tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149970572024-03-08T23:58:44.591+08:00animal familytalk about dysfunctional. there are 8 members in this family. 2 won't sit. 1 won't share. 1 doesn't get enough sun. 2 tear at each other on sight. the woman won't stop. the man has no clue. welcome to my family.animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.comBlogger382125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-59002086732223265642010-03-17T15:20:00.003+08:002010-03-17T15:30:59.087+08:00cat welfare 2010<a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2746/4438176633_8ef5b4d383_b.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2746/4438176633_8ef5b4d383_b.jpg" width="400" border="0"></a><br /><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2746/4438176633_8ef5b4d383_b.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4438178269_584f96fca3_b.jpg" width="400" border="0"></a><br /><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2746/4438176633_8ef5b4d383_b.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2773/4438954650_70beaac130_b.jpg" width="400" border="0"></a><br /><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2746/4438176633_8ef5b4d383_b.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2733/4438178463_6e2f51d949_b.jpg" width="400" border="0"></a><br /><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2746/4438176633_8ef5b4d383_b.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4039/4438178607_f7cf1fe5b1_b.jpg" width="400" border="0"></a>animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-21257203497490986742010-02-12T12:01:00.009+08:002010-03-25T03:22:39.327+08:00We created the problem. Why should they have to pay for it with their lives?<b><i>The burden of stemming the tide of destruction largely falls to cat caregivers – regular people with a big heart.</i></b> <br /><br />MEDIA RELEASE<br />Singapore, 10 February 2010 | For Immediate Release<br /><br />The proliferation of stray animals in our communities is a human-created problem. They are here as a direct result of human-driven activities – a thriving live pet trade, irresponsible breeding and pet abandonment. As we enter the year of the Tiger, animal welfare agencies and organisations have a big concern - the number of animals that are going to be cleaned out with the trash during spring cleaning. This trend is mirrored in more than one turning of the year on a multi-cultural calendar – Hari Raya and New Year’s Day. And we are already seeing it happen with the next Chinese New Year around the corner. <br /><br /><i>On January 30 2010, 8 cats were abandoned in their filthy, rusty cages. When community cat caregivers received the tip-off, only 2 very frightened cats remained. The rest had gone to hide in the drains. Our experience with home cats that have been abandoned is that they have very little chance of survival. Some stay put in their hiding spot refusing food until they waste completely away.</i><br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4021/4348647520_3fe66280f4_m.jpg" width="400"><br /><br />Cat caregivers are those who sterilise and manage their community cats and work closely with the Town Council to resolve cat-related issues. They are volunteers who give of their own time and resources to care for the welfare of community cats. <br /><br />The current measures in addressing the problem of stray cat proliferation includes <br /><br /><b><i>Pet Cat Ownership</i></b> <br />* Improving standards and practices of pet shops by the Agri-food & Veterinary Authority (AVA)<br />* Education and awareness campaigns on responsible pet ownership by government agencies and animal welfare organisations<br />* Banning cats from public housing by the Housing & Development Board (HDB) (therefore pet cat abandonment is not a crime) <br />* Face-to-face mediation with cat owners, sterilisation assistance and rescue efforts by cat caregivers with the support of the Cat Welfare Society and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) <br /><br /><b><i>Stray or Abandoned Cats </i></b> <br />* Sterilisation of community cats by cat caregivers with the support of SPCA and the Cat Welfare Society. Approx. 4200 sterilised through the support of the Cat Welfare Society and SPCA in 2008.<br />* Boarding at overtaxed animal shelters in Singapore<br />* Surrendering of animals and destruction at the Society for the Prevention of the Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) – Approx. 4500 surrendered in 2008<br />* Impounding and destruction by the - AVA Approx. 3500 culled in 2008<br /><br />And still we had to put down 8000 cats last year. An average of 10,000 cats has been put down every year for the last 10 years.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2704/4347901397_b2b55ea5c1.jpg" width="400"><br /><br />The current measures put the considerable burden of addressing the problem of irresponsible cat owners squarely on cat caregivers. They also offer irresponsible cat owners an easy way out by abandoning and surrendering without consequences. The number of cats destroyed is gradually coming down, but the burden on cat caregivers continue year after year. The decreasing numbers is also a testimony to their efforts. <br /><br />Many cat owners are driven to keep cats to save them from the streets, pest control and abuse. The percentage of people with local cats picked from the streets far outweighs the ones with pedigrees. Not regulating ownership not only penalises responsible owners who help keep cats off our streets, it puts irresponsible owners out of reach of the long arm of enforcement. Currently, government action against cat owners is confined in large degree to eviction. The pet cats then often join the community cats on the street. <br /><br />Addressing the problem of irresponsible supply and demand, breeding and abandoning of pets has to come from a direct and concerted effort by government agencies, animal welfare organisations and the community of concerned citizens and pet owners, through legislation and enforcement, awareness and education and community peer pressure. <br /><br />It is our aim at the Cat Welfare Society to support this steadfast and devoted community. We are celebrating their labours, the spirit and their compassion at the Tiger Show.<br /><br />More information about the event at <a href="http://www.catwelfare.org/drupal/node/2031" target="_blank">www.catwelfare.org</a>.animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-61900845739914060092010-02-12T01:50:00.005+08:002010-02-12T12:12:43.288+08:00Singapore's first Tiger Show<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2723/4328929173_3522fa085d_o.jpg" width="400"><br /><br />The Cat Welfare Society, together with the Post-Museum, is organising a week-long art and advocacy event from 21 - 28 February 2010. <br /><br />The provocatively titled "Tiger Show" welcomes the year of the Mighty Cat in celebration of our humble Community Cats. It will bring together people from all walks of life who have a passion for animal welfare, and most certainly, a soft spot for our feline friends, to gather, to share, to learn and to party!<br /><br />The line-up for this exciting week is as follows:<br /><br /><b>21 Feb (Sunday) 7.30pm - The Tiger Show Opens</b><br />Join us for the opening of our week-long feline-inspired Art Exhibition and Bazaar!<br /><i>Free, by invitation.</i><br /><br />The show is a gathering of renowned cat artists like Paul Koh of Catmasutra, Ng Ling Tze of Sloth Studios, the team from Cats of the World as well as other local artists like multi-disciplinary visual artist,Tay Bee Aye and ceramist, Michelle Lim. Many feline-inspired collectibles will also be on sale at the show!<br /><br />Exhibition opening hours 6-10pm (Tue-Fri), 12nn-10pm (Sat-Sun).<br /><br /><b>25 Feb (Thursday) 8.00pm - "I am Cat. Hear Me Roar"</b><br />An advocacy and mediation workshop for the welfare of cats<br /><br />Be part of an open and honest discussion with SPCA, Action for Singapore Dogs, Cat Welfare Society and guest panelist Mr Siew Kum Hong about where animal welfare, especially for domestic animals, stands in Singapore - our progress and our stumbling blocks, with insights into the role of new media in advancing our collective cause. Our line-up of speakers include Jaipal Gill from SPCA who will be speaking on animal sentience, Kelly Then on managing disputes and November of Leafmonkey Workshop on new media advocacy.<br /><br /><i>$8 with a non-alcoholic drink<br />$12 with an alcoholic drink</i><br /><br /><b>26 Feb (Friday) 7.30pm Animal People Singles' Night!</b><br /><br />It's a party so let the fur fly. It's time to break out the alcohol and the party heels. If you have ever lamented that you met this wonderful person to find out they hate your dog or your hamster, you won't have this problem here. And did we mention the vivacious Maia Lee is performing? (Strictly humans tonight, please!)<br /><br /><i>$12 with first drink</i><br /><br /><b>28 Feb (Sunday) 12 - 5pm Cat's Day Out</b><br /><br />We are reviving this popular gathering of cat people and their cats! Join our favourite host, Melody Chen in search of the most beautiful domestic cat that day! Also look out for cat grooming services, cat and owner photo portraiture taking, cat training workshop and a very special symposium cum visual performance by the one and only Smiling Yogi Bala Matchap -- Cat Yoga!<br /><br /><i>$30 per ticket (for one person accompanied with or without one cat. Tickets for each additional cat is $5)</i><br /><br /><b>Register early!</b><br />Space is limited so register with cwstigershow@gmail.com early. <br />Visit their <a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=265809089550&ref=ts" target="_blank">Facebook Event Page</a> to leave a comment and word of support!<br /><br /><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4031/4328930937_0e8f824bd3_o.jpg" width="400"><br /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2695/4328930261_47685951b1_o.jpg" width="400"><br /><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2700/4329665602_4cbba28d00_o.jpg" width="400">animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-41948503791396608022009-09-23T17:53:00.000+08:002009-09-23T17:54:25.040+08:00How do you recover from this?Two old aunties rushed down to AVA after they found out that their cats were caught. A mother and her baby. <br /><br />The officer brought the cats out but said he could only release one. The aunties had to choose. <br /><br />The cats jumped for joy at seeing these familiar loving faces, not understanding the anguish and the tears. <br /><br />They chose the mother. Because they had seen her as a baby, as a young playful adult and then an unwitting, unsavvy young mother. Then they witnessed the baby frantic, hysterical in the cage as she was carried back into the unspeakable backrooms. <br /><br />How does anyone make such a decision? How do you expect them to recover from it? This happened some time ago but the aunties will never ever forget this.animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com59tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-82635354263828937152009-09-17T16:05:00.013+08:002009-09-23T18:28:17.910+08:00great kitten migrations,<b>Breaking News:</b> Ninja adopted and lovin' it! Adopted, Rejected, Adopted again: Someone coming for Ranger tonight!