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MAY 30, 2003 STRAY cats that are already sterilised may escape being culled. The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) has advised town councils, which are in charge of rounding up stray cats, to 'avoid removing sterilised stray cats unless they have become a nuisance or inhabit food establishments'. But if sterilised cats are rounded up - for instance at the wet markets and food centres - they will be put down. About 10,000 of the estimated 80,000 stray cats here have been neutered since 1998, when the AVA started its stray cat rehabilitation scheme. But AVA put this programme on hold last Friday, when it intensified cat culling because of the 'Singapore's OK' scheme to improve public hygiene. It said the sterilisation programme was not working as it was still receiving 5,000 complaints a year about strays causing a nuisance. Some cat lovers are pleased with the latest change in the AVA's stance, but they know it doesn't mean the cats are safe. Cat Welfare Society president Lynn Yeo said: 'We are relieved that the AVA has assured us that sterilised cats will not be targeted. 'However, we are concerned that during the rounding-up process, sterilised cats may inevitably be caught as well.' Its volunteers are too upset to continue their work to get strays sterilised. They had been taking 12 cats a week to vets to get them sterilised, but that has dwindled to two a week now. Volunteer Corinne Goh, 35, had planned to take four cats for sterilisation, but cancelled the appointment. She said: 'What's the point now? We're not getting any assurance that the strays we sterilise and care for will be spared.' Stray dogs are not being spared either. About 16 are put down each day, but there has been no increase in that number, unlike for cats. This is because the culling of stray animals is concentrated at food establishments, where stray dogs are less likely to be found. They tend to be around construction sites and in industrial areas. Copyright @ 2003 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved. |