Donna fielding questions from reporters at her open house.
KUCHING: Sarawak Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) plans to set up a low cost pet neutering clinic to help the urban low income group and rural pet owners, and registered animal rescuers to neuter and spay their animals, said its president Datin Donna Drury-Wee.
She said the clinic has been approved in principle by both Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Local Government and Housing Minister Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian, and supported by both their ministries.
“We hope that once the low cost neutering clinic is in operation, we can get volunteer veterinarians to come in and send them to small towns, because during rabies operation, the Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak has told us that a lot of longhouses are requesting for neutering services,” she said when met at her Chinese New Year Open House yesterday.
She added that she has a place in mind, and after the Chinese New Year celebration, she will visit the venue owners to discuss a proposal on using the place for the low cost neutering clinic. She hopes that the owner can let SSPCA to use the place without any rental, as a corporate social responsibility project.
She pointed out the only way to reduce strays on the streets besides having responsible owners, is through neutering.
“If you don’t want puppies and kittens, you must neuter your pets. If not, every five months you have a new set of litter.”
She said: “Rabies also spike during every breeding season, because that is when the animals are going out and fighting for their mates, so this is how the disease spread as well. So please be responsible, if you don’t want anymore animals, no more dogs, no more kittens, please neuter your pets, because that is how we reduces disease, reduce unwanted animals that can cause nuisance to neighbours.”
She said the low cost neutering clinic will be set up before the full concept animal village, and will be shifted to the village once it is built.
Earlier, she said the state-of-the-art Animal Village costs RM5 million, and will include an education centre, boarding facility, full kennel facility and six quarters for visiting vets. SSPCA has asked international and local vets to come and volunteer their services.
“The whole project needs RM5 million. If we can’t raise it, then we will build it in phases, depending on how much money we have. We have two contractors we are discussing the project with.”
“The village’s plans is with the Land and Survey Department. Depending on how fast we can do fundraising, the fastest is 18 to 20 months, from planning, approval and tender.”
She said the ground breaking for the two-acre land for the village was held September last year.
The village is located at Sungai Tapang, about seven-kilometre from the Kuching International Airport, and it would be able to cater to about 170 cats and dogs at any one time.