The current method of management of stray animals in Malaysia is to capture and kill. However, it has been proven in many countries (as well as our own) that capturing and killing does not solve the problem. Capturing creates a vacuum in the eco-system and by doing so, other strays will re-colonise that vacuum, and the problem continues for generations.
We strongly believe that a long term solution is via CNRM, which is adapted from TNR, a practice already widely implemented in many, many other countries.
With CNRM in practice, we hope to achieve the following:
1. Control the stray population through CNRM.
2. Reduce the number of complaints from the public once the stray population is under control.
What is CNRM?
C = Care
N = Neuter
R = Rehome or Return to colony
M = Manage
Care – We start by caring for the street animals, ie. taking an interest in their wellbeing and feeding them.
Neuter – Bring the animals to a vet of your choice vets for neutering (if you need a subsidy, we will provide). Spayed females are ear-notched to indicate that they have been spayed. This prevents them from being re-captured and opened up again. Neutered males are easily identified by the absence of the testicles. Ear-notching of females is strongly encouraged under our CNRM programme.
Rehome – We help you publicise on our blog myanimalcare.org for rehoming, you help to ask friends and publicise on the many rehoming portals like www.petfinder.my
Return to colony – Failing to rehome, the next best option is to return the neutered animals to the colony. Returning them to the same colony helps preserve the eco-system and prevents the re-colonisation by other un-neutered strays from outside. By doing so, the number of street animals in the colony is maintained as these neutered animals will not breed anymore. They live on until their they pass away naturally. There is no need to kill. However, in Malaysia, we do not encourage returning adult dogs to the colony because there are likely to be complaints from the public and they would be re-captured.
Manage – Continue to look after the animals in the colony. Bring them to our vets when they are sick (we subsidise the medical bill). If an animal passes away and a new animal enters the colony, repeat the CNRM process.
One-Street CNRM – An Invitation to everyone!
We propose that interested individuals start with the strays animals on their own street.
Here’s what you need to do
1. Talk to your neighbours about CNRM, and explain the benefits.
2. Get a few neighbours who are willing to do the catching and/or trapping. You can borrow the traps from your local council.
3. We will provide a subsidy for neutering. You choose your own vet.
4. Once the animal is caught, fast the animal for 8 hours, If you wish to apply for a subsidy, liaise with me immediately and send me a photo of the animal by email (http://myanimalcare.org/contact/).
5. Bring the animal in to the clinic, and collect the animal by evening. Males can be returned to the colony. Females should be fostered for at least 3 days before being released.
6. To claim a subsidy, fill up the form and post it together with the original receipt to me. Details and form: http://myanimalcare.org/subsidy/
7. We promote RETURN TO COLONY because it is not easy to keep getting animals adopted out. It is best if the whole street agrees that the spayed-neutered animals (with ears notched) will be allowed to live on and no one will call in to complain about them. Let’s aim for 100% support from one street first. If we can’t get 100%, then at least reduced complaints? I believe if we explain to our neighbours that neutered animals will not breed anymore, some may be tolerant. Some, not all, but some is better than none.
8. If you could REHOME the animals, that’s even better, of course. But we may have to return to colony, to be realistic. It is not so easy to rehome adult animals.
It’s easier to talk to a smaller group of people and get their consent. Hence, start with your own street. From one street, we hope the idea catches on to the whole neighbourhood, in time.
What happens to the animals
a. A neutered community animal will have its ear notched as an indication so that it will not be re-captured. Notching = a small V-cut on its right ear.
b. Pregnant animals will NOT be spayed.
Why we RETURN TO COLONY
i. It is not easy to rehome so many stray animals.
ii. By returning to the colony, we preserve the eco-system by preventing the re-colonisation of unneutered strays. Hence, we return the neutered animals to its original environment to let them live out their natural lives (without breeding).
Our aim is to work with and help small-time rescuers and feeders who are keen to help the animals on their streets or in their neighbourhood.
AnimalCare is funded by friends, well-wishers and readers of our blog. We have no corporate sponsorship. It does not take that much to start off such a programme. All it takes is the heart to do it, and the passion to persevere.
We strongly encourage you to start off a similar programme in your neighbourhood. Start small. For each animal that is neutered, HUNDREDS of unwanted births and untold suffering can be prevented.
The street animals need our help.
Please help us to help them.
Street animals are being killed because people complain about them. Stop the complaints, and the killing will stop. We will do our part by controlling the population of the strays through CNRM.
Live and let live, please.
This earth belongs to the animals as well.
Our Hope
We hope more people will see the need to implement CNRM as a long-term solution to the stray animal problem. Hands-on participation is most appreciated by those who can. For those who cannot, we hope you will support those who can in other ways.
To those who find street animals a nuisance and a pest in your neighbourhood, we appeal for your kind understanding that animals do not know any better and hence, cannot be expected to behave as we want them to; we appeal to your good heart to please not complain as it would cost them their lives. There are other ways to keep the animals from straying into your compound (wire netting, lemon, citrus scents, etc.) Please do not put in a complaint to the local council. Animals will be killed as a result of that one phonecall to complain.
Our Appeal to the Local Councils & the Authorities
We appeal to the local councils to work together with us by NOT capturing ear-notched animals. If the councils agree, we will ear-notch the males as well so that all neutered animals can be identified by sight.
We appeal to the authorities to use the media to promote a more gracious way of life where humans and animals live peacefully and harmoniously; where humans take the more gracious stand of not harming the animals.
Conclusion
CNRM (widely known as TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return)) has been successfully practised in many Western countries as well as in Sri Lanka, Bali, India, Thailand, Singapore, Dubai, Qatar and Kuwait. It is definitely one of the most humane and compassionate ways for stray animal management.
Street animals will become community animals where they are cared for and looked after by the residents.
Killing is never a solution to any problem.
What goes around, comes around.
Please support our efforts through your active participation in this programme. Please help us spread the word and send this link out as widely as you can.
This earth belongs to the animals too.
Let’s live harmoniously with them and help them.
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