NGO Says Animal Abuse Cases Have Increased During Lockdown

By Ammar Haziq  •  10 Jun 2021 in News

Thirsty for JUICE content? Quench your cravings on our Instagram, TikTok and WhatsApp

Ever since the total lockdown was imposed on 1 June 2021, there have been many cases of animal abuse that NGO, Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar (SAFM) has encountered.

SAFM president R Kalaivanan said before the lockdown, they would receive a complaint of animal abuse once every three to four days but now, there is an increased number of reports involving stray animals and pets in the last 10 days.

“But since the lockdown, we have received numerous complaints of abuse and the most we got was for complaints in a single day,” he said according to FMT.

As people’s incomes are affected by the lockdown, Kalaivanan said more people are now abandoning their pets since they can’t bear the cost of taking care of them.

“Medication and food for a pet can cost RM150 a month. For some who have lost their incomes, RM150 is a lot, so they choose to abandon their pets instead of tightening their belts,” he said.

He said domesticated animals don’t know how to fend for themselves when thrown out onto the streets. He advises that if you can no longer afford to take care of them, reach out to relatives, friends, animal shelters or NGOs.

Kalaivanan said it’s been financially tough for SAFM to help care for the strays, especially when it comes to food and medicine since donors prioritise helping people instead of stray animals.

“Even getting RM100 a day is difficult. We are not blaming anyone, but we know that during the lockdown, many are focused on their own survival,” he said.

If you wish to help, check out Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar on Facebook or visit their official website.