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FOCUS 5
What Are Their Lives
Worth?
Beatrice Decruz and Parveen Kaur shine an unforgiving light on the unjustifiable maltreatment animals face and how these issues can be solved.
Singapore, a Hub for Illegal Wildlife Trade
’’
[Smugglers] will find a way to smuggle. It is just like drugs.” Louis Ng
Executive Director ACRES
However, this does not happen all the time. With the implementation of the sniffer dogs, it will ensure that no wildlife leaves the checkpoints undetected. ACRES also collaborated with AVA to conduct sting operations over the years to seize animals that were being sold through online platforms. One of them involved a ball python, which a couple was trying to sell last March. In the same month, a 28-year-old man was charged $5,200 for keeping 13 hedgehogs, which he tried to sell online.
ACRES is also ongoing with their campaign against Resorts World Singapore (RWS) to release the remaining 24 wild-caught bottlenose
As of last October, the petition to RWS has garnered a total of 680,000 signatures of support from the public. The numbers are increasing. In a recent open letter to RWS, dated Jan. 14, 2013, ACRES had requested for a reply to its invitation to a public debate to raise the concerns of the dolphins in captivity. The first letter was sent on Dec. 22, 2012. Since 2006, the ‘Safe The World’s Saddest Dolphins’ campaign has been gathering much support from the public. “People are definitely speaking about it. At
least it makes them think twice [before visiting Resorts World],” Rajaindern said. “As long as they have an internal debate, I think half the battle is won.”
If you do witness illegal wildlife trading in Singapore, please contact the 24-hour ACRES Wildlife Crime/Rescue Hotline at +65 9783 7782.
DID YOU KNOW?
Dolphins:
Dolphins roam freely in the wild and swim up to 40 miles a day. However, when in captivity, they will end up swimming in circles or lay motionless on the surface of the water due to the restricted size of their tanks. This builds up their boredom and stress and many have died due to this. Furthermore, in captivity, dolphins are unable to make full use of their sonar abilities which they once used to communicate with other dolphins in the pod. Source: ACRES
Greater Awareness for Animal Abuse dolphins which were purchased from The Solomon Islands. Prior to coming to Singapore, they were all sent to Malaysia and Philippines for training. One had died en route to Singapore last November while two died in Malaysia due to bacterial infections. Durga Rajaindern, 24, assistant director of education at ACRES shared that RWS went ahead with the purchase in the midst of the discussion between the two parties. The discussion was meant to influence RWS to purchase captive-bred dolphins instead of wild ones. Although ACRES is strongly against dolphins kept in captivity, they had taken a step back. However, the actions of RWS have forced ACRES to take further action against them.
Youths reach out and lend their support to animal welfare organisations.
Beatrice Decruz YOUTHS are becoming increasingly aware about animal abuse issues and have stepped up to be actively involved in serving animal-welfare organisations like the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). The recent case of dismembered kittens in Yishun made Cat Welfare Society (CWS) youth volunteer, Syahirah Shukor, question humanity. “I was very frustrated because there’s nothing
that the cats could have possibly done to deserve such injustice,” she said. An article in MyPaper last year reported that nearly half the reports of alleged animal abuse are due to pet owners being unaware of their pets’ needs. SPCA youth volunteer Jonathan Narayan shared that a couple had once asked him whether it was okay to dump a dog if they did not want to keep it. “Abuse arises when people don’t have enough prior knowledge about animals,” he said. Narayan added: “If you take a dog and put it in a cage that restricts its movement, that is already animal abuse because it poses a serious risk to the dog’s health and physical safety.” Another SPCA youth volunteer, Nicole Yap, echoed similar thoughts and said that education and exposure should begin at a younger age so