<br /><br />It's hard to keep track of the comings and goings sometimes but we try. <br /><br />The woman made a long overdue house visit, so here's another before and after from <a href="http://myanimalfamily.blogspot.com/2008/12/slow-recovery.html" target="_blank">Ah Ma's Gruesome Foursome</a>...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3927715541/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3520/3927715541_24808d507e_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3928497952/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2577/3928497952_6aa676134a_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Big handsome boy still behaves like a kitten. When he was smaller, he used to fish out, play with and cuddle their hamster every night when everyone was sleeping. Now that he is so much bigger, they decided not to risk it by locking poor hammie up in a cat-proof cage. I hope Big Boy still visits his friend often. <br /><br />The last of the foursome turned up at the CWS Cat's Night Out in July. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3927843429/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2617/3927843429_5ac789d5ef_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Small rules his household from the icy north pole. When you scold him, he will face north (or anywhere where you aren't standing). He can do it for up to 3 days. I am nowhere near that cool. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3927848199/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2514/3927848199_128533780c.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />This is the kitten the woman <a href="http://myanimalfamily.blogspot.com/2009/07/woman-was-banned-from-ah-mas-place.html" target="_blank">catnapped</a> from Ah Ma's. We were all prepared to overlook the sudden presence of this ugly cat in our midst but as a stroke of luck will have it...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3927845333/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2487/3927845333_3b033988b8_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Melody cuddled the Cat's Night Out mascot all the way home! Now they have to contend with his constant sucking habit, muahahahaha. They love him lots, despite. <br /><br /><b>staycations,</b><br /><br />Can you believe these kiddos have not found homes yet?!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3928497286/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2569/3928497286_1556607f59_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3928497744/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2655/3928497744_fea1580d96_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3928497578/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2486/3928497578_0924e68a75_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3927715127/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2421/3927715127_686e67e692_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Moo and Boo. You can barely tell them apart except for the straight tail and the kinked tail. (Update: Moo and Boo adopted!)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3927715673/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3472/3927715673_1602cded2c.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3928497632/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2577/3928497632_9d3de3c990_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />as predicted, their two white siblings went to new homes first. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3927714981/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2618/3927714981_e293ec48d6_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Whitley here was almost adopted but for her kinked tail. It's not her fault, swear! <br /><br /><b>and mystic ocean</b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3927715033/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2469/3927715033_90e0be9de4_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Someone left these 5 babies in a plastic bag outside Ah Ma's front door. Why ever did you do this?? Fosters tried but none of them made it. Goodbye, we will be seeing you again soon.animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-87062943216329949722009-08-21T15:07:00.005+08:002009-08-21T16:31:20.848+08:00before & after kittens<object width="400" height="324"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BiUc0C8He4w&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BiUc0C8He4w&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="324"></embed></object><br /><br />The horror show in the video has thankfully been averted through the efforts of volunteers from <a href="http://pawpledge.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Pawpledge</a>, <a href="http://www.vineyardsingapore.org/" target="_blank">Vineyard Community Church</a> and others. The flat is painted, cats sterilised and kittens evacuated to the animalfamily.<br /><br /><a href="http://myanimalfamily.blogspot.com/2009/07/litter-of-critters.html" target="_blank">Previously</a>, White Challenger and Mixed Ranger were confirmed for adoption. Wallflower's condition was touch and go.<br /><br />Since then, White Challenger has been rehomed. By a twist of fate... Wallflower has also been rehomed, leaving Mixed Ranger and Black Ninja still in our midst.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3842182188/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2454/3842182188_c37a4c028f_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3841389775/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2523/3841389775_d23f4b9796_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3842182428/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2496/3842182428_9fb935fdef.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3842182894/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3431/3842182894_31070ab588_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />"Did you think I wouldn't recover? I am all pretty now!"<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3842182530/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2646/3842182530_01e7e54fea_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />"My adopter found abandoned kittens in her neighbourhood so she doesn't have room for me anymore. I am happy for the kitties but someone please adopt me!"<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3842182598/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3424/3842182598_414e179b71_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />"yes, i'm still here too..."<br /><br />remember this <a href="http://myanimalfamily.blogspot.com/2009/07/woman-was-banned-from-ah-mas-place.html" target="_blank">formless lump</a> that was heartlessly left by the dustbin? <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3842201552/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2218/3842201552_cf869c8f3e_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3842201414/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3465/3842201414_ca7e691488_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3842201314/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2571/3842201314_d4e4b71314_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />He was lovingly raised by Bukit Purmei's P.A.W. Vet Centre, then a super foster. When he became all cute and plumb, he found his way back to the animalfamily and immediately decided to lose his appetite. <br /><br />Only after some frantic panicking did we realise that Boo Boo did not like being quarantined on his own so he was thrown in with Mixed Ranger and Black Ninja. They hate him but he sure is loving it. Appetite returned and plumbed up again! <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3841390557/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2611/3841390557_da3dfc508f.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3842182798/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2590/3842182798_35d3260960.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3842182678/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2443/3842182678_09f86d133a.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />He goes to his new home this weekend.animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-39247467693100664082009-08-02T03:21:00.009+08:002009-08-02T14:58:16.906+08:00these old ladies, so cute you gotta love them<object width="400" height="324"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RCiRFVgXrOQ&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RCiRFVgXrOQ&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="324"></embed></object><br /><br />*<a href="http://myanimalfamily.blogspot.com/2006/03/so-whats-normal.html" target="_blank">Wendy</a>* the functioning schizophrenic and *<a href="http://myanimalfamily.blogspot.com/2008/10/woman-hears-about-old-feeder-in.html" target="_blank">Maggie</a>* her senile partner in crime rescued an injured cat during one of their nightly feeds. The tom got better and Wendy decided to keep it but wouldn’t sterilise because she felt he might have too weak a constitution to survive it.<br /><br />The tom thanked her by turning his full libidinous and destructive nature on - copulating with her young kittens causing a miscarriage, launching bloodbaths on her other cats and he sprayed, everywhere.<br /><br />After the umpteenth inconveniently-timed call from Wendy to lament about how much stress the cat is causing her and looping labyrinthian arguments about whether to sterilise the cat or not, the woman decided to cut Wendy short on one of her voluble and outrageous wall of consciousness monologues. She hung up.<br /><br />Her colleagues were momentarily confused. Didn’t the woman tell them she didn’t have kids? She was all “Are you listening? I am going to hang up now if you aren’t listening. When you are ready to listen, then call me back.”<br /><br />It worked. When Wendy called back, she was considerably calmer. She paid attention and finally agreed for the woman to come collect the cat for sterilisation. They did have one problem, the cat was so hostile he wouldn’t let anyone near him.<br /><br />The cat trapper was called in and Wendy annoyed him by telling him that if she couldn’t catch him, he couldn’t. And she wouldn’t let them move any of her mountainous possessions that clutter all available space in the flat. She simply wouldn’t shut up. All the while, the cat teased us by darting from one victorian knick-knacks nook to ethnic trinkets cranny.<br /><br />The woman had to be bad mammy again. “The trapper can’t work if you keep talking. Go to the back room and sit there. Don’t come out until the cat is trapped.” “But…” “Hupp, go back”. She did as she was told.<br /><br />It took the trapper, the trapper assistant and the woman one hour to get that delinquent cat with the help of a torch, a net and 2 of Wendy's Indonesian decorative poles. Every time Wendy sneaked out, the woman went ‘Hupp, back.” She trotted back. These old ladies, they can be so… cute.<br /><br />Before they left, she gave them one of her Christmas trinkets with thanks, - a porcelain cat sitting on a gift box.animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-84708798875020635532009-07-30T15:36:00.005+08:002009-07-30T17:55:09.032+08:00litter of critters<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3770872219/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2634/3770872219_88aa07575b_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>4 out of 6 of the leukemia caregiver's kittens have been adopted! they still had remnants of the cat flu so only 2 went straight off for their home trials with the more confident adopters. The rest were packed off here for recuperation and fattening up.