IPOH: THE Ipoh Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) is organising a Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) or Rehome Stray Neutering Programme from 9am to 2pm on Dec 7 at Dewan Orang Ramai, Gunung Rapat, here.
The animal welfare society will be providing neutering or spaying services at RM50 per animal, which is half the market price.
Each person is entitled to bring two animals, either a stray or their own pet, for spaying.
The animals undergoing the programme must be six months or older and in good health.
After neutering, the animals must be looked after for three days before they are released in the areas where they were found.
The public are welcome to adopt a pet on that day.
ISPCA (Ipoh) president Ricky Soong said the event aimed to create awareness on the importance of TNR which could help to keep the population of stray animals in the city under control.
“According to our records, there are about 30,000 stray dogs in Ipoh alone. We have neutered 650 stray cats and dogs since July.
“We hope to reduce strays in the city by running the TNR educational programme for the public,” he said.
ISPCA (Ipoh) adviser Dr Goh Hue Lang said the society’s animal shelter was full and could not afford to take in any more strays.
“We spend RM20,000 each month to look after these animals and pay a maintenance fee for the shelter,” he said.
“We depend on public donations to keep the shelter going. There are now a total of 300 cats and dogs.
“We hope the public will adopt some of the animals.”
Ipoh City councillor (for the Gunung Rapat zone) Low Leong Sin said he would be assisting the society to promote TNR to the council as a more humane method to deal with strays.
“I was made to understand that the stray dogs caught by the council are relocated to a piece of vacant land in Papan.
“The dogs left there cannot survive as there is no food or water there.
“Therefore, I propose that the city council set up an Animal Fund to help subsidise TNR for these strays and release them where they are found instead of abandoning them on a vacant land,” he said.
For information, log on to www.facebook.com/ispca.