Many thanks to Connie for locating the above news and Chun Eng for translating it (below):
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Kota Kinabalu succeeds in organising a neutering campaign.
(Kota Kinabalu 15/5) a pet neutering campaign was successfully held at an animal shelter at Kota Kinabalu’s city council last Sunday (14/5).
The pet neutering campaign was organised by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in Kota Kinabalu in conjunction with Kota Kinabalu’s city council’s promotion of the TNR programme. The objective of this campaign is to encourage pet owners to neuter their animals.
The TNR programme was launched last Monday at the Tanjong Aru area. TNR means: Trap, Neuter and Release. TNR is a proven method adopted by many places around the in controlling the stray animals population.
Kota Kinabalu’s City Council will actively promote the TNR programme.
(Names of people who attended the campaign)
Yong said that the city council will play an active role in promoting the TNR programme. He was also hoping to extend this programme to cover more areas with the aim to reduce the animal population. Meanwhile, he welcomes the SPCA of Kota Kinabalu to utilise the animal shelter at the city council as a venue to conduct TNR activities, such as educating the public as well as provide neutering service.
Implementation of TNR
Stray animals caught by the council are sent to the vet clinic for neutering. After the recuperating period, the animals will be returned to where they were caught to control the stray animal population. Neutered animals are ear notched, where the vet will cut a little triangle off from the animals’ left ear to differentiate neutered and unneutered animals.
Why implement TNR
In the past 20 years of experience gained from capturing and killing the strays, places like Europe, US, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan have concluded that capturing and killing the stray animals does not work in reducing the strays population. Other than that, it also wasted a lot of resources in the stray capturing and killing activities. In addition, killing animals is an inhumane act, and it is bad for personal development. On top of that, if all stray animals in one area are cleared off, the attraction of food and having less competition in that area will eventually attract a new group of stray animals. As such, the president of Kota Kinabalu SPCA urges the public to bear with the stray animals that have been neutered and live with them in the same community in harmony. He also urges the public to support the idea of replacing killing with neutering.
He told the public to report anyone who is seen abusing the strays to Kota Kinabalu’s SPCA’s volunteers. Witnesses of animal abuse is advised to note down the location where the animals are abuse with a brief write-yp on the incident and to take a photo of the abused animal. Report of animal abuse can be made through: 013-8569100. Legal action will be taken against animal abusers.
Implementation of TNR requires a substantial amount of resources such as funds, manpower, venues and participating clinics. In order to make TNR programme a success, long term investment (man power and financial) into this programme is required. SPCA alone is unable to make this programme work. Government’s policy and funding; authority’s perception of this programme and work attitude as well as public’s understanding and support and vet’s recognition and acceptance are factors in deciding the success of this programme.
TNR is an effective way in reducing the stray population. We welcome the public to join us in promoting this programme. Interested parties may contact SPCA Kota Kinabalu at 013-8569100.
Updates: We are in touch with the president of Kota Kinabalu’s SPCA and will learn from their experience. One step at a time.