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3771669976/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2436/3771669976_d1abbf0f69_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>A pretty little head on a bag of bones, Mixed Ranger has to pile on the pounds before heading to her new home. But she is the least worrisome, all brass and sassy attitude!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3770865795/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2462/3770865795_b16707a30c_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Perk up, little wallflower. She was burning hot when she got here and dehydrated. She gave the woman a scare by lying limp on her lap. After a couple of squirts of water, she finally looked up with her big sad eyes. She hasn't caught any adopter's attention yet.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3770873565/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2672/3770873565_e70cdf0760_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3771665854/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2626/3771665854_d46c9072f5_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>White Challenger doesn't sweat it, he has a new home waiting for him when his adopter comes back from vacation.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3771663492/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2508/3771663492_677d147db7_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Black Ninja's conjunctivitis is clearing up. He wonders why black cats are the last to be adopted, if ever?animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-71355790326325208182009-07-21T17:22:00.015+08:002009-08-02T14:41:27.876+08:00ah ma & leukemia caregiver updateThe woman was BANNED from Ah Ma’s place because she catnapped a kitten held hostage by that <a href="http://myanimalfamily.blogspot.com/2008/08/proud-to-be-cat-auntie.html" target="_blank">incorrigible hoarder</a>. <br /><br />So she kept away while Ah Ma fumed and hissed. (The kitten has since been adopted.) It looked safe to resurface again this week although Ah Ma, as befuddled as she is, remembered. Quite surprisingly, she only asked the other volunteers if the woman was there to take anymore of her kittens. They said no and they all moved on from there - Ah Ma back out to her favourite coffeeshop and the volunteers back to work on the cockroaches.<br /><br />And it wasn’t even a surprise to find Ah Ma with 2 more kittens.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3741646861/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2480/3741646861_fd64be17dc_o.jpg" alt="" border="0"></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3741647057/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2542/3741647057_84fdb800d9_o.jpg" alt="" border="0"></a><br />It’s tempting but the woman will try to accumulate more brownie points before pulling another catnap. After all, there is no end to the supply as long as people in the neighbourhood treat Ah Ma as a <a href="http://myanimalfamily.blogspot.com/2009/02/rule-no-5-dont-balk-at-their-poverty.html" target="_blank">dumping ground</a>. Since the start of the clean-up - 13 new kittens - 1 dead, <a href="http://myanimalfamily.blogspot.com/2009/03/good-news-on-rehomed-sterilised-and.html" target="_blank">5 rehomed</a>. The rest are where they are but thriving at least.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3742441458/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2533/3742441458_9df24b18ee_o.jpg" alt="" border="0"></a><br />They headed over to the <a href="http://babywail.multiply.com/journal/item/72/1_Poor_Lady_48_Cats_and_1000_Cockroaches" target="_blank">leukemia sufferer with 30+ cats</a> after Ah Ma’s. The situation was already very much under control with most of the old furnishings cleared out and adult cats sterilised. <br /><br />The old auntie was tired, overwhelmed, almost resigned. One kitten, degenerated to skin on bones, had to be rushed to the hospital. The others were in fairly good shape but teary. In her state, the soul is willing but the flesh is weak. She is just not able to keep up with the care the little ones need right now and we are desperately seeking new homes for these sick babies. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3741647253/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3450/3741647253_c4e5f64499_o.jpg" alt="" border="0"></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3741647173/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2510/3741647173_52db08fb61_o.jpg" alt="" border="0"></a><br /><object width="400" height="324"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/EcJwdCs8k5I&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/EcJwdCs8k5I&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="324"></embed></object><br /><br />As soul-gutting as these cases are, it is hard to be upset with these old caregivers turned hoarders. No one taught them any better. And they themselves suffered enough for it. So I save my wrath for the ones not sick, not old, just dim, who cling on to archaic ideas that cats must roam and that neutering is evil and immoral. <br /><br />On one of her trapping days, the woman had to fight off a teen who insisted one of the trapped cats is his. When it roams, pal, it is fair game. She offered free sterilisation for his other 2 cats. He said no. She shrugged. She will get them on their next wandering.<br /><br />That makes 15 new young cats discovered, caught and sterilised this month alone. 50 and counting since January in a 10-block area. Half of them from homes. It’s hard to reconcile sometimes why we have let other people’s responsibility become our own. But in cat welfare, their problems often become yours. After all, if they are not sterilising, they are either a hoarder or a chronic abandoner and some one has to pick up their pieces eventually. We can at least take heart that some people are coming to their senses before it is too late.<br /><br />And quite unexpectedly, they become your newfound cat welfare neighbourhood watch. This one-week old kitten was dumped next to a dustbin wrapped in a tissue and saved by our neighbour’s 7-yr old daughter. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3741646737/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2469/3741646737_8b24f9881f_o.jpg" alt="" border="0"></a><br />It is with the vet, fighting for a chance on this callous earth.<br /><br /><u>How you can help</u>:<br />* Donate cat food.<br />* Foster or adopt a kitten.<br />* Sponsor the medical fees for the 2 hospitalised kittens.animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-65608070900386007102009-07-19T00:40:00.002+08:002009-07-19T00:44:53.044+08:00this is what I think of teeth scaling<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3731905047/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2527/3731905047_301e8927db_o.jpg" alt="" border="0"></a><br />So I had a little gum inflammation, didn’t bother me much, but you thought drooling very unbecoming of a cat. <br /><br />For that, I made you spend the night with me on the sliver of cold hard floor between the utility cabinet and the junk you keep in the backroom. Because I won't suffer quarantine on my own, not quietly anyway. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3731905051/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2565/3731905051_b48017fc00_o.jpg" alt="" border="0"></a><br />You brought Fruitcake in with you, which was a nice touch. We had fun playing hide and seek in your sleeping bag while you were sleeping. So much so you were surprised that we were nowhere to be seen when you woke up the next day. <br /><br />You called for us and we took our time before we popped our heads out from the top of the cabinet in unison. Gotcha.animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-65338412277140123672009-07-03T17:02:00.002+08:002009-07-03T18:19:33.627+08:00mystery call to AVAAn AVA officer got a mystery call today at their Toll-free Hotline for the loaning of cat traps from a particularly exasperating caller. He didn’t know he was conversing with a cat, masquerading as a cat-hater. That would have made his day. <br /><br />The bare facts are such: The loaning of free traps from AVA is open only to people living in private residences. They will need to present their IC at the Centre for Animal Welfare and Control for collection, where they will be shown how to use the trap. Only one trap can be loaned at a time by the same person for a period of 2 weeks. <br /><br />Here’s where it gets interesting. I asked what happens after a cat is trapped and the officer said that you must call AVA to collect the cat by the next working day. I asked what happens to the cat and got the obvious answer. I then said that some family members are not comfortable to send cats to their death, can we catch and release them in other areas? The officer strongly discouraged this on the grounds that the cat may be disoriented and cannot find food, leading to suffering. <br /><br />Tooty the exasperating caller then asked, but you won’t really know what people do with the cats after they are trapped right? The officer was getting slightly alarmed saying have you seen cats getting skinnier and skinnier if cannot find food? At least when it goes to AVA, it will be at peace. <br /><br />The system certainly sounds good on paper, AVA provides free service to private home residents, nuisance cats removed to a misery-free end. Win-Win.<br /><br />But so many questions unanswered. How do you ensure that the trapped cats do end up in AVA? How do you ensure that the trapped cats are properly treated overnight, over weekends by trappers who have no love for them? <br /><br />Someone with a private residence address should go down and borrow a trap to see what information is being imparted to trap loaners. Cat Welfare Society has broached to the Ministry of National Development before to provide information about Trap-Neuter-Return-Manage as an alternative to culling. Whenever someone requests for a trap, AVA can inform people about sterilisation as an alternative, or send a brochure along with the trap. Has this advice been trickled down to the ground staff? <br /><br />The officer obviously feels for the cats but his hands are tied by a system that is clearly flawed. He was getting annoyed by this heartless caller and hung up even before I said thanks and goodbye. Good for him.animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-63778650532812865832009-06-26T03:02:00.007+08:002009-06-26T15:57:11.081+08:00CWS: A Look AheadCat Welfare Society has had a solid month of fundraising with the LPN Cat Day at Suntec City, the Cat’s Night Out “In Search of the Most Beautiful Domestic Cat” at Jurong Point and that unforgettably tongue-in-cheek STrip “What’s New Pussycat?” campaign. <br><br><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3606/3630902077_f9dfeef61c.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3606/3630902077_f9dfeef61c.jpg" alt="" border="0"></a><br>Besides raising funds for stray sterilisation, these light-hearted occasions gave us a rare chance to let our hair down with other cat groups, volunteers and with the public.<br><br>Now the fun is over, it is time to get back down to the serious business of cat welfare.