Is Straying in Control?
The Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) method is widely promoted as the humane alternative to euthanasia as a means to manage and reduce the stray population. How successful is the programme in Malaysia?
By Christine Falleh
"In my experience, cats survive better on the streets compared to dogs. Dogs end up being a nuisance or even a danger to the public when they attack children. If we can't re-home stray animals, it's kinder to put them to sleep." (Edward Lim, Shelter Manager, PAWS)
Straying dogs and cats evoke different reactions in different people. To the public, strays are either a scratching, mangy dog grovelling through rubbish bins or cats slinking between your legs at the hawker stall, nibbling at leftover food on people's plates. For the parents of young children, straying dogs are ferocious, teeth-baring predators attacking their children.
To the animal lover, strays on the streets are a whimpering dog scalded by hot water or oil, dogs tied up and tortured by unfeeling, sadistic kids or a cute kitten limping about on three legs with a blinded eye. In their eyes, these strays are potential pets in need of a loving home.
Regardless of the individual's opinion, straying dogs and cats have caught the public's eye and ire, so much so that municipal councils have taken drastic (and dastardly) measures to control:
- In July 2007, 471 stray dogs were shot in the head by a trained sharp shooter commissioned by the Veterinary Department over 12 days in Labuan following public complaints that the stray dogs were an annoyance and a threat to motorists and pedestrians on the road.
- In September 2007, the Selayang municipal council offered individuals cash prizes up to RM15,000 in a stray-hunting competition. Each live stray surrendered to the council would be awarded RM20 with a target of 150 dogs to be caught within six month. After much public protest, the competition was withdrawn.
- Recently,between February and March 2009, the Klang Municipal Council allegedly approved and funded the capture and dumping of around 400 stray dogs from Pulau Ketam to other islands. The move sparked an international outcry, further aggravated by frustrated efforts to rescue the abandoned dogs thwarted by mangroves surrounding the island. Now, the starved dogs have turned cannibalistic - eating the carcasses of dead dogs or turned on weaker dogs to stay alive. Another 1,500 stray dogs remain in Pulau Ketam.
Otherwise known as Trap-Test-Vaccinate-Alter-Release, the "trap-neuter-release" (TNR) method is broadly promoted as a humane alternative to euthanasia to manage and reduce stray populations.
Stray dogs and cats are trapped, neutered and then released back on the streets. Widely accepted in the United States and recently in Eastern Europe, the TNR method hes reported success in Bali, Bhutan and Nepal. Does it work for Malaysia?
Stop Overpopulation at the Source
According to the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), there are some 600 million dogs, and a similar number of cats around the world, of which an estimated 80% are stray or unwanted.
SPCA advocates neutering as " a pro-active measure that stops the overpopulation crisis at the source - unlike other short-term solutions such as dog-catching and euthanasia which are ineffective, expensive and short-sighted."
Offering low-cost, high-volume spaying or neutering services through Klinik Kembiri, SPCA encourages re-homing the strays instead of releasing them on to the streets. Each year, they receive 7,000 animals and re-home 1,200 spayed and neutered dogs and cats.
Neutered strays are offered for adoption at the SPCA Animal Shelter and Adoption Centre (Open daily from 9am to 4pm, including weekends and public holidays) where potential adopters are interviewed, advised and should be agreeable to home visits by SPCA staff.
SPCA also started Mission Help, which provides highly or fully subsidised food, vaccination and spay/neuter costs to dedicated animal rescuers caring for stray animals in their communities at Jalan Kuching, Subang Jaya Industrial Park, Ampang Wet Market, Air Panas Market, Seremban and Petaling Jaya.
" We hope that more rescuers and animal care-givers will come forward to neuter the animals they are feeding or caring for, as there are still many strays in food courts, wet markets,mechanic shops, and on the streets in general," says Christine Chin, Chairperson of SPCA Selangor.
