Hey everyone...

You know, I read in the Star yesterday about the MPSJ catching a dog who had escaped and slipped past the gates of an abandoned house, seeking shelter and the events that followed made me unable to think straight for the rest of the day. For the sake of not getting upset again, I’d rather not re-tell the story…alls I can say is that it shocked me to my very core.

Animal Cruelty in Western countries is a criminal offence! People who are cruel to animals are heavily fined and sometimes jailed! Why can’t we follow suit over here? Such appalling treatment of animals in Malaysia is shocking! And its not just the MPSJ who are treating animals badly! Some people should not even be allowed to own animals! My brother lived next to a house where they tied a dog up in the hot sun from the time they went to work, no water and only let him off the leash when they got back! They use to sneak into the front of thehouse and give the dog a bowl of water. After a few days of seeing the owners treating the dog this way, my brother and his wife told the family that it was not right to leave the dog out in the sun without water to which they replied “Mind your own business”!

How can anyone leave a poor animal out in the sun with no water? My brother and his wife eventually complained to the SPCA and they paid them a visit. They have since moved but the last time I went over, I did not see a dog around so I also wonder what they did with it.

The amount of cats I’ve given to the SPCA with a heavy heart does no good for my conscience. I’ve spoken to the SPCA and they have an influx of cats being brought in daily! We all know what happens when they can’t house them.

In the UK, there was an animal adoption series where people, who wanted to own a pet from an animal rescue shelter went through, what seemed like an awful lot of home visitations and paper work! It was almost like adopting a child! The rep from the animal shelter would go over to view the house and deem it appropriate for the pet to live it…with enough room for running and talk to the owners about their work schedule as some pets would need regular walks and exercise. It is indeed a very serious matter.

If we are to do anything about it, I must ask everyone who reads this to think very carefully about the pets they are looking to buy or adopt and consider the animals they already have at home. The stray dogs and cats we see on the streets? Most of them are there because of human neglect. Its sad but true.

When we take on a pet...its no longer a pet...its a family member.

Cheers. Sara