<br><br><b>Engaging govt agencies</b><br><br>CWS is planning a series of engagements with AVA, HDB and Town Councils. And it cannot be timelier that Sunday Times dedicated a full page on animal welfare last weekend, giving voice to the poisoned bayshore cats, abandoned animals and tireless animal welfare volunteers. <br><br>(They had to juxtapose it with an article on our good friend Mr TTK to provide a perfunctory journalistic balance to the spread, but that is easily forgiven. A contrary article on a less controversial figure would have been more detrimental. So thank you, Sunday Times.)<br><br>Also featured in the full page coverage is a small victory for cat welfare. AVA has put it on record, “AVA… is again open to subsidising the cost of sterilisation of stray cats, if caregivers, town councils and communities are willing to participate.”<br><br>So our upcoming meeting with them can now fast track to the mechanics of the stray cat sterilisation scheme: what is required of town councils and volunteers, and how to streamline the scheme for greater success. <br><br>After which, we can start working with dedicated caregivers whose stray management work in their areas through Trap-Neuter-Release-Manage or TNRM, mediation and community building work has reached a healthy maturity. We will talk to their Town Councils first. <br><br><u>How you can help:</u><br>If you are a caregiver with a well managed cat community, come forward. Also start keeping records of the number of cats in your neighbourhood, the number of cats you have sterilised, your encounters with Town Councils and the number of complaints handled as these will go a long way when we engage them. <br><br>If your area does not have a TNRM programme, start one! Look out for our upcoming stray cat management workshop and meet-up on how to get started. <br><br><b>Sterilisation</b><br><br>CWS continues to single-mindedly put our funds into subsidising the sterilisation of stray cats. All our fundraising efforts are for this very purpose. <br><br>We get appeals from time to time to provide financial help for caregivers in need and for cat rescues. And this the committee members and volunteers do on our own personal basis. <br><br>The reason CWS funds are not diverted that way is this: The cold honest truth is that we have had to dig into our reserves last year to cover sterilisation and medical subsidies. And one had to go. It is a sign of the times that donations are down and reimbursements for subsidies are up. <br><br>We must keep stray cat sterilisation going simply because sterilisation makes the biggest impact to the welfare of our cats in the long run. It is this consistent, demanding, unglamourous work by dedicated caregivers and volunteers that provides a compelling reason for AVA to enter into a dialogue with cat welfare advocates. And we cannot afford to derail now. <br><br>The moment the government finally takes on the funding of stray cat sterilisation, that will really open up everyone’s resources to help the sick and suffering. <br><br>That moment is close and what will get us there is to make sure more community cats are sterilised and managed. <br><br><u>How you can help:</u><br>Start a TNRM programme in your neighbourhood. The next best thing is to <a href="http://www.catwelfare.org/sponsorcatsnip">sponsor a sterilisation</a>!<br><br><b>Mediation</b><br><br>This is something that we struggle with immensely because we don’t have a full-time person in CWS. The committee members and volunteers handle our cases after hours or through phones and emails. <br><br>Mediation remains the most stressful, unrewarding part of cat welfare work. Being yelled at by irate people with cat pee on their slippers after a long day at work is not anyone’s idea of a fulfilling existence. But we still do it, together with our network of caregivers and volunteers because it goes hand in hand with TNRM. Stray management just doesn’t work without it. <br><br>What we find is that people come to CWS for a magic pill. And five after-hours dispensers to pill an entire nation is beyond ridiculous. We need more mediators. <br><br>It is a fact that Singaporeans hold an uncanny esteem for authority. People from an organisation are often seen as more respectable than someone from the neighbourhood. That is how Singaporeans work, so “I am from Cat Welfare Society” goes a long way. But anyone with the passion, a little gumption and knowledge can register with CWS and fulfill this role. And all the better if they are actual residents in the neighbourhood. <br><br>These resident mediators have their nose on the ground, they get to the problems quicker and they can better establish long term relationships with the Town Council officers and other residents. Town Councils can’t ignore them simply because they are residents, therefore constituents and more importantly, voters. <br><br>The magic pill? Don’t yell back and don’t wear your house clothes when mediating. <br><br>As much as mediation is daunting and completely thankless, just a word from you can save a cat from being caught and culled. If you are lucky, you can instill a little conscience in the neighbourhood, one cheesed off resident at a time. <br><br><u>How you can help:<br></u>If you want to be a mediator for your neighbourhood, register with CWS and contact your Town Council officer. Also look out for our upcoming stray cat management workshop and meet-up on how to get started.<br><br><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3051671461/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3146/3051671461_47ec851408.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0"></a> <br><b>Beyond CWS</b><br><br>If you have been following the posts and thread on the Cat Welfare Society’s Facebook page, you would have a good idea of the spectrum of cat welfare activities required to fully tackle an issue as broad as cat welfare. <br><br>There are the numerous appeals for medical fees for sick or injured cats, the many catteries and shelters in trouble in these tough economic times, cats and kittens that need fosterers and homes, AVA officers and Town Council officers to negotiate with and the unenlightened public to educate. As individuals, where do we start? <br><br>My own experience with the animalfamily is to start where your passion takes you. I started with the rescue and adoption of an old mangy toothless cat that stole my heart. <br><br>6 years on, the family has 10 cats at home, 40 cats fostered (and thankfully rehomed), hundreds sterilised and we dream of a cattery. We have seen cat shelters and their antithesis, cat hoarders and left a part of ourselves with each and everyone of these animals, the cheery ones, the sadly neglected, the dying and the dead. <br><br>Still, it is not enough. There must be a more sustainable solution to the plight of our cats, the kind that makes it less necessary to take cats off our streets for anything other than to loving homes. This will happen only when the responsibility for stray cat welfare is not just on caregivers but the entire nation. That is the prize worth working towards.animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-44984523033499187512009-06-19T17:57:00.007+08:002009-07-24T17:45:18.360+08:00an inconvenient peopleIn a post-AWARE world, there is a growing wariness of groups who “push stridently for narrow interests, at the expense of other groups”. This was mentioned in the <a href="http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/25550" target="_blank">parliamentary reopening speech</a>, albeit about political representation. The concern is that this would polarise and divide our society. <br /><br />Stray management is such an interest. You just have to look at some of the posts in <a href="http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/singaporeseen/viewContent.jsp?id=73486" target="_blank">STOMP</a> to see how it polarises. Cries for compassion for strays are met with cries for compassion for humans who are affected by them. <br /><br />But can we really afford to contain polarising issues while we wait for social and cultural tides to change? Environment issues had the same bad rap a decade ago. They have since entered the mainstream simply because the problems have become too big to ignore. <br /><br />And before them, liberties for minorities, women, the sick and the poor arrived after enormous hardship and suffering. All the while, the privileged cried injustice, instability, loss of traditional values, inconvenience. <br /><br />And they are still crying over inconveniences posed not just by animals but two legs - migrant workers, aids victims, homosexuals, ex-convicts. <br /><br />All narrow interests? Maybe. But the lessons are there to be learnt. People thought there was something defective or culpable about the people they dominated by numbers or by circumstances, justifying their actions and they were proved wrong. They thought they could dominate the land and they were dead wrong. <br /><br />People a.k.a voters don’t want to be pushed into change but the world around them is changing. <a href="http://www.unep.org/wed/2009/English/content/bertrand.asp" target="_blank">10 years to irreversible environmental damage.</a> <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6108414.stm" target="_blank">50 years to the end of sea fish.</a> The threat of scarcity and the chaos that follows is real. All the more, the guiding principles henceforth must be to Save, to Conserve, to Share and to Free, regardless. They have to become as habitual as it is to brush our teeth and that leaves little room for pickiness. <br /><br /><b>Save. Conserve. Share. Free</b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3641144900/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3357/3641144900_45cf66f921.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br />We may be all about cats, others about dogs, marine life yet others about children of ex-convicts with aids. This is not because our interests are narrow but that they are realistic. Different concerns require different strategies and approaches within the constraints of available resources, but what binds them are those very objectives: to Save, to Conserve, and to Free. <br /><br />To Share? Maybe we still don’t do it quite so well. <br /><br />How then to hardwire Save, Conserve, Share and Free into the two legs? <br /><br />The challengers to civil societies would be the first to tell you that these values are not new to them. They just don’t look past their in-group sensitivities when it comes to application. (All the more ironical when civil societies adopt the same attitude they are trying to fight.) <br /><br /><b>We all have it in us to do it</b><br /><br />Then I pawed on this charming TED video on the discovery made by brain scientist Jill Bolte Taylor the morning she suffered a stroke. Like a true scientist, she didn’t panic, she said Oh cool, now I can study my own brain from the inside out. <br /><br /><object width="446" height="326"><param name="movie" value="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="bgColor" value="#ffffff"></param> <param name="flashvars" value="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/embed/JillBolteTaylor_2008-embed_high.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/JillBolteTaylor-2008.