A Friend For Life
Executive Director of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( SPCA), Singapore, DR JAIPAL SINGH GILL, answers our questions about the shelter’s new Sungei Tengah premises, and how the public can help lower the stray animal population.
Why did the SPCA move and what’s new about these facilities?
Our lease at our previous site in Mount Vernon was expiring and so, after 32 years of operating there, we had to move. However, our new welfare centre can house even more animals and also includes dog runs and socialisation areas for prospective adopters and animals. We now have a physical shop front, too, and we’re currently working to increase the range of our merchandise; thankfully, we have also been blessed with vendors who are supportive of our work. Then there are the dedicated areas such as our education pavilion and education centre that are specially designed for education programmes, training workshops and events.
Tell us more about these educational services on offer.
We believe education will change the future, and we have therefore dedicated two large spaces at our new premises to help promote a more compassionate society in Singapore. These areas will serve to educate the public about animal welfare issues and inform them on how they can help.
Why is animal overpopulation still an issue, and what can we do to help?
Healthy and treatable companion animals such as dogs, cats and rabbits are currently losing their lives because there aren’t enough homes for them, but this is preventable. There are many factors that contribute to overpopulation, including the breeding of pets – there is currently no restriction on the breeding and importation of companion animals for sale in Singapore.
Then there’s the sale of pets, which largely occurs with little regard for whether the buyer is prepared to care for the animal, leading to impulse purchases, which increases the risk of an animal being subsequently given up.
“Healthy and treatable companion animals such as dogs, cats and rabbits are currently losing their lives because there are not enough homes for them”
There are many underlying reasons why owners give up or abandon their pets. Some don’t realise the effort or cost that goes into keeping a pet, the novelty has worn off, there are too many animals to care for due to unwanted litters, there is frustration from behavioural problems, or an unwillingness or inability to pay high veterinary fees.
Finally, while the number of community (stray) dogs and cats has been significantly reduced after years of intensive sterilisation efforts, uncontrolled breeding is still adding to the numbers needing to be rehomed.
How is the SPCA addressing this problem?
The SPCA launched a new initiative, Getting to Zero, in June, with the goal of getting the euthanasia of healthy and treatable companion animals in Singapore down to zero. This will be achievable with the vital support of multiple partners we hope to collaborate with, such as veterinary practices, pet retailers, dog trainers, animal welfare groups, community animal caregivers, government agencies and pet owners.
We plan to get Singapore to zero by focusing on education, legislative change, support for pet owners and community effort. All of these components are necessary to address the complex problem of pet overpopulation.
How can the public help?
Individuals can certainly play their part by choosing to adopt a pet instead of buying – so spread the word to your family and friends. Be a responsible pet owner who keeps your pet for life, and do not let your pets produce unwanted litters that will add to the overpopulation.
While individual effort is very important, systemic change in our pet industry is also required. Animals are not products to be sold without regard for their welfare. It is time we restricted the number of pets that can be bred and imported for sale in Singapore.
Certified animal behaviour consultant BARBARA WRIGHT explains why happy chickens matter, and runs through the choices for people who want to buy free-range eggs.
As major food producers and restaurant chains around the world continue to commit to using exclusively free- range eggs, and authorities debate the tightening of free-range certification requirements, in Singapore the awareness about humane animal farming is only in its infancy.
When I moved here this year (leaving our four free-range, egg-laying chickens behind in Sydney) it was a shock to me that free-range eggs were not readily available. Supermarkets are stocked with world-class products from across the globe, which cater to almost every cuisine, but ethically produced eggs were, to use a fitting pun, like hen’s teeth. It became my mission to understand this situation and discover the best options to buy eggs from happy chickens.
What are factory hens?
The bulk of commercially available eggs in Southeast Asia are sourced from battery or factory hens. Consumers do not see the incredible cruelty of the egg factories, where five or more hens may be crammed into a cage that wouldn’t allow even one to comfortably stretch her wings. They live on slanted wire mesh covered with their own manure as well as manure that drips down on them from the cages above. Some farms prevent them pecking each other by chopping off their beaks. Sick, featherless and unable to stand on their brittle bones, they are nothing more than egg-laying machines. And, since only female chicks are of use for laying eggs, male chicks are disposed of.
Why are free-range chicken eggs and meat not easily available in Singapore?
Due to strict regulations here, the closest to “certified free range” one can currently buy are “cage free eggs”. This means the hens are in a barn, able to roam freely, and perform natural behaviours like scratching, bathing and pecking, as well as interacting with each other. This is a far cry from the cramped and inhumane conditions of caged hens.
The Agri-food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) only allows the importation of poultry from barn-type houses (that is, cage-free) as long as the facilities are fully enclosed, bird-proof and able to meet bio-security requirements. This closed environment is needed to mitigate the risk of disease – for example, to guard against poultry potentially coming into contact with wild birds and their droppings and being exposed to potential contamination such as avian influenza or salmonella.
Contrary to common belief, there is no evidence that “kampong eggs” sold in Singapore are in fact from free-roaming chickens. The term kampong is a designation of a chicken breed – chickens that are often kept in small-cage environments.
There is also not a high public demand for free-range eggs and chicken meat in Southeast Asia. This is partly due to a general lack of public information about the poor living conditions of caged chickens. Organisations like ACRES (Animal Concerns, Research and Education Society) make a big effort to work closely with industry bodies and businesses to improve the