Uphill battle in the care of stray cats and dogs - Star

Uphill battle in the care of stray cats and dogs

Aug 13, 2008 By CHRISTINA KOH

THE Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA), Ipoh branch spends RM10,000 per month for its neutering and spaying campaign for stray cats and dogs.

Society president Dr Goh Hue Lang said they hoped to work more closely with the city council in tackling the problem with strays.

“If the city council could sponsor even RM2,000 a month, it would allow us to free up more time for other meaningful projects,” she said at the society’s annual charity dinner in Ipoh on Sunday.

Dr Goh added: “We shelter about 200 dogs and cats, and every single thing the society does in the battle to prevent animals from suffering costs money. Our resources are limited.”

Jeya (left) hitting the gong to launch the dinner. With her are Dr Goh (right) and other ISPCA committee members.

She said the society would give more talks to schoolchildren about caring responsibly for their pets and hold dog parades throughout Perak within two years.

She said that according to research from the United Kingdom’s Royal SPCA, a single cat could lead to the propagation of 20,000 offsprings in four years.

A dog, however, could propagate offsprings that would eventually produce altogether 67,000 in six years, she said.

“It’s terrible. The public needs to know more about neutering and spaying. Otherwise, a stray wouldn’t be able to control itself and it would continue to reproduce,” she said.

Earlier, Jeya Jeyaratnam, daughter of the late Puan Sri Dr J. Rajamalar who had been a faithful contributor to ISPCA, launched the dinner by hitting a gong.

Dancers from City Ballet performed an adaptation of the popular London Broadway musical CATS during the dinner which managed to raise RM80,000 for the society’s activities.

Chenderiang assemblyman Dr Mah Hang Soon, who represented Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan, hoped that the state would allocate funds to non-governmental organisations like the ISPCA each year.

“I also hope the society would be able to get its TOL (temporary occupational licence) for another 30 or 60 years,” he said before donating RM10,000 on behalf of Ong.

Visitors can drop by the ISPCA centre at Lot 38642, 4th mile, Jalan Gopeng, 31300, Ipoh, Perak. For details, call Doreen at 016-5608905.