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=229" /><embed src="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf" pluginspace="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" bgColor="#ffffff" width="446" height="326" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/embed/JillBolteTaylor_2008-embed_high.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/JillBolteTaylor-2008.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=229"></embed></object><br /><br />She already knew about the very different personalities of the left and right brain. Simply put, the right brain is all about the now and how our senses gather and distill information about our environment, while the left is all about me, how I process information about the past and present to project a future. <br /><br />She hemorrhaged in the left hemisphere, felt her grasp of language slip away and fascinatingly with it, her sense of self. Her right brain took over and she floated on a sense of blissful wonder at not knowing where her body started and ended. She was at one with the world. <br /><br />Arguably, environmentalists, humanitarians and animal people feel that kind of intense connection with their surroundings everyday. It’s just how their brains work and they didn’t get a stroke to stumble on it. <br /><br />Could the contemporary emphasis on right brain development evolve a new generation more in tune with the ground they stand on and all there is on it? Can it turn the volume of the self-seeking left brain down to become a people less worried about where they started and where they end?<br /><br />Until then, it must be inconvenient for those who find others saving and conserving things that threaten their health, safety, aspirations, livelihood and decorum. There are bigger inconveniences ahead when the water rises, food prices rocket and the fish disappear. If they are not part of the solution, would they be part of the chaos?animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-66014892266497994822009-05-26T00:59:00.004+08:002009-06-03T14:47:18.364+08:00Singapore Animal Welfare Symposium 2009 IIThe Cat Welfare Society gave a presentation as part of the second panel session on Domestic Animal Welfare. It raised up our community's two main issues - that HDB allow cats to be kept as pets in flats and the reinstatement of the stray cat rehab scheme - amidst positive evidence of the effectiveness of sterilisation and a growing community of cat caregiving and advocacy in Singapore. <br /><br /><b>Can we make a cat auntie's dream come true?</b> <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3334/3553932502_5e0080314d_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3334/3553932502_5e0080314d_o.jpg" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3323/3553932572_4703073901_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3323/3553932572_4703073901_o.jpg" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2205/3553932676_215431fce4_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2205/3553932676_215431fce4_o.jpg" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3309/3553932782_469d7e4040_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3309/3553932782_469d7e4040_o.jpg" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3328/3553932884_800cf63095_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3328/3553932884_800cf63095_o.jpg" alt="" /></a><br />Since 2004, there has been a year on year drop in the number of cats surrendered and impounded. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3575/3553126231_fea792cce0_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3575/3553126231_fea792cce0_o.jpg" alt="" /></a><br />Long overdue, these caregivers are starting to receive well-deserved recognition in recent years. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3380/3553933206_67dba2b0ca_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3380/3553933206_67dba2b0ca_o.jpg" alt="" /></a><br />So, what do these community cat caregivers want? They want more eligible homes for community cats. And they want to know that their cats are safe from being indiscriminately caught and culled. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3370/3553933342_1ec8a80a65_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3370/3553933342_1ec8a80a65_o.jpg" alt="" /></a><br />While stray cat population figures show that sterilisation is effective, what it doesn’t do is reduce the number of cat nuisance complaints, which is constantly cited as one of the reasons for resisting cat-friendly policies. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3365/3553933442_4838a1dd01_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3365/3553933442_4838a1dd01_o.jpg" alt="" /></a><br />On the ground, there are many parties and their differing concerns to balance when trying to achieve an amicable level of human-animal co-existence. A lot of the resistance to the reinstating of the Stray Cat Rehab Scheme is from the town councils who are skeptical about how the scheme benefits them and also the additional workload that comes with administering the scheme. <br /><br />(AVA confirmed that if they were to bring the scheme back, it would be in a decentralised form and only with the consent of the town councils.)<br /><br />It reinforces the point that helping town councils reduce instances of human-cat conflicts is paramount in winning them over. And that is a task that CWS will take up this year. It is making plans to engage HDB, MPs and TCs and call for like-minded people in this community to come forward with inputs and support towards this campaign. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3311/3553933546_00d2a4ed70_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3311/3553933546_00d2a4ed70_o.jpg" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br />In contrast to the stray cat, stray dogs remain far less tolerated on our streets. The govt still does not recognise the same trap and neuter programme for our canine friends. Yet the pet dog trade trumps the cat anyday. <br /><br />Singapore being a free market, the govt does not interfere with the market supply of pets from breeders or in pet shops. Many advocates argued that more must be done to curb the supply, especially in the face of a growing number of abandoned pets in Singapore, many more dogs and an alarming number of pedigrees. <br /><br />This would be music to our ears certainly but as unlikely as it is that the govt will restrict the trade in pet animals, they must at least answer for how well these animal traders are being policed. It became clear that AVA relies on whistleblowing to keep these traders in check. <br /><br />As the day progressed, several areas of overlap surfaced that animal welfare groups could potentially collaborate on:<br /><br />1) Allowing more categories of pets to be kept in flats like cats and medium-sized dogs. <br />2) Regulating the loaning of traps to the public for errant cats and monkeys.<br />3) Policing of unscrupulous breeding and trading of animals. <br /><br />To their credit, AVA indicated a willingness to continue the dialogue beyond the symposium on many of the issues raised. One person from the floor said it best. She asked AVA to tell us how we, the animal welfare community, can help them make some of these long-awaited changes a reality. And this is an opportunity that AVA cannot quite afford to pass up. <br /><br />Students made up a large percentage of the audience at the symposium, many recipients of the animal protectors grant with an impressive showing at the event. These student leaders and activists with a passion for animal welfare are likely to become our next generation of veterinarians and advocates. If AVA wants these future leaders in their fold and not on the opposite side of the table, this is the time to engage them. <br /><br />And what these students want is the confidence that the govt and its policies can change. More than that, what they want is to be part of the movement that leads and that inspires the conscience of this country for animal welfare and for conservation, not trail behind it. You can just see it in their eyes.animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-21811237906449315862009-05-22T20:09:00.006+08:002009-06-03T14:47:45.331+08:00Singapore Animal Welfare Symposium 2009The 2nd annual Singapore Animal Welfare Symposium was held last Saturday 16 May 2009 at the National University of Singapore. There were 2 panel sessions, one on Wildlife in Entertainment and the other on Domestic Animal Welfare. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3554022490/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2444/3554022490_03d742e65e.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br />Various issues were brought up about animal performances and arguments were bandied about the necessary public education and awareness aspect of these performances against the moral question about whether it is humane to train animals to perform unnatural behaviors for education, entertainment and revenues. <br /><br />While this debate will certainly continue beyond the walls of the symposium, one pertinent question did come up that provides a practical handle on why rational sounding policies are so problematic when seen from the ground level. Senior-level management of entities like the Singapore Zoo and AVA, by nature of their profession and their position are grounded in a deep understanding of animal welfare issues and do, within parameters, aim to preserve and uphold these values on an organisational and national level. <br /><br />Where it often falls apart is how these policies and values are translated on a day-to-day operational level. Which begs the question, is the staff on the ground reasonably qualified, indoctrinated and trained to execute these policies and practices with the same comprehension? The answer was that there is always room for improvement. <br /><br />If improvement is what they seek, the animalfamily would like to highlight that this goes beyond the question of staff selection, qualifications and training, to empowerment. Is there sufficient empowerment for the staff to provide the kind of discernment and compassion on the ground that goes a long way on an emotional issue like animal welfare? Organisations dealing with animals certainly cannot be run like other govt agencies. Their ground staff cannot be like the many mindless administrators in so many govt offices, but be recognised and managed like what they really are, the keepers and custodians of countless lives every single working day. <br /><br /><br />I see two fronts that animal welfare advocates can and should pursue. One, to engage on a policy level, and the other, to hold agencies accountable for the execution of policies to a standard that even comes close to justifying their rationale. <br /><br />There is a temptation for advocates to lump the two and to use unacceptable ground practices to make the leap towards calling for policy about-turns. And that’s where they run into a brick wall. <br /><br />Ultimately, there is a time for discussing policy and there is a time to simply call out undesirable practices like use of withdrawal of food and coercion on performance animals and loaning traps without proper checks and investigation, for what they are - counter-intuitive to<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ava.gov.sg/AboutAVA/VisionMissionValues/" target="_blank"># Safeguarding the health of animals, fish and plants. <br /># Building a positive image and enhance community outreach.<br /># Promoting animal welfare.