THOUGH highly regarded as pests, people forget that rats are living things and according to the local animal activists, killing them inhumanely is uncalled for. To curb the rising number of rats in Singapore, pest control companies have utilised several measures like glue board traps. Although it is necessary to eliminate rats that spread diseases such as bubonic plague and salmonella, these methods of pest control are inhumane. Glue traps force rats to chew off their limbs, starve, dehydrate and suffocate in their attempt to escape. Last December, a citizen journalist on Stomp uploaded a photograph of a dead rat stuck on a glue board trap that was placed by town council workers. Titled ‘So Inhumane’, the post gathered much negativity on the use of such traps as they cause the animal pain and torture. “I know rats are considered as pests but still, the glue trap is cruelty to animals,” said Rashvinpal Kaur, 19, a Raffles Junior College graduate. “This is not the only solution to pest problems.” Although there are no laws in Singapore protecting rats since they are commonly viewed as pests, such cruelty can be dealt with under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. The Act that they can experience and see things in a different light. “The fast development of social media has played a large part in education. As one of the main users of social media, youths can help to spread the right educational messages to their peers in a more personal way for better acceptance,” said Betty Chan, who volunteers at the House Rabbit Society of Singapore (HRSS). From raising funds through roadshows and sales of merchandise, to being involved in the largest rescue mission of 14 rabbits, Chan, 25, said that she found joy in her nearly eight years of helping abandoned rabbits at the HRSS. However, it is not all easy and fun in volunteering. Despite work and family commitments, these youths are still dedicated in caring for the animals. “The main issue is time, however, I don’t view volunteering as a chore, but something I look forward to,” Shukor said. “Animal abuse may never go away but that doesn’t mean we do nothing. What we can do is to lead by example, raise awareness and make a difference by showing our care towards the animals,” said Kyanda Stead, member of NTU Animal Lovers’ Society.
PHOTO BY: MUWAHIDDIIN OTHMAN
SAVE THE WORLD’S SADDEST DOLPHINS
Re-enactment of how star tortoises are hidden under sheets of towels to prevent them from being detected at border checkpoints.
Parveen Kaur
Glue board traps torture and suffocate rats, causing them to die a horrendous death.
states that “[causing] any unnecessary pain or suffering” to any animal will result in a maximum fine of $10,000 or imprisonment of up to 12 months or both. Selina Sebastian, 45, education executive at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) also shared that regardless of type or breed, all animals should be protected and not exposed to any unnecessary harm. “If we have no choice but to actually get rid of certain animals because they fall into the category of being pests, then it should be done as humanely as possible,” said Sebastian.
“Maybe it’s better to catch them in traditional rat traps and bring them to the relevant authorities to [be] put to sleep. That would be a better method.” According to the Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (ACRES), one of the main reasons why rats are increasing in numbers is due to garbage that is left unattended. Rodents make their way to these areas searching for food. Therefore, the best way to decrease rat infestation is for humans to keep the surroundings clean. “If you keep killing rats, you are not address-
ing the root of the problem, which is the garbage,” said Louis Ng, the executive director of ACRES. ACRES has worked with the government with the aim of banning glue board traps, at least for personal use. Certified pest control companies, who are more experienced in handling such traps, are still allowed to use them but with constant regulation and monitoring. SPCA has also worked with pest control companies to regulate the usage of the traps, making sure that they come in appropriate standard sizes.
NOT JUST PESTS THOUGH...
These rats are more than just pests. Sebastian shared that rats can actually make good pets.
’’
Abuse arises when people don’t have enough prior knowledge about animals.” Jonathan Narayan SPCA Volunteer
“They have the same senses and the same responses as a cat and they are very interactive pets. Unfortunately, they are viewed as animals used for animal experimentation and dealt as pests,” she said.
