Edward (fifth left) and Yeo (fifth right) with participants of the charity walk yesterday.
KOTA KINABALU: The number of complaints on stray animals received by Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) decreased by 44 cases last year.
Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister, Datuk Edward Yong Oui Fah, said this yesterday before flagging off the ‘Walk For Animals’ 2014 charity walk co-organized by DBKK and the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Kota Kinabalu (SPCAKK).
“The total number of complaints received in 2013 was 247 cases, compared to 291 cases that City Hall received in 2012,” he said.
Yong added that City Hall had been collaborating with the SPCAKK in the ‘Trap, Neuter and Release’ programme which is intended to neuter and spay stray animals, before releasing them into the streets as a preventive method to curb the proliferation of more strays.
“To date, the joint effort between SPCAKK and City Hall has seen the neutering of 32 dogs in the Tanjung Aru area and 28 dogs in other industrial and commercial areas,” he said.
Meanwhile, Yong said that ensuring the city is free from stray animals is one of the measures to maintain the safety and orderliness of a city.
Also present at the event was DBKK director-general Datuk Yeo Boon Hai.
Animal lovers from all walks of life gathered for the three-kilometre charity walk to support and raise awareness on animal welfare here yesterday at Tanjung Aru First Beach.
The charity walk was also aimed at raising funds for a project to relocate the current SPCAKK adoption centre, which has been severely affected by flash floods and mudslides.
“Relocating our animals to a dryer and safer place is now our urgent focus,” said SPCAKK’s eead of education, Dr Roslee Abbas, on behalf for its president, Henny Liew.
Faridah Malai, a lifetime SPCAKK member, lauded the efforts by the SPCA to educate the public on animal welfare through the charity walk.
“A lot of us still do not understand that animals are a lot like humans. It’s really important to show compassion to animals and I think this would reflect the goodness of our country,” she said.
Faridah feeds and houses about 50 stray cats and dogs on her own accord and expenses while owning four cats of her own.
“There are a lot of strays on the streets but I believe a way to solve this is through the trap and neuter program,” she said, adding that it is one of the ways to prevent more strays.
Meanwhile, another SPCAKK member, Ong En Oi, also joined the walk to support the cause with her sister, Nurmina Nawali and other family members.
Ong houses 17 cats, some of which are adopted and from people who have decided that they did not want them as pets anymore.
She said the cats, which she has kept since 2001, are kept in a separate house which she has built behind her residence.
Nurmina affectionately said that cats around the housing area seemed to know that her sister’s home is a refuge, while supporting her (Ong’s) efforts to spay and neuter all her cats.
Others such as Azizah Yusop, while not having pets of her own, still believes that the charity walk can help raise public awareness on animal rights issues.
Rozah Mahmud, meanwhile, hopes that increased education and awareness will help others develop empathy towards animals.