<br /># Optimising the utilisation and return on resources.</a> <br /><br />Because they said it, we didn't.<br /><br />(to be contd)animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-22497522480341907392009-05-12T19:07:00.009+08:002009-06-03T14:48:03.965+08:00let's start a revolutionThese are exciting times for cat welfare volunteers, supporters and activists. In the beginning, they started websites, then forums and they blogged. Now more than ever, they have organised themselves into a remarkably coherent voice for the common community cat in our communal void decks and on our collective streets. <br /><br />The woman remembers that singular moment when her flame for cat welfare was fanned into burning scorching action. That was 5 years ago when Maneki walked into her life. Back then, it was tough to get started. Cat Welfare Society helped by providing starter packets of information but because there were never enough people to start a TNRM group in this area, it didn’t make sense for CWS to come down to conduct workshops or to make contact with the town council. <br /><br />The woman had to find her own way, attend a TNRM workshop in NLB, loan a couple of traps, make herself useful to the town council officer and just get on with it. <br /><br />Blogs and bloggers certainly helped along the way but cold hard information was tough to come by to paint a coherent picture of how we arrived at the present milestones in cat welfare, who are our minor and major movers in government and civil society and what are the common goals for the future. <br /><br />It is truly only after Facebook and the flowering connections it proffered that this organically emerging animal welfare ecosystem in Singapore is crystallising in a way that this feline hopes will inspire progressive thinking and greater action in Singaporeans for us Singaporean cats. Facebook connects people, their human faces and their stories on a level that surpasses their carefully crafted words that make up websites, blogs and forums. This has done more to move bodies of knowledge around at great speeds without saying any much more than people are already doing. <br /><br />So if you haven’t found your way onto the bandwagon, maybe this is the time. <br /><br />This blog has been featuring links to other animal welfare groups in Singapore since forever, it also spots a blogroll that I have just split into a local list and the rest of the world so that it is easier to monitor our very own catty echo chamber of meows and grunts. <br /><br />If you want to join the revolution that is happening online, here is a list of Facebook groups that you can hook up with for starters. Perhaps by chance or design, we might become mutual online friends and fans and I look forward to that. <br /><br /><b>Organisations</b><br />Cat Welfare Society <a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/pages/Cat-Welfare-Society/99555921064?ref=nf" target="_blank">Page</a> / <a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=42524608516" target="_blank">Group</a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=14788206010" target="_blank">SPCA Singapore</a><br /><br /><b>Issues</b><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=102386119281#/group.php?gid=107028413083&ref=mf" target="_blank">Appeal to the AVA to Stop the Free Loan of Cat Traps</a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=41514414292" target="_blank">Cats in flats...</a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=73906796354" target="_blank">Support Pet Shops that Do Not Sell Pets</a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=44491746459" target="_blank">Stop Culling and Revive Stray Cats Rehabilitation Scheme in Singapore</a><br /><a href="http://www.thepetitionsite.com/3/stop-the-culling-of-stray-cats" target="_blank">STOP the culling of stray cats!</a><br /><br /><b>Support Groups</b><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=88441640800" target="_blank">Cat-CareGivers' Support Group</a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=102845649687" target="_blank">Cat Fosterers (Singapore)</a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=88200592992" target="_blank">TnRM (Singapore and Malaysia)</a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=59915307717" target="_blank">Singapore Adoption Group</a><br /><br /><b>Student Groups</b><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=70131542595" target="_blank">Cats Management Network</a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups.php?id=668687577#/group.php?gid=5445266249&ref=ts" target="_blank">SMU Paw</a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=8047998977" target="_blank">NUS PEACE! People Ending Animal Cruelty and Exploitation</a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=64986141531" target="_blank">NUS Cat Cafe</a><br /><br /><b>Other Groups</b><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=52485136920" target="_blank">Cat Absolut</a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=44296695694" target="_blank">Paw Pledge</a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=63795801427" target="_blank">MettaCats</a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=22752643500" target="_blank">Blessing Home</a><br /><br /><b>General</b><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=5476619693" target="_blank">Cat Lovers Singapore</a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=6107837471" target="_blank">Singapore Community Cats</a>animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-32723779711820521742009-04-27T19:36:00.007+08:002009-07-24T17:42:44.457+08:00天冷就回來the woman saw "if there're seasons" and fell in love with this liang wenfu song. <br /><br />it made me think about little old ladies and their community cats. i dedicate this to them...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3322/3479896932_56bf466054_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3322/3479896932_56bf466054_o.jpg" alt="" /></a><object width="400" height="324"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xrk7mEcT6Fc&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xrk7mEcT6Fc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="324"></embed></object><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3370/3479896980_7d0b1b5c7a.jpg?v=0"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3370/3479896980_7d0b1b5c7a.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a>animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-88474785813406305042009-04-20T13:54:00.003+08:002009-04-20T14:02:34.830+08:00rosie puts her mouth where her words are<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3458705770/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3501/3458705770_2a40301f59.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3457889773/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3496/3457889773_d3a10f1805.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3457889841/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3615/3457889841_ff760b43c5.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3458706060/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3566/3458706060_23c9f64edd.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3457890049/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3602/3457890049_32bae74b7b.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a>animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-80462197684939467742009-04-04T02:29:00.005+08:002009-06-03T14:48:37.213+08:00we are more human in a crisisThe reality of 2009 has hit home. Charity organisations are looking at their financial year-end balance sheets and balking. Donors, volunteers, are looking long and hard at their own finances and commitments. Many have lost jobs. <br /><br />Animal welfare is perhaps the hardest hit for its very nature. TNP recently threw a spotlight on a jobless man in Ang Mo Kio who has 80 stray cats under his care. Reactions to the story echo a general public sentiment that the jobless man and his kind are out of their blinking minds, spending money on CATS of all things in this crisis where so many people could use that extra lifeline. This sentiment spills over to animal welfare work on the whole. <br /><br />It often escapes them that quite simply, cats don’t eat money, nor dogs, birds, sharks or whales. We might try it for a lark but still perfectly legal tender following a rinse after regurgitation. <br /><br />We merely ingest a small measure of raw materials that money can buy. The bulk of the money spent goes right back to people, and lots of them. If spending is the way out of this crisis like we keep getting told, animal people are certainly no small part of that equation!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3395/3410109308_9ab6cff9a2_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3395/3410109308_9ab6cff9a2_o.jpg" alt="" /></a><br />Lucky for us, our caregivers are legendary for their single-minded obstinacy. No job, no money but don’t even think about suggesting that they discontinue their feeding rounds or with TNRM. They know enough from watching their cats how to gnaw the thinking parts off a cold hard household pest.<br /><br />These aunties and uncles are the very people carrying the brunt of a country’s uncertain economic future, but somewhere along the line, they rejected everything that this society has taught them and made the conscious, unwavering decision to focus on something outside of themselves rather than their own problems. <br /><br />In a crisis, they become more resourceful, more willing to ask for help, forming their own network of collaborators and sponsors, and taking advantage of all available subsidies from organisations like SPCA and the Cat Welfare Society. And they are doing it in english, in mandarin, in malay, in tamil and several dialects. <br /><br />The way a Toa Payoh caregiver sees it, “When you have money, you have no time. When you have time, you have no money.” So they go about joining the dots between the people with money and the people with time. <br /><br />All the more, they look to animal welfare organisations to provide a level playing field with their programmes and subsidies. These organisations are able to connect recipients with donors on a far larger scale than any individual or group, to the combined tune of $110,000 last year for cat sterilisation alone. This is up from $90,000 from the previous year. <br /><br />And they need to meet this growing demand in good times and in bad. <br /><br />If you are surviving the crisis with a little extra in your pocket, please consider giving to the <a href="http://www.donation.org.sg/direct%20link/call_spca_frame.html" target="_blank">SPCA</a> and the <a href="http://www.catwelfare.org/node/30" target="_blank">Cat Welfare Society</a>. Cats don’t need your money but the uncles and aunties who love us do.<br /><br /><i>Tooty would like to thank the generous people out there who contributed to the hoarding case. In particular, Cat Welfare Society, Paw Pledge and the anonymous individuals all the more noble for their anonymity. </i>animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-72319265336135469272009-03-31T11:18:00.007+08:002009-03-31T15:47:24.659+08:00good news on the rehomed, the sterilised and the released<b>the rehomed</b><br /><a href="http://myanimalfamily.blogspot.com/2008/12/slow-recovery.html" target="_blank">ah ma's conjunctivitis kitties</a> grow from this,<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3119284961/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/3119284961_b880576a59.