JUNE 18

JUNE 18, 2003
Cat-egorically in the clear

Last of 140 stray cats has passed tests, says AVA; this means that no cat has been found to have or spread the virus

By Chang Ai-Lien
SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT

THE cloud of suspicion over cats has lifted. The last suspect of the 140 strays picked up and tested by the authorities here has been declared Sars-free, said the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) yesterday.

Earlier tests had indicated in one cat a 'borderline test result', which could have been caused by contamination of blood and stool samples.

But the latest tests by the National Environment Agency and Genome Institute of Singapore have ruled out Sars, said an AVA spokesman.

This means that so far, no cat has been found to be able to pick up or spread the virus.

The authorities had tested the cats, and dogs and rats, to see if they could pick up the Sars virus and pass it on to humans. All have been cleared.

Scientists here had said earlier that even if cats did carry the Sars virus, it was highly unlikely that they would transmit it to humans.

But the culling of strays has been stepped up, said the AVA, as part of an ongoing effort to improve hygiene at eating places.

This has prompted animal lovers to try to rescue them. The AVA said last week that it would set aside five plots of land at Loyang Agrotechnology Park, in Pasir Ris, for pet shelters. The plots total 2.3ha, or about the size of three football fields.

So far, SOS Animals, Animal Lovers League, Action for Singapore Dogs Society and three individuals have bought tender documents to bid for the land, said AVA's assistant director in charge of agrotechnology parks, Mr Chin Yew Neng. They may not breed animals there. Only commercial animal-boarding facilities are allowed, and all the animals kept there must be sterilised and have a micro-chip ID inserted.

The tender closes on July 14, and the results should be out by the end of next month.

Mr Ricky Yeo, president of the Singapore Dogs Society, said the society is considering setting up a halfway house for stray dogs and cats, while they are awaiting adoption.

The society hopes to pool resources with other groups to set it up, he said.

In the long term, however, he believes sterilisation should be part of a multi-pronged solution.

'A pet shelter is not a complete solution because we can house only so many animals,' he said.