Some 600 turn up for requiem for victims of rabies crisis
KUCHING: Save Our Strays ( SOS) Kuching had an overwhelming response for the first requiem for victims of the rabies crisis recently with some 600 people turning up.
This sent a strong message to the community of Kuching — no matter what creed, religion or beliefs that the people here have always strived towards a society of kindness to all life.
The event was created in light of the recent rabies outbreak and the ensuing events that occurred as a result of it. Since July this year, over 1,000 canine and seven human lives have been lost. It is believed that most of the thousand plus dogs which were euthanised were rabies-free, said SOS Kuching spokesperson Kitty Chin.
“As a humane association for the welfare of animals, particularly that of strays, SOS Kuching decided to organise ‘ Requiem for the Victims of the Rabies Crisis’ to spread the following messages to the communities of Kuching, Padawan, Kota Samarahan, Siburan, Serian and beyond: We would like to see Kuching unity in solidarity to mourn, remember and respect all the lives lost because of the outbreak, both human and canine. All life is precious and valuable, no matter what species. It is a reflection of our society whether we reflect our true goodness and kindness, especially in the way we treat animals,” she said at the event.
“Rabies can be managed and controlled. The key is vaccination, not euthanasia. Countries like Singapore, Thailand, USA, Australia and most of the world manage and control the disease through vaccination. When strays are vaccinated, they become a wall of protection, preventing the virus from spreading. But if they are captured and killed, the virus will only continue to spread. This is a proven management approach, especially in places like Bali, Indonesia.”
She pointed out that there is no point in harming healthy strays. When the public makes a complaint to have dogs picked up, it means certain death for them, often in highly stressful and terrifying conditions.
“We are not a cruel society. We can work through this by cooperation and support. The way to overcome this is to practise compassion and patience. Most important of all, SOS would like to extend their full collaboration and support to the authorities to manage this situation by learning from other places which have successfully curbed the problem through vaccination and responsible management and handling of stray dogs.”
Through it all, SOS Kuching has seen great kindness from people who have shown support to them. They have had volunteers come to help, while others give support through supporting medical treatment for strays, as well as hands- on support for the event itself, she said.
Core to the event was the lighting of 999 candles for all the lives lost. At precisely 9.09pm, these 999 candles were fully lit and a minute of silence observed. The number ‘9’ means ‘dog’ in all the Chinese dialects. It also means longevity.
This was a one- of-a-kind event where the spirit of compassion and respect for all life was the core theme. Acoustic music to suit the mood of the evening was played on stage throughout the night.
There was also an open mic session for everyone to share their stories of pain and joy during the outbreak. Pictures of departed fur-friends were posted on a special memorial board. There was even a corner for rescued animals that can be claimed or adopted.