PHOTO BY: MUWAHIDDIIN OTHMAN
THE Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) investigated 52 and 42 cases on illegal wildlife trade in 2011 and 2012 respectively. The recent cases include the illegal sale and import of tiger products, chameleon Asian arowanas, and Hoodia products. Interpol has estimated that the illegal wildlife trade in Asia is worth $20 billion a year, according to the Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (ACRES) website. However, Louis Ng, executive director of ACRES, stressed that these enforcement figures, of the multi-billion dollar business, are just the tip of the iceberg. “It is not an accurate assessment and evaluation of the trade in Singapore,” said Ng. ACRES is still in discussions with the relevant authorities for the implementation of sniffer dogs at airport checkpoints. These sniffer dogs have the ability to detect any live animals kept in the luggage of passengers. “[The sniffer dogs] are 99 per cent accurate [and] are specifically trained to smell live animals,” said Ng. X-rays do not pick up the presence of these animals and at most, the smugglers will panic and start to perspire, indicating to authorities that something is amiss.
Inhumane traps for rats are a form of animal abuse.
PHOTO BY: MUWAHIDDIIN OTHMAN
Parveen Kaur
At present, there are approximately 90 exotic wildlife species in the care of ACRES. They include star tortoises, green iguanas and soft shell turtles among other illegal animals. These animals come from various parts of the world such as South America, Indonesia and Australia, which is also another worry for ACRES. “It’s not the volume of the trade, it’s the distribution,” said Ng. According to Ng, although enforcement is important, “the key is to stop [Singaporeans] from buying” and to make them realise that these animals are illegal to keep. “We shouldn’t be keeping these animals. Otherwise, we will be at the losing end,” said Ng. “[Smugglers] will find a way to smuggle. It is just like drugs.”
PHOTO BY: MUWAHIDDIIN OTHMAN
Singapore is one of the top ten countries in the world for its illegal wildlife smuggling hub.
Too Cruel to Rats?
’’
What we can do is to lead by example, raise awareness and make a difference by showing our care towards the animals.” Kyanda Stead Member, NTU Animal Lovers’ Society
According to the National Fancy Rat Society in the United Kingdom (UK), rats are known to be the “most intelligent, affectionate and responsive” among other small rodents if they are provided with correct care and management. They are also ideal pets for children. In Singapore, it is very rare to find a household domestically owning a pet rat, a vast contrast to those in the UK or America where rats are domestically kept as pets. Source: SPCA, National Fancy Rat Society
FOCUS 5
What Are Their Lives
Worth?
Beatrice Decruz and Parveen Kaur shine an unforgiving light on the unjustifiable maltreatment animals face and how these issues can be solved.
Singapore, a Hub for Illegal Wildlife Trade
’’
[Smugglers] will find a way to smuggle. It is just like drugs.” Louis Ng
Executive Director ACRES
However, this does not happen all the time. With the implementation of the sniffer dogs, it will ensure that no wildlife leaves the checkpoints undetected. ACRES also collaborated with AVA to conduct sting operations over the years to seize animals that were being sold through online platforms. One of them involved a ball python, which a couple was trying to sell last March. In the same month, a 28-year-old man was charged $5,200 for keeping 13 hedgehogs, which he tried to sell online.
ACRES is also ongoing with their campaign against Resorts World Singapore (RWS) to release the remaining 24 wild-caught bottlenose
As of last October, the petition to RWS has garnered a total of 680,000 signatures of support from the public. The numbers are increasing. In a recent open letter to RWS, dated Jan. 14, 2013, ACRES had requested for a reply to its invitation to a public debate to raise the concerns of the dolphins in captivity. The first letter was sent on Dec. 22, 2012. Since 2006, the ‘Safe The World’s Saddest Dolphins’ campaign has been gathering much support from the public. “People are definitely speaking about it. At
least it makes them think twice [before visiting Resorts World],” Rajaindern said. “As long as they have an internal debate, I think half the battle is won.”
If you do witness illegal wildlife trading in Singapore, please contact the 24-hour ACRES Wildlife Crime/Rescue Hotline at +65 9783 7782.
DID YOU KNOW?
