The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Selangor says more pet owners and Malaysians are generally aware of animal welfare, as evident in Taman Sri Muda, Shah Alam, which was recently ravaged by floods.
Its chairman, Christine Chin, expressed sadness at the loss of human, and animal lives in the floods that swept through various parts of the nation, including Selangor, two weeks ago.
However, she was comforted to see that animal welfare was also a priority for many, judging from the steady stream of volunteers who turned up to help the SPCA when they set up camp in Taman Sri Muda.
“We started (our camp) on Dec 21 and partnered with Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). UPM set up a temporary clinic with some 10 to 12 vets, while we organised the volunteers,” said Chin.
“The response we got from animal lovers was overwhelming. We had a steady stream of people, between 20 and 30 daily, wanting to assist us. There was one day, where we had three times that number.”
Chin said the volunteers were given a 30-minute briefing before carrying out their tasks, which included scouring the neighbourhood and the surrounding areas to help trapped animals, or to get injured animals to safety.
“We managed to attend to, and treat some 600 cats and about 100 dogs.”
She said most of the animals were treated for skin issues and bad sores, although there were a couple of cases where the animals had lost their eyes.
“We also managed to feed some 4,000 animals while we were there … dogs, cats, chickens, you name it …,” Chin said.
“Some of the dogs made it to the top of the roofs. It’s amazing how they did it. Some were aggressive and we couldn’t get them down, so we sent food to them daily, instead.”
Chin thanked Pet World Marketing for sponsoring RM15,000 worth of food for the animals in the area.
“We were proactive and set up operations in the area early. We also saw Malaysians caring for animals, and volunteering to help. It just cements the fact that people have animals in their hearts and are willing to help.
“It was a well-structured and coordinated affair, and we would like to thank everyone who helped, especially the volunteers.”
For Chin, it was the first time that she had experienced such a disaster of that scale and magnitude.
“I’ve never seen anything like this in my life. The deluge was scary, and the aftermath, with garbage piled up everywhere … It was like a war zone.
“But it was the human spirit that touched me. Volunteers came out in full force, helping to clean up roads and homes. In fact, some of the victims remained positive, even after losing so much.
“It’s heart-warming to see people coming together and looking out for one another and for the animals,” she added.
Images and video by SPCA Selangor and Christine Chin.
