Curb animal smuggling with deterrent sentences
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Mar 25, 2011 - Straits Times
MONDAY'S report ('Animal smuggling on the rise') reveals the scale of this illegal trade and it is evident that animal smugglers are making a mint, and think nothing of the risks involved.
Singapore's location and accessibility, together with high overall consumer demand, make it a lucrative centre for transhipment or local sales.
One vital factor to bear in mind is the cost to the animals themselves. Birds packed tightly into narrow cylinders is just but one example, with many dying during the journey.
It is a cruel trade that will be difficult to tackle unless consumers everywhere refrain from hankering after a cheap deal or from desiring to own a living being because of its novel appeal.
The authorities must monitor animal smuggling vigorously and impose deterrent sentences.
If animal lovers wish to own a pet, consider adopting from our shelter or from another animal welfare group.
The public should research thoroughly and establish the source of a pet if they choose to buy one commercially.
This will go a long way to help alleviate the suffering of many animals exploited in the illegal pet trade.
Deirdre Moss (Ms)
Executive Director