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3200197033/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3112/3200197033_baa59fcbd6.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br />to this. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3400772190/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3434/3400772190_b11d14e09e.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br />afiq (in the background) has a squinty eye while putri has a cloudy eye. still, they are in the care of a loving extended family so it's as good as it gets. their siblings are faring just as well, one as a royal family pet and one with a mummy inspired to greater cat welfare volunteerism.<br /><br /><b>the sterilised</b><br />just out of surgery but look at him go. popped out of his picnic basket for a merry-go-round in mario's moving taxi. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3399965311/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3604/3399965311_7277ced422.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br />wonder what the people in the car behind make of this.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3399965127/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3430/3399965127_c90d493ae2.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br />safely back in a more secured cage but still acting up, shredding the newspapers and lying on his back in defiance. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3400772390/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3609/3400772390_dc73592976.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br />the woman had a bit of luck catching this one. he walked right up looking for food. but now, we are so waiting to let this constant whiner back out where you belong. <br /><br /><b>the released</b><br /><a href="http://myanimalfamily.blogspot.com/2009/03/hoarder-crisis-averted-for-now.html" target="_blank">auntie's released cats</a> are doing fine. they get plenty of food and cat auntie company (definitely more than one, including the woman). <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3399965417/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3429/3399965417_b9b65e9abd.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br />although one ginger with a knotted tail seems to be losing out in the pack. she bolts when she sees the woman and doesn't get to the food fast enough when it is left out. hope she gets her groove soon.animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-61867906764320891632009-03-28T00:29:00.013+08:002009-08-04T14:07:48.900+08:00animal hoarding in SingaporeCity density does have its advantages. No animal hoarder has been left isolated and undiscovered long enough for the situation to spiral out of complete control. Usually an irate neighbour does everyone a service by blowing their horn. <br /><br />Proximity to neighbours aside, it is probably also a reflection of our society that hoarders are kept from their irreversible slide from eccentricity to psychosis by their own tenuous but indissoluble family ties, and our wide-reaching government mechanisms. Their situations have hardly escalated to the kind of horror and devastation that are reported in bigger, more far-flung countries. <br /><br />At least as far as we know. <br /><br /><b>Animal hoarding traits and types</b><br /><br />Pet News Examiner Helena Sung provides an inventory of animal hoarding traits in her article <a href="http://www.examiner.com/x-1028-Pet-News-Examiner~y2009m3d15-What-is-animal-hoarding-Psychological-profile-of-a-dog-cat-hoarder" target="_blank">What is animal hoarding? Psychological profile of a hoarder</a>. They are used here to make a comparison of our two recent cases:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3077/3389707863_34f743a4bd_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3077/3389707863_34f743a4bd_o.jpg" alt="" /></a><br />Yesterday, the Seletar Hills multi-cat home was featured in The New Paper. Are they borderline hoarders? It is hard to say without insight into their situation. But certainly the widely reported stench is worrying. <br /><br />In most cases, hoarder caregivers are dealing with what the <a href="http://www.tufts.edu/vet/cfa/hoarding/" target="_blank">Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium</a> identifies as an <i>Overwhelmed Caregiver</i>. Their self-esteem is linked to their role as caregiver. They have some awareness of their situation, have problems triggered by change in circumstances and yet are unable to resolve them effectively. This could happen to any caregiver, even the woman, and this is the category that Auntie falls under. <br /><br />According to a HARC report, “the overwhelmed caregiver is more likely to respond to a softer, more therapeutically-oriented approach. S/he has greater insight that the situation is out of control, and may actually find some relief at the prospect of help and downsizing.” Also, threat of action from the authorities may be sufficient to reduce the likelihood of repeat offending. <br /><br />Ah Ma is trickier. She leans towards being a <i>Rescuer Hoarder</i>, whose mission to rescue leads to compulsion. She takes an active rather than passive role to acquisition and believes she is the only one who can care for them. She also has an extensive network of enablers - neighbourhood people who think she is the best resort to leaving kittens and cats on the street and even compensates her with little gifts and donations for her ‘work’.<br /> <br />If Ah Ma’s case is anything to go by, verbal persuasion, even threat of action from authorities, is unlikely to be effective with this type of hoarder. They are paranoid and they do not take kindly to criticisms. Caregivers need to spend time and energy to gain their trust, usually by injecting large doses of flattery about their compassionate nature and tireless work. <br /><br />The last type of hoarder we hope never to encounter. <i>The Exploiter Hoarder</i> is sociopathic, lacks empathy for people and animals, lacks guilt and remorse and has a need to control. <br /><br /><b>Local animal hoarding situation</b><br /><br />No one has as yet looked into the local animal hoarding problem in any great detail. Perhaps there are nuances unique to our society. Certainly, we need to build up a set of tried and true intervention methods that works in this country. Currently, there are at least 5 cases (update: 7 cases) surfaced and handled by caregivers. With a growing aging population, increasing uncertainty of a globalised economy and widespread breakdown in family bonds, we can expect more cases ahead. <br /> <br />HARC recommends a multi-disciplinary approach that focuses the law, law enforcement, animal welfare organizations health department and social service agencies on this issue. <br /><br />Right here, right now, there are just HDB by-laws, eviction letters and amateur caregivers. IMH has no answer, social services have no clue. Govt agencies have but two solutions, removal of animals or removal of said person and animals. Nothing is halting the hoarder's mental deterioration nor stopping the hoarder from repeat offending, leaving little room for preventing the suffering of the animals except with the promise of death. <br /><br /><b>A preliminary guide to hoarder intervention in Singapore</b> <br /><br />Ideally, hoarders are reconnected with their families when their situation improves. This is the case with Auntie, whose sister and niece's family have come to visit after the intervention. <br /><br />In Ah Ma’s case when reconciliation is a long rocky road, the burden on the befriending caregiver is a big one. As these hoarders largely fall into the elderly or needy boxes or both, it is not unreasonable to expect involvement by befrienders, social workers, psychologists and counselors to reach a shared commitment to this problem. Yet none has been forthcoming.<br /> <br />Until they are, we need more <a href="http://myanimalfamily.blogspot.com/2008/08/proud-to-be-cat-auntie.html" target="_blank">Jaimes and Janets</a> in Singapore. If you think you can fit into one of the roles below, please come stand with the giants and bring hope to these lonely suffering lives, on two legs and on four. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3471/3392142831_54cd65d352_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3471/3392142831_54cd65d352_o.jpg" alt="" /></a>animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-91508077170722204962009-03-23T18:25:00.008+08:002009-03-23T19:23:29.331+08:00hoarder crisis averted – for nowIt was inevitable. Our <a href="http://myanimalfamily.blogspot.com/2009/02/continuing-stroke-of-luck-with-new-tc.html" target="_blank">old hoarder neighbour</a> got her eviction letter. <br /><br />The woman negotiated with HDB to give her time to help resolve the situation, namely, the smell that caused an entire floor of residents to band together crying for blood. They gave her a week. Deadline: Today. <br /><br /><b>First visit</b><br /><br />The flat had not had a change of air in years. There was no moving air as every single window was shut to keep the cats in and prying eyes out. <br /><br />Both kitchen and yard sinks were clogged. <br /><br />While the walls and tiles were yellow with age, the space at first glance did look tidy and neat but for the bits of cat biscuits scattered by moving paws. The old woman is a cleaner and really, no one can fault her for not cleaning her flat. She sweeps and she mops relentlessly. Unfortunately, she only cleans what she can see. <br /><br />And no one taught her anything about cat litter. The cats were given a large metal cage, encrusted over the years with rust and dried shit. It had an unwieldy bottom tray that on the day of the woman’s first visit, was inch deep in cat urine. No litter, not even newspaper to soak it up. <br /><br />The woman then inspected the toyogo boxes. In every one of them were pools of age old urine seeped through when the cats had good sense to avoid their designated litter space for greener pastures. Obviously, these boxes had not been opened for years as the old woman had no idea!<br /><br />The woman’s nickname at Ah Ma’s is “Chu Liu Xiang” for being able to withstand the worst smells. This time, the woman’s eyes and nose went on strike with water pistols. <br /><br /><b>The cats</b><br /><br />The old woman started with two and they bred to double digits. Fed primarily on Friskies, they are nonetheless all healthy, full-figured with thick coats. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3378975796/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3591/3378975796_41fcb9bcf2.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br />But the woman witnessed the heartbreaking sight of a mother rejecting her babies. The old woman had to chase after her with the newborn, only to be rebuffed. One had already died and it looked like this one would not survive the night either. The place was no longer conducive for newborns and the mother knew it before the old woman did.<br /><br />So intervention could not have come too soon and the cats were sterilised in a week-long mass logistical exercise. Three were pregnant. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3378975920/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3612/3378975920_cbf69e8eea.