Dolphins:
Dolphins roam freely in the wild and swim up to 40 miles a day. However, when in captivity, they will end up swimming in circles or lay motionless on the surface of the water due to the restricted size of their tanks. This builds up their boredom and stress and many have died due to this. Furthermore, in captivity, dolphins are unable to make full use of their sonar abilities which they once used to communicate with other dolphins in the pod. Source: ACRES
Greater Awareness for Animal Abuse dolphins which were purchased from The Solomon Islands. Prior to coming to Singapore, they were all sent to Malaysia and Philippines for training. One had died en route to Singapore last November while two died in Malaysia due to bacterial infections. Durga Rajaindern, 24, assistant director of education at ACRES shared that RWS went ahead with the purchase in the midst of the discussion between the two parties. The discussion was meant to influence RWS to purchase captive-bred dolphins instead of wild ones. Although ACRES is strongly against dolphins kept in captivity, they had taken a step back. However, the actions of RWS have forced ACRES to take further action against them.
Youths reach out and lend their support to animal welfare organisations.
Beatrice Decruz YOUTHS are becoming increasingly aware about animal abuse issues and have stepped up to be actively involved in serving animal-welfare organisations like the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). The recent case of dismembered kittens in Yishun made Cat Welfare Society (CWS) youth volunteer, Syahirah Shukor, question humanity. “I was very frustrated because there’s nothing
that the cats could have possibly done to deserve such injustice,” she said. An article in MyPaper last year reported that nearly half the reports of alleged animal abuse are due to pet owners being unaware of their pets’ needs. SPCA youth volunteer Jonathan Narayan shared that a couple had once asked him whether it was okay to dump a dog if they did not want to keep it. “Abuse arises when people don’t have enough prior knowledge about animals,” he said. Narayan added: “If you take a dog and put it in a cage that restricts its movement, that is already animal abuse because it poses a serious risk to the dog’s health and physical safety.” Another SPCA youth volunteer, Nicole Yap, echoed similar thoughts and said that education and exposure should begin at a younger age so
THOUGH highly regarded as pests, people forget that rats are living things and according to the local animal activists, killing them inhumanely is uncalled for. To curb the rising number of rats in Singapore, pest control companies have utilised several measures like glue board traps. Although it is necessary to eliminate rats that spread diseases such as bubonic plague and salmonella, these methods of pest control are inhumane. Glue traps force rats to chew off their limbs, starve, dehydrate and suffocate in their attempt to escape. Last December, a citizen journalist on Stomp uploaded a photograph of a dead rat stuck on a glue board trap that was placed by town council workers. Titled ‘So Inhumane’, the post gathered much negativity on the use of such traps as they cause the animal pain and torture. “I know rats are considered as pests but still, the glue trap is cruelty to animals,” said Rashvinpal Kaur, 19, a Raffles Junior College graduate. “This is not the only solution to pest problems.” Although there are no laws in Singapore protecting rats since they are commonly viewed as pests, such cruelty can be dealt with under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. The Act that they can experience and see things in a different light. “The fast development of social media has played a large part in education. As one of the main users of social media, youths can help to spread the right educational messages to their peers in a more personal way for better acceptance,” said Betty Chan, who volunteers at the House Rabbit Society of Singapore (HRSS). From raising funds through roadshows and sales of merchandise, to being involved in the largest rescue mission of 14 rabbits, Chan, 25, said that she found joy in her nearly eight years of helping abandoned rabbits at the HRSS. However, it is not all easy and fun in volunteering. Despite work and family commitments, these youths are still dedicated in caring for the animals. “The main issue is time, however, I don’t view volunteering as a chore, but something I look forward to,” Shukor said. “Animal abuse may never go away but that doesn’t mean we do nothing. What we can do is to lead by example, raise awareness and make a difference by showing our care towards the animals,” said Kyanda Stead, member of NTU Animal Lovers’ Society.
PHOTO BY: MUWAHIDDIIN OTHMAN
SAVE THE WORLD’S SADDEST DOLPHINS
Re-enactment of how star tortoises are hidden under sheets of towels to prevent them from being detected at border checkpoints.