The SPCA's efforts to collaborate with local municipal councils, local universities, government agencies and independent animal rescuers for a "Stray-free Malaysia" are evident:
- Beginning April 2003, Klinik Kembiri reported a total of 10,045 neutered animals, which has prevented the births of more than 20 million unwanted kittens and puppies!
- Klinik Kembiri is a joint effort between Dewan Bandaran Kuala Lumpur (Pest & Vector Control Unit) and SPCA with two more Klinik Kembiri in the Selayang and Petaling Jaya municipalities in 2009.
At the other end of the spectrum, University Putra Malaysia's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine practice the trap-neuter-release method on stray cat populations.
Straying dogs and cats evoke different reactions in different people. Are they seen as Pets pr Pests?
"ProKasih ('Projek Pengkasian Haiwan Terbiar') started with the stray cat population within the UPM campus. A census is taken of stray cats, which are then captured, neutered, and released to their original environment when their surgical sites are judged sufficiently healthy," says Stacey Wong, 24, Director of Prokasih and a fourth year veterinary student. Since 2006, 97 stray cats in UPM campus have been neutered. The students cited limited resources such as transportation coats, caging and surgical facilities in their efforts.
"The key to solving the spray problem lies in the mindset of the Malaysian public thus ProKasih promotes public awareness of neutering, the plight of strays and responsible pet ownership. It is also a platform for veterinary students to experience program management and aspects of animal neutering."
The student organize the awareness campaigns while the Veterinary Alumni of UPM (professional veterinary surgeons) take charge of neutering surgeries. In time, they hope to work with NGOs and government agencies."
"ProKasih hopes to create quality living not only for animals but also for humankind, whose lives are undeniably intertwined with animal's lives. Such an ideal would be impossible if we do not each play our role and come together consciously to make it a reality."
Prokasih evolved from its fund-raising initiative, Dogathon, which sought to raise awareness on stray dogs. Now in its 13th anniversary, Dogathon is a fun-filled event for all dogs (pedigree and non-pedigree) and their dog owners. For more information on Dogathon, turn to Page 12 or log on to: http://www.vet.upm.edu.my/~dogathon
No Guarantee of Survival
Edward Lim Choon Sun, Shelter Manager of PAWS, 49, however, does not believe in releasing neutered animals to where they were picked up. A strong advocate of re-homing or putting strays down, he says," In my experience, cats survive better on the streets compared to dogs. Dogs end up being a nuisance or even a danger to the public when they attack children. If we can't re-home stray animals, it's kinder to put them to sleep. While euthanasia may sound cruel, releasing them into the community is no guarantee that they'll survive. They may end up hurt, run over by traffic and die slow, terrible deaths."
Since May 2005, PAWS adopted a policy that all PAWS animals must be neutered before they are released from the shelter. "We once tried to speed up the animal adoption by giving out unneutered animals on the promise that the adopters will neuter their pets. We found that most of them go back on their promise. We've since stopped that programme as we had to collect the animals back when adopters refused or delayed bringing them back for neutering."
Founded in 1987, PAWS cares for stray cats and dogs and tries to re-home them as much as possible. Currently, the shelter homes about 450 cats and dogs.
In 2008, 810 dogs were surrendered with 329 adoptions. In 2008, 762 dogs were surrendered with 362 adoptions. In 2007, 1,168 cats were surrendered with 280 adopted while in 2008, 853 cats were surrendered with 203 adopted.
"We take in strays caught by the Petaling Jaya and Shah Alam municipal councils. The animals are kept in our shelter for two weeks awaiting their owner's claim, if space permits. However, aggressive, sickly, wounded ans old animals are put to sleep almost immediately or when the vet is around. We also work with independent rescuers by providing them space to house their animals on a very short term basis and medical treatment at cost. At times, we send our people to help rescue stray animals they have found," says Edward.
While it's evident that increasing numbers of animals lovers are looking out for stray animals hes yet to be reached. What do you think??
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