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3378975848/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3659/3378975848_5857d305f4.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br />It was apparent even to the old woman that she could not cope with this many cats so she released some of her cats downstairs under the auspices of our TC officer and our cat feeding community. <br /><br />They are terrified of course but they will be looked out for. Whitey and Orange took turns to shield each other from loud noises. <br /><br /><b>The clean up</b><br /><br />The grills went up on the windows for air. <br /><br />Out went the cage. They saved what they could from the toyogo boxes, including some rather nice glassware and crockery, and chucked the rest. It’s a good thing this old woman is not the stubborn ox that Ah Ma is, adamant on keeping every shred of her croach-infested human history. <br /><br />The TC cleaners came for the old rusted fridge and the rotten kitchen cabinet. <br /><br />The plumber came, the painter came. <br /><br />It was something the old woman never imagined. That she could have strangers come into her flat and it would be ok. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3378975990/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3458/3378975990_c650ef1bfc.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3378157317/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3611/3378157317_7c0404f655.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br />Although these two kitties were none too happy with the invasion!<br /><br /><b>The neighbours</b> <br /><br />The neighbours also came to look in on the commotion. One thought the woman was moving in. <br /><br />It was a good opportunity to ask them for their understanding of the old woman’s situation. Obviously, no one knew she was alone with no children, looking after a retarded brother. <br /><br />They in fact, came to their own conclusion that it was not possible to take away all the old woman’s cats without causing her much pain and suffering and finally only asked that the situation with the smell be resolved. <br /><br />One neighbour even spoke up to say that even though she was affected, she would not complain against a lonely old woman, causing some sheepish looks from the others. <br /><br />All in all, the situation still needs to be carefully monitored to assuage neighbourly frayed nerves. The HDB officer is giving her a second chance and we need to cherish it.animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-4851788515242766262009-03-16T13:25:00.005+08:002009-03-19T15:06:24.435+08:00Smalley in the Hedge<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3358417007/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3015/3358417007_6f9dbf2551.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3366773157/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3623/3366773157_d250d4c1c5.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3358417147/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3641/3358417147_eccd62ff14.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3359234626/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3071/3359234626_63e3d67984.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3359234672/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3241/3359234672_cf9f84f9e1.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3358417311/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3637/3358417311_22ee98499e.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3358417409/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3567/3358417409_9bf00a3137.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3359234884/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3564/3359234884_0412caab9c.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3359234958/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3578/3359234958_5eb0122339.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a>animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-42416797075999622942009-03-12T19:31:00.004+08:002009-03-12T19:41:14.193+08:00cat abuse at choa chu kangThe <a href="http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/printfriendly/0,4139,194594,00.html" target="_blank">'worst case of cat mutilation'</a> was discovered at Blk 550 Choa Chu Kang on Street 52 on 21 Feb 2009. <br /><br />Last Sunday, a group of us went door to door in the vicinity to see what information we could find about the case as well as to ask the residents to participate in a petition for more security measures to be put in place in the area. <br /><br />Most of the residents were not aware of what had happened in their neighbourhood, although a few had seen the SPCA reward posters on the notice boards or read the TNP article. But after being told what happened to the cat, many were noticeably shaken and eager to ask for something to be done. <br /><br />This was not a case of a misguided hot-headed or frightened individual protecting themselves or their territory from an errant cat. Appalling as those cases are, many might shake their heads but ultimately, find no real bearing on their own safety. This crime on their doorstep is a grotesquely meticulous, pre-meditated act with a highly lethal weapon, very much the work of a troubled individual seeking release in the worst possible way. Enough studies have shown the correlation of such violence against animals to violence against humans and that message has made more than a few residents sit up and take notice. <br /><br />And this was not an isolated case in Choa Chu Kang. Equally gruesome was the pregnant tri-colour cat found on 29 Nov 2008 at Blk 130 Choa Chu Kang Ave 1 with her stomach slit open and guts hanging out. That makes two cases in Choa Chu Kang where mutilation with a knife or sharp object is evident. Over the years in that estate, the caregiver has found and cared for countless more injured or dead cats, bashed in, run over by bicycles, thrown from high floors. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/55709158@N00/3349101620/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3603/3349101620_764c3481f9.jpg?v=0" alt="" /></a><br />Statistics on animal abuse in Singapore number in the hundreds every year – 800 on average. Most of these are pet-related, outcomes of irresponsibility, negligence and plain old stupidity. These perpetrators are usually ordinary people with some vital deficiency and we know there are too many of them littering the earth. If education, threat of fines and public humiliation cannot get through to them, well, let’s hope there are enough busybodies in this world to call them out on their shortcomings.<br /><br />Just as importantly, we need to take a magnifying glass to the actual number of violent crimes committed against animals every year and the mode of abuse. We’d like to think the individuals who would take these actions are few but they are also gallingly hard to apprehend. Better profiling and records can make all the difference. Perhaps SPCA or the police are monitoring these cases but as a lay person, the woman was not able to get much more information than the yearly reported statistics. <br /><br />Hand in hand with that, we would like to remind people to report all abuse cases to SPCA or to the police, if only so that a comprehensive database of abuse can be built that might force authorities to take closer notice of this insidious underlying threat to society. It might one day even help build a case against a perpetrator. <br /><br />As the woman was assigned the block directly next to Blk 550, she and another volunteer encountered quite a few households who heard distressed cat cries several nights in a row around the time the body of the kitten was found. Their hearts sank when they heard this. One young girl who told them about the cries was also visibly cut up. Let’s hope she never hears those cries again in her neighbourhood.animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14997057.post-47462992227027798282009-02-28T03:02:00.004+08:002009-02-28T03:55:15.429+08:00conversations on cat welfare IISeveral significant connections were made at the cat welfare meeting between active individuals immersed in cat management in one way or another – TNRM, rescue, fostering, feeding. <br /><br />Beyond cat management practices, potential advocacy and education/awareness platforms were shared and discussed. These ideas are being ironed out before they can be usefully shared. There is one they can start working on that will benefit from inputs from the wider cat community – you. <br /><br />They plan to produce and disseminate a smart little booklet for general public consumption. More specifically, for people who don’t like cats. The booklet will educate, entertain and more importantly, provide practical, humane solutions for avoiding cat encounters on the streets and on their lawns. <br /><br />This, it is hoped, will work towards reducing human-cat conflicts. Working on it might even open cat advocators’ eyes to the predicaments of those who find us less than adorable, even sinister and menacing. Frustrating as their phobias and prejudices are, bashing them really hasn’t gotten us any further along in our goals of getting cats into HDB flats and for the government to stop culling. Satisfying, yes but here’s the much needed Plan B. <br /><br />Through the next few weeks, drafts of the book will be put up on this blog for comments. The woman’s initial thinking is that it will be in a no-nonsense B/W format downloadable online, also easily printed on any printer by anyone and freely given out to family, colleagues and neighbours. <br /><br />Owing to her animal welfare and eco interests, the woman has had the good fortune of meeting many socially conscious, passionate people like the cat activists and volunteers who attended “Conversations”. Justifiably, she has been encouraged to think that perhaps people in Singapore of her age and younger are differentiating themselves from those before them by becoming more engaged and more involved in the social and in the political. <br /><br />If you think the same, you would be wrong. Findings from a recent study on local Y-Gen’s attitudes will knock you off your feet. Y-Geners (born 1977 to 1997) are found to be a very pragmatic lot – they want remuneration for their work. No surprises there. Yet while ability to make decisions and implement changes is cited as the main reason for choosing not to work for the government, a whopping 77% indicated that they should not have a voice/say in any government policies. <br /><br />So let there be no lingering delusions of grandeur for us rabble-rousers. We have no audience. If the message is too robust for local sensitivities, we will be like a posthumously decorated JBJ making his final stand outside Raffles City, ignored. <br /><br />That's why the book idea is worth a fair shot. Cat advocators need to speak the regular language of the general population and of the government. As important as words like ‘compassion’, ‘karma’ and ‘rights’ are, they really only work in novels, on TV series and in America. They don’t work in campaigns, on letters and in forums simply because they are too elusive, too vague to bridge the psychological gaps between the 23% and the larger 77%. we need grounded words like 'responsibility', 'co-operation' and 'mutual benefit'. It’s worth thinking about.animalfamilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880736818627326462noreply@blogger.com0