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also below Letter to Today, 24 May 05 Is this any way to treat a member of the family? 'Freeing' a domesticated pet in the wild condemns it to a painful death Channel NewsAsia 26 May 05 1000 house rabbits abandoned each year in Singapore, animal lovers concerned By Ng Kee Haur and Joanne Leow Letters to the Straits Times Forum Page, 17 May 05 Vesak Day: Free animals? Adopt a pet instead I was raised in a Buddhist family and I am concerned about the releasing of animals on Vesak Day. I have a Buddhist friend who used to buy caged animals for released on Vesak Day. However, she stopped doing so last year, after witnessing the death of a bird which she had released. The bird crashed into a tree, confused and frightened. I believe this is a common scene on Vesak Day. Most of these animals bought from pet shops are caught just days earlier and kept in cages for sale on Vesak Day. By buying these animals, Buddhists are actually encouraging the catching of more of them. As a result, more birds and turtles are in danger. It is an illusion that when we release these animals, we are releasing them to their original habitat. Released animals, hungry and frightened, would not be able to find shelter and food. Most of them would die soon after release, out of fright, hunger and fatigue, or get eaten by other animals. Although only a minority are involved in this practice, the consequences are tragic. Not only are these people depriving the animals of their habitat, but they might also risk bringing about an epidemic in Singapore. I am sure that Singaporeans have not forgotten the horrors brought about by SARS. The releasing of animals from abroad might introduce new bacteria and viruses into Singapore. We cannot be sure where these animals come from, and they might carry a deadly virus. I a stray animal were to eat the animals and pass on the virus to other strays, there may be a chance of us contracting diseases. On top of that, people tend to release these animals at reservoirs, which are one of our main sources of water. Instead of releasing animals on Vesak Day, why not abstain from eating animal products for a week? This is more effective, as we will be able to reduce the number of animals killed. Instead of releasing an animal, we should adopt a pet from the SPCA. Of course, we must be responsible towards the pet. By adopting a pet, we are making another life better, and by showing the pet concern, we are being compassionate and thoughtful. Those who see the negative effects of releasing animals on Vesak Day should educate others who are still ignorant about the matter. This way, we can more effectively spread the message around. Miss Ong Si Ying Letter to Today, 24 May 05 Is this any way to treat a member of the family? 'Freeing' a domesticated pet in the wild condemns it to a painful death The House Rabbit Society of Singapore (HRSS) is an all-volunteer, non-profit organisation which aims to reduce the number of unwanted rabbits in Singapore and improve their lives through education. On April 30, a member of the public called our HRSS hotline to inform us of a badly injured rabbit found near a heavy vehicle car park along Hillview Avenue. When the rabbit was rescued by our volunteers, we found maggots and ants crawling all over her body, which were literally eating her alive. We believe that her irresponsible owners had set her "free" at Bukit Batok Park, which was near the heavy vehicle car park. She had probably been attacked by stray dogs and cats in the area, causing her open and decaying wounds. She was almost literally skin and bones and she could barely walk from the sores on her feet and paws. I can only begin to imagine the pain she must have endured. We tried our best to save her by immediately bringing her to the vet and applying medication to her wounds, but unfortunately, she died on May 9 due to infection and severe malnutrition. This could have been prevented if the owners of this rabbit had been more responsible. Domesticated rabbits cannot, and will not, survive in the wild and will end up dying slow, painful deaths. Pet abandonment is a crime, in which the person found guilty can be fined up to $10,000 and/or jailed for up to 12 months. You can do your part by making a police report or calling the SPCA if you see anyone abandoning their pet. Pet abandonment should never be an option. Teeny Teh President, House Rabbit Society (Singapore) Channel NewsAsia 26 May 05 1000 house rabbits abandoned each year in Singapore, animal lovers concerned By Ng Kee Haur and Joanne Leow SINGAPORE: Each year, some one thousand house rabbits are abandoned in Singapore. The House Rabbit Society said most of the abandoning usually takes place in periods around the Lunar New Year, Vesak Day and school holidays. So with the holidays coming up, the society is taking the opportunity to appeal to the public not to release house rabbits in the wild. The society said it has only room for some of the abandoned rabbits, which would otherwise be put down if they were handed over to the SPCA. Some abandoned rabbit had to have all their teeth pulled out because they had gotten too long after a lack of food. links Ashley's email about volunteer efforts to stop release of animals. Releasing animals: good or bad? a pamphlet used during efforts to educate people NOT to release animals particularly during Vesak Day. Global Invasive Species Database of the IUCN Invasive Species Specialist Group: introduction to the issue, top 100 worst invasive species and more. Invasive species weblog updated reports around the world on the impact of alien introduced species. Invasive species on the Conservation Science Institute: an introduction to this global problem with brief descriptions of major species. Related articles on Singapore: animal release into our wild places impact, issues, efforts, discussions |
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