Oh, Malaysians, stop barking and start biting
As published in Malay Mail today.
MY
name is Fluffy Singh. Contrary to popular belief, my diet does not
comprise of chapati or ghee, although I do enjoy the occasional yogurt.
I
will turn six come January 13. That’s 42 human years. People refer to
me as a Golden Retriever but I don’t really care. I’m not ‘racist’.
Regardless of my breed, colour or size, I am a dog. Period.
But this is not about me. It is about my fellow four-legged furry friends and other animals out there.
Humans
have a wide range of vocabulary when referring to us – from “so cute”
to “get lost”. We are treated like second, no wait, third class
citizens. The laws remain unfair. No one fights for our rights but for a
small section of the society. Their voices too remain unheard most of
the time.
Some of you claim to sympathise with us by being
vocal on Facebook or Twitter. But you quickly move on. As they say,
barking dogs never bite.
It is difficult for us to pen our thoughts as laptops and smart phones do not cater for our paws.
I’m
struggling to write this – not only to construct sentences but to deal
with emotions as I recap the list of inhumane things you humans have
done to my brothers and sisters.
• In 2011, a
toy poodle Sushi was clearly abused by one of your kind who wanted to
train it to stand on its hind legs. The video went viral on Facebook.
•
In 2012, 30 cats were left unattended at a pet hotel in Damansara
Damai, resulting in them dehydrated, starving and covered in faeces.
Eight eventually died. The High Court had sentenced the owners to three
months jail and RM6,000 fine each. A cat has nine lives, but the jail
time and fines would not bring the eight back.
•
14 pygmy elephants were found dead at a forest reserve near Tawau,
Sabah in January 2013. They were severely poisoned as chemical analysis
by the Queensland Biosecurity Sciences Laboratory, Department of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in Australia showed the remains
contained high levels of heavy metal.
• A
Malayan sun bear and an Arabian stallion at the Malacca Zoo and Night
Safari were poisoned by a disgruntled man February last year.
• Gruesome videos of how dog catchers, contracted by local councils, nab dogs, some dying in the process.
• A cat rescued by Zero Strays Miri had a marble stuck inside its eye earlier this year.
• Man shoots a dog with a bow and arrow in May.
• Pictures of man placing a dog in a washing machine, claiming it is the best way to clean it, goes viral recently.
• Malay Mail had on Monday reported about a viral video showing a young boy killing a puppy viciously.
The list can go on. I’m sure you have read many more.
Why
do you need us to do tricks? To impress your friends? Do you train your
child to roll over or fetch?
We’re not characters in a circus. You
humans, through your funny politicians, make better entertainers than us
animals.
You can debate until the cows come home but without
strict enforcement it will be just mere talk. What has happened to the
Animal Welfare Bill, I wonder?
Is there any form of education? You humans claim to be religious but see no harm in hurting another living being.
We are restricted in most places. Where is the freedom?
Then
again you discriminate against your own kind, especially the
handicapped. Ask Malaysia’s first trained guide dog Lashawn and his
visually impaired friend Steven Chan and they will tell you how
frustrating it is to get around the Klang Valley.
Thankfully,
we have Mohd Kamil Affendy Hashim or better known as Eddie. He is a taxi
driver from Setapak who is willing to ferry dogs or cats from one
destination to another. And he’s pretty cool about it too.
If a dog bites a man or a cat scratches a child, you have plenty to say. Do the victims admit they had provoked the animals?
But what about our furry friends that are knocked down or brutally murdered daily? You keep silent about it.
Unlike you humans who merely tolerate each other, we animals respect each other. We respect territories. We know our boundaries.
We
deserve a place in this society. We have every right to live as you do.
We don’t have high expectations or are materialistic. As long as we
have enough of food and space to run around, we are happy. Some of us
are lucky enough to get a nice scrub on our bellies.
To the lawmakers, please hear our barks and meows.
Many of us do not live long and we would like to enjoy every second of it.
Please find it in your hearts to love us … because no matter what, we still love you.
Fluffy
is an obedient and loving dog who stays with Malay Mail editor
(investigations and special projects) Haresh Deol. He can be reached
through Haresh at haresh@mmail.com.my or on Twitter @HareshDeol
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