Parveen Kaur
Glue board traps torture and suffocate rats, causing them to die a horrendous death.
states that “[causing] any unnecessary pain or suffering” to any animal will result in a maximum fine of $10,000 or imprisonment of up to 12 months or both. Selina Sebastian, 45, education executive at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) also shared that regardless of type or breed, all animals should be protected and not exposed to any unnecessary harm. “If we have no choice but to actually get rid of certain animals because they fall into the category of being pests, then it should be done as humanely as possible,” said Sebastian.
“Maybe it’s better to catch them in traditional rat traps and bring them to the relevant authorities to [be] put to sleep. That would be a better method.” According to the Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (ACRES), one of the main reasons why rats are increasing in numbers is due to garbage that is left unattended. Rodents make their way to these areas searching for food. Therefore, the best way to decrease rat infestation is for humans to keep the surroundings clean. “If you keep killing rats, you are not address-
ing the root of the problem, which is the garbage,” said Louis Ng, the executive director of ACRES. ACRES has worked with the government with the aim of banning glue board traps, at least for personal use. Certified pest control companies, who are more experienced in handling such traps, are still allowed to use them but with constant regulation and monitoring. SPCA has also worked with pest control companies to regulate the usage of the traps, making sure that they come in appropriate standard sizes.
NOT JUST PESTS THOUGH...
These rats are more than just pests. Sebastian shared that rats can actually make good pets.
’’
Abuse arises when people don’t have enough prior knowledge about animals.” Jonathan Narayan SPCA Volunteer
“They have the same senses and the same responses as a cat and they are very interactive pets. Unfortunately, they are viewed as animals used for animal experimentation and dealt as pests,” she said.
PHOTO BY: MUWAHIDDIIN OTHMAN
THE Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) investigated 52 and 42 cases on illegal wildlife trade in 2011 and 2012 respectively. The recent cases include the illegal sale and import of tiger products, chameleon Asian arowanas, and Hoodia products. Interpol has estimated that the illegal wildlife trade in Asia is worth $20 billion a year, according to the Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (ACRES) website. However, Louis Ng, executive director of ACRES, stressed that these enforcement figures, of the multi-billion dollar business, are just the tip of the iceberg. “It is not an accurate assessment and evaluation of the trade in Singapore,” said Ng. ACRES is still in discussions with the relevant authorities for the implementation of sniffer dogs at airport checkpoints. These sniffer dogs have the ability to detect any live animals kept in the luggage of passengers. “[The sniffer dogs] are 99 per cent accurate [and] are specifically trained to smell live animals,” said Ng. X-rays do not pick up the presence of these animals and at most, the smugglers will panic and start to perspire, indicating to authorities that something is amiss.
Inhumane traps for rats are a form of animal abuse.
PHOTO BY: MUWAHIDDIIN OTHMAN
Parveen Kaur
At present, there are approximately 90 exotic wildlife species in the care of ACRES. They include star tortoises, green iguanas and soft shell turtles among other illegal animals. These animals come from various parts of the world such as South America, Indonesia and Australia, which is also another worry for ACRES. “It’s not the volume of the trade, it’s the distribution,” said Ng. According to Ng, although enforcement is important, “the key is to stop [Singaporeans] from buying” and to make them realise that these animals are illegal to keep. “We shouldn’t be keeping these animals. Otherwise, we will be at the losing end,” said Ng. “[Smugglers] will find a way to smuggle. It is just like drugs.”
PHOTO BY: MUWAHIDDIIN OTHMAN
Singapore is one of the top ten countries in the world for its illegal wildlife smuggling hub.
Too Cruel to Rats?
’’
What we can do is to lead by example, raise awareness and make a difference by showing our care towards the animals.” Kyanda Stead Member, NTU Animal Lovers’ Society
According to the National Fancy Rat Society in the United Kingdom (UK), rats are known to be the “most intelligent, affectionate and responsive” among other small rodents if they are provided with correct care and management. They are also ideal pets for children. In Singapore, it is very rare to find a household domestically owning a pet rat, a vast contrast to those in the UK or America where rats are domestically kept as pets. Source: SPCA, National Fancy Rat Society
