No blanket culling of strays, AVA assures dog lovers

It'll continue to work with welfare groups to rehome stray dogs
By Amelia Tan, The Straits Times, 24 Dec 2011

The authorities on Friday responded to complaints from animal lovers about stray dogs being trapped and culled at Punggol Waterway.

They said they do not practise blanket culling and strays which can be adopted will be rehomed.

Those that cannot will be put down humanely.

Animal lovers had raised concerns about whether the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) was stepping up its efforts to cull dogs in the area, following an attack on a female jogger last week.

The agency's chief executive, Ms Tan Poh Hong, said in a statement: 'We recognise that there are animal lovers who are genuinely concerned about the welfare of stray dogs. Those who wish to rehome the stray dogs must be committed to providing them with a permanent home and caring for them responsibly.'

The authority added that 30 stray dogs had been rehomed this year. It would continue to work closely with animal welfare groups to find suitable homes for strays.

Mr Ricky Yeo, president of Action for Singapore Dogs, said: 'This is a step forward. We are now looking for homes for the strays and for donations to pay for boarding facilities for them. We need constructive solutions for this issue and dog lovers can do their part to help us.'

Ms Corrine Fong, executive director of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said her organisation 'stands ready to work with AVA on rehoming adoptable stray dogs'. She added: 'Adopters must ensure that the rehomed dogs are licensed, sterilised, vaccinated and microchipped.'

Dog lovers who spoke to The Straits Times said the authorities and animal welfare groups should look at stepping up sterilisation for strays.

Sales executive Pathrine Guo, 29, said: 'Sterilisation is the most effective way to control the stray dog population. We also need to have educational campaigns to educate the public that there are many strays out there which they can adopt.'

The AVA said people who wish to provide homes for stray dogs will have to bear the costs of doing so, such as licensing and microchipping.

They must also ensure that dogs are sterilised and kept at the licensed addresses.

The jogger was attacked at Punggol Waterway last Wednesday. She told reporters she was on a footpath when a pack of nine dogs started clawing at her legs. She screamed as one bit her calf. Two other joggers came to her help after hearing her cry, and the animals ran away.

Earlier this week, more than 25 activists gathered close to the spot where the attack had occurred, to meet members of the media and protest against the trapping and culling of stray dogs.

Some turned up at the AVA's Centre for Animal Welfare and Control in Pasir Panjang earlier this week to try to 'bail out' the dogs, a process which requires the payment of about $500 in fees. According to the activists, they were unsuccessful.

A Facebook group was also created that called on the authority and Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP Penny Low to 'give Punggol strays a chance'.

Activists also petitioned Ms Low on her Facebook page. Some have also written on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's page.

Dog lovers upset over stepped-up culling in Punggol
By Lim Yan Liang, The Straits Times, 21 Dec 2011

Animal lovers are upset after the authorities apparently intensified efforts to round up stray dogs at Punggol Waterway following an attack on a jogger there.

The jogger was scratched and bitten by stray dogs in the park last Wednesday. Since then, animal rights activists said, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) has stepped up its efforts to trap and cull them.

In response, more than 25 activists on Tuesday morning gathered close to the spot where the attack occurred, to meet members of the media and protest against the trapping and culling.

Among them was Ms Pathrine Guo, 29, who stayed at the park for about an hour. She had found out about the gathering the day before on Facebook.

'When the news (about the attack on the jogger) came out last Thursday, it was expected that the culling would be intensified at Punggol,' Ms Guo said, adding that she has been going to the park twice a week for the past year to feed stray dogs. 'I understand from the workers there that the AVA goes down almost every day.'

The AVA said it has been carrying out operations in the area since September. Of the 26 dogs caught so far, four were rounded up after last week's incident. They will be put down as they have been deemed aggressive.

As some of the dogs have proved elusive, the AVA said it has also engaged external service providers to complement its efforts.

Pet lovers also took to social media to protest against the trapping and euthanasia. Some even paid the AVA's Centre for Animal Welfare and Control at Pasir Panjang a visit on Tuesday to try to 'bail out' the dogs, a process which requires payment of about $500 in fees. According to the activists, they were unsuccessful.

A Facebook group created on Monday that calls on the AVA and Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP Penny Low to 'give Punggol strays a chance' has already gained more than 450 'likes'.

Activists also petitioned Ms Low on her Facebook page, with more than 80 posts on the stray dogs so far. Some have written on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's page as well.

Meanwhile, animal welfare group Action for Singapore Dogs (ASD) is appealing for all to remain calm and rational. 'There shouldn't be a witch-hunt, a media frenzy or an overreaction,' said its president Ricky Yeo.

'The authorities need to act in the interest of public safety and that's why they stepped up operations... but we are trying to balance both sides.'

He said ASD is trying to negotiate the release of the captured strays with the AVA. 'Culling is a short-term measure that does not work - we need a multi-pronged approach where the Government lends support and harnesses non-governmental organisations on the ground to sterilise these strays. The pet trade also has to be regulated further because it is the source of abandoned dogs.'

The jogger told Channel NewsAsia last week that the incident happened on a footpath when a pack of nine dogs started clawing at her legs. She screamed when one bit her calf. Two other joggers who heard her scream approached and the dogs ran away.