I think the root cause of the problem is that it is too easy to own pets. Many people may buy a pet on impulse. Petshop owners usually paint a rosy picture and suppress the negative aspects of pet ownership in order to close the sale.

Once the novelty wears off and the pet owners can't cope with their new 'toy', they will find ways to get rid of them. The losers are always the adorable pets.

Secondly, licensing should not only cover the pet but the owner as well. Just as you need a certificate of entitlement to own a car, a person must have a licence to own a pet.

To qualify for a pet owner's licence, the would-be owner must attend a short course on pet ownership and pass a prescribed test by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA).

The curriculum should include the basics of pet care including pet nutrition, essential vaccinations and toilet training the animal. The course should also cover the necessary expenses such as for food, grooming and veterinary visits.

Potential pet owners can then have a better idea of what's involved in owning a pet and make an informed decision on whether to get one.

FROM READER LOH MUN HOE

Two-legged lamb avoids the chop

A two-legged lamb born in July to a farmer in China's Shandong province is doing well to have survived as long as it has.

The lamb can stand on its two feet, and is eating well, but vets say the chances of it living until adulthood are remote.

A former veterinary nurse told Weird Asia News that although dogs and cats can survive on two legs, those with hooves have a harder time.

"Part of that is temperament, and part of that is physiology. Hooves are difficult to deal with," she said.

Sheep farmer Cui Jinxiu decided not to kill the lamb at birth despite the defect, and it is being hand-raised.

Apparently the lamb impressed its owner so much with its will to survive, she couldn't bear to kill it.

"He may only have two legs but he gets around very quickly and is pretty steady on his feet. He follows me everywhere and I haven't got the heart to slaughter him," she said at the time.
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She said the lamb is friendly and she doesn't think he realises he has a disability.

The risk now though is that the animal will grow too big for its legs to hold, and they could break with the stress.

Sheep can weigh more than 50 kilos and the only option for it to get around could be prosthetic legs or a cart - an unlikely option because of the expense.

The lamb may be donated to an animal sanctuary who decide what is best for him.

Questions for no-kill animal shelters

The Straits Times
STForum

Sep 29, 2010
Questions for no-kill animal shelters

MS CELINE Lee praised the 'no-kill' policy by local animal shelter, Action for Singapore Dogs ('Get tough on animal abuse'; Forum Online, Sept 16). Quite a few shelters make a similar claim .

While commendable, it raises some questions. How do these shelters keep the stray population on their premises manageable?

Do these shelters take in every animal that is surrendered or is it a selective intake? Given the space constraints these shelters face and the limited number of foster homes, isn't it possible that a large number would have to be turned away? And if they are, wouldn't these strays be consigned to certain death when the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) rounds them up?

Perhaps these shelters could explain their humane alternatives. I agree with Ms Lee that there is a lot more the AVA can do instead of killing strays to solve the problem.

Fong Yuet Ming (Ms)

AVA denies allegations that stray animals suffered in pound

TODAY
30th September 2010


















To response to this article, write to voices@mediacorp.com.sg
with name, address and contact number.

URGENT: Seeking Donations for Medical Treatment of Cat in Bad Condition After Being Held by AVA

This is a photo of Boyfee in happier days:

and this is Boyfee now:

When we picked Boyfee up from AVA, he had injuries all over his body and the back of the body was drenched in cat pee and poo, most likely to be his own.

Boyfee is now admitted to the hospital as he is fully dehydrated with fever and flu. He is so badly treated that if any human had seen him, they - like me - would have been outraged by how he and the other cats were kept and treated.

Here're some photos of Boyfee's injuries:

UPDATE
Unfortunately to our great dismay, Boyfee has passed away early Sunday morning. Due to his condition, he had lost all his strength and didn't even have the energy to move his paws.

The total bill at the vet was $618.54, after $54.46 discount. Kashif had to borrow most of the amount so as to settle the bill, and we are still looking to raise enough funds to assist the cause.

You can write to the CEO of the AVA about this matter at:
MS TAN POH HONG, PPA(P), PBM, PBS
Job Title : CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
AGRI-FOOD & VETERINARY AUTHORITY
DID : 63257530
Email: TAN_POH_HONG@AVA.GOV.SG
Unit: AGRI-FOOD & VETERINARY AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE (AVA)
Parent: AGRI-FOOD & VETERINARY AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE (AVA)
Organisation: AGRI-FOOD & VETERINARY AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE (AVA)

More effective measures needed to stop abandonment of cats

TODAY
More effective measures needed to stop abandonment of cats
05:55 AM Sep 29, 2010
Letter from Dr Tan Chek Wee

For the past six years, I have been partnering with fellow residents in my HDB neighbourhood to manage the cats by trapping them for neutering, releasing them and provide assistance to the town council in resolving feedback about cats (this is also known as Trap-Neuter-Release-Manage or TnRm for short).

In past one month, we have had an increase in the number of “new” cats in the neighbourhood. I am in the Facebook “cat network” with other cat caregivers all over the island and many of us face the same increase in “new” cats during this period. We all share the same frustrations of the lack of effective support from the relevant authorities to resolve the problem of abandonment of cats.

We need to formulate more effective and practical measures such as offering low-cost sterilisation and more intensive education.

