PETALING JAYA: Animal rescuers are thanking their lucky stars it is the Year of the Dragon this year, as the mythical creature cannot be bought by those seeking to embrace the upcoming Chinese New Year.
Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better (MDDB) founder Wani Muthiah said the Chinese zodiac years of the Dog and Rabbit were a "nightmare for rescue groups".
She pointed out that the current Rabbit Year, which ends on Jan 22, saw many rabbits abandoned by irresponsible pet owners, who had rushed to buy them at the start of last Chinese New Year.
"Keeping an animal is a big responsibility. These are living beings with feelings.
"They are confused and frightened when abandoned.
"Thank goodness, dragons don't exist. Otherwise, there will be a lot of abandoned dragons after the New Year is over," she said, stressing that people should not just buy and discard their pets at their pleasure.
PAWS shelter manager Edward Lim warned that the spillover effect from the Year of the Rabbit was not over yet, predicting the shelter would receive more abandoned rabbits for another half a year.
He said it was a "very stupid thing" for people to want rabbits as pets just because it was the Year of the Rabbit.
"Owners are the biggest culprits. It is also sad, but true, that pet shops are capitalising and catering to the demand.
"At the end of the day, the animals suffer," he said, adding that the shelter had accepted and found homes for around 30 rabbits in the past year.
Lim stressed that future pet owners should be more responsible in selecting their pets, especially in the Year of the Dog.
