The English translation is as follows:
Pointing to a one-eyed cat, Ms Ou Fengming, who owns a pet hostel, said with tears in her eyes, “I almost broke down when I first saw it. One of its eyeballs had fallen out of its eye socket and was hanging over its face. Blood was flowing all over… the cruelty of humankind is truly hard to understand!”
Cat welfare volunteer Mdm Chen Chufen could not hold back her anger when she gave this account, “This cat’s spine was broken into two by someone, and someone actually inserted a long metal wire into its body! Some people are simply cruel beyond imagination!”
Mdm Fang Meifeng, the proprietor of “Home for Rabbits”, impassionedly said, “You can find visible signs of human-inflicted wounds on many abandoned rabbits. One rabbit we found had maggots crawling all over its body and the lower half of its body was already rotting. It was truly frightening. On another occasion, nine rabbits were squeezed into a two-inch box and abandoned on the streets. When I got there, the rabbit that was right at the bottom was already dying!”
Mr He Zhifa, who rescues stray cats, lamented in a sad tone, “Once, I saw a severely injured cat on the streets, and its wounds were clearly inflicted by humans! I sent it for treatment, but the wounds were too severe and we could not save the cat!”
The four kind-hearted animal lovers above could not hide their anger, sadness, sorrow and helplessness when talking about how cruel and merciless Singaporeans can get when ill-treating and abandoning little animals.
At River Valley High School, 20-odd energetic student reporters interviewed the four kind-hearted people under the theme of “Great Love Exists in this World,” documenting many unheard-of yet touching stories.
Many Singaporeans adopt pets on the spur of the moment, be they cats, dogs or rabbits; once the passion wears off, the pets are eventually abandoned. Worse, stray cats and dogs actually end up the target of a handful of perverse people. Many “survivors” of such ordeals can be found in pet hostels, where their permanent disabilities remain a silent indictment.
In merely 10 years, pet hostel owner Ou Fengming has rescued 2,500 cats and dogs. She revealed that many people irresponsibly abandon their pets outside the hostel, and when caught, they give various excuses, such as, “Hey, I still have to work! Since you don’t have to work, you can just take care of the cats and dogs here all the time! You have such a big house, there must be enough room for them! You have a maid, I don’t!” Pet hostels are not registered companies and are only allowed to collect fees on a daily-rated basis to defray feeding expenses; everything else, such as accommodation and services, is free of charge.
Ou feels that Singapore’s laws on animal protection need to be strengthened, saying, “Animals are not like humans who can defend their right for survival with sharp arguments. Compared to humans, animals are so helpless!”
Chen Chufen is a full-time volunteer. Other than taking care of the 20-odd cats in her home and feeding 40-odd stray cats at 6 fixed locations, she regularly rescues new strays and takes them to animal clinics for sterilisation and treatment before releasing them back into their area and leaving them to roam. Every time she sees an injured cat, she will bring it home for treatment.
Even though she has exhausted her savings taking care of cats, Chen Chufen feels satisfaction instead of loss. She says, “Cats are not toys but living creatures! People who wish to adopt pets must be very clear that the primary condition that you need to meet in order to adopt one is commitment!”
Mr He Zhifa captures cats. He does this so they can be sterilised, after which he will send them back to original habitats, so they can live according to their normal ways. Cats are highly reproductive and litters of stray kittens defecate everywhere, polluting the environment; besides, the leftovers of cat food attract germs and bring about inconvenience for residents. Hence, He shows his love for cats through sending them for sterilisation.
There are many scars which look like centipedes on He’s body. These were left behind by cats who scratch or bite him when he rescues them. For his love of cats, however, he has no regrets.
Being the administrative manager of a maritime company, Fang Meifeng commands a monthly salary of over ten thousand dollars, and could live in the lap of luxury. But, most of her salary goes towards the daily expenses and medical bills of more than 60 abandoned rabbits. She even rents a bungalow to house them, and hires a full-time maid to take care of them. To her, material comforts like a good house and a nice car are far less important than rescuing these living beings she sees before her.
In the process of rescuing and adopting rabbits, she realised the true meaning of life. In her long time spent in the company of rabbits, she has become a quieter person who faces incidents calmly with greater peace of mind; though she might lament the insignificance and vulnerability of a rabbit’s life, it helps her love and cherish life. Fang urges everyone to give pets a lifetime’s commitment the moment you embrace them.
The series of interviews entitled “Great Love Exists in this World” is published in the first edition of the “Yuan” magazine this year, and through their actions, all the interviewees have personified “great love” to the greatest and most touching extent possible!