To give support to this letter, write to Voices in TODAY at voices@mediacorp.com.sg

Lovely Community Cats of Bedok Reservoir

Cat Pepper Dispenser

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New Zealand: Cat rescued from box on motorway

Cat rescued from box on motorway

By Isaac Davison

5:30 AM Saturday Sep 18, 2010

'Lucky' the cat relaxes with Margaret Winter of Sapphire Cat Rescue. Photo / Steven McNicholl

A cat is likely to be renamed "Lucky" after being found in a sealed box in the middle of the Northwestern Motorway in West Auckland.

A woman driving in the city-bound lanes spotted the cardboard box near Royal Rd in Massey and pulled over to pick it up.

She was shocked to find the shorthaired tabby cat inside.

"Cars were just whizzing by, and it was sitting right in the middle of a lane," said Sapphire Cat Rescue manager Dianne O'Connor.

"The box was taped up, so it seemed fairly deliberate ... There were no airholes. No one who cared for their cat would have put it in this box. It would not have survived in there for long.

"We should call the cat 'Lucky', because someone could have quite easily bowled over it."

The cat was checked over by a vet, who said it was in very good condition. It was between 2 and 4 years old, and weighed 4.2kg.

The cat's carers were perplexed by the incident, but think it may have been stolen. "I really doubt the owner would have done this," said Ms O'Connor.

"It is in beautiful condition, and well cared for. If it were a stray, its paws would be dirty, it would have fleas. Her paws are completely white so she hasn't been outside.

"Although she's a little traumatised, she's good with people. We know she's somebody's adored cat."

The pet has yet to be identified because it has no collar or microchip. It has been placed in a foster home until its owners could be found.

Sapphire Cat Rescue's adoption manager, Tania Walters, said it was the best-looked-after cat out of 150 the shelter had been given this year.

She said it had been fostered with another cat which had also been found in sinister circumstances.

A month ago, the shelter rescued a cat named Hugo that had been taken from a 10-year-old child in Manurewa who had tried to break its legs and attacked it with scissors.

"Unfortunately, this sort of thing happens all the time," said Ms Walters. "We hope the cat left on the motorway was not on purpose, but it doesn't look very good at this stage."

By Isaac Davison

Cat-Friendly Kids

These are two cat-friendly kids who "sayang" a community cat whom they named "Blackie"





Kids learnt from their parents.

A well cared community cat that is sometimes mistakened to be pregnant

This is a neutered community cat with a clipped left ear.

Real Men are Kind to Animals's Photos - Rescues

Boise firefighter Dana Brown rescues a cat from an apartment fire, then tenderly uses a SurgiVet mask to revive it. We love firemen like Dana Brown.
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features_lifestyle_animal/2007/11/great-photos-of.html

Who REALLY attempts to keep Singapore LESS FILTHY!

East Coast Park Area D

An ex-community cat now adopted and named Garpy

Please Support MettaCats by buying these Notepads

Please Support MettaCats by buying these Notepads

Each note book cost S$10 and has 50 pages; 3 pages of write up and 47 blank pages. The net proceeds will be given to MettaCats to support their work.

To buy via post, send an email to mettacatsg@gmail.com
and indicate
1) Number of copies
2) Address for delivery

Instruction will be given on how to make payment ONLY after receiving the notepads.

Free postage within Singapore only.

The notepads are also available at
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LPN Main Outlet at Suntec City Mall
#03-023, Tower 2, (Front Atrium, near Toys 'R' us)
and
Liang Court, #02-31B
(Coming up from the escalator next to Starbucks)
email: liang_court@artlpn.com

Beautiful Tabby Community Cats

Are we tough enough on animal abusers?

The Electric New Paper :
Are we tough enough on animal abusers?
23 September 2010

I REFER to recent reports of animal cruelty. A pomeranian was repeatedly hurled to the floor and a box of kittens tossed from a flat.

Such incidents seem to be occurring more frequently. The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority should ensure that animal abusers are adequately punished.

Is the present fine and warning a sufficient deterrent? Although the perpetrators can be fined up to $10,000 or jailed for up to a year, they mostly get more lenient punishments.

The number of animal abusers prosecuted also appears to be low.

Could such factors be perpetuating this problem of abuse?

A strong signal is needed to deter would-be animal abusers.

Letting them get away with a small fine does not send the right message. Heavier penalties and mandatory caning should be added as a form of deterrence.

The maximum jail term could be increased to 10 years or more.

The kind of cruelty we are seeing just should not be tolerated and animals should be protected.

FROM READER DAVID KWOK

Noise from wedding cars

Cats can't scratch cars!

Cats can't scratch cars!

Sep 22, '10 5:01 AM for everyone

Dawn fell off the fridge yesterday. My fault, because I disturbed her by opened the freezer door. She got up and placed her back paw where the door was supposed to be... lost her balance and started sliding down back first and desperately trying to cling to the top of the fridge with her front paws. Her claws are long and sharp.. not trimmed!

Out of curiosity I checked the fridge... not a single scratch in the smooth and shiny surface! So don't tell me cats can scratch cars!

By the way, Dawn is fine. I managed to slow her slide a little by pressing my body against her... could probably have grabbed her by the front paws but that might have injured her as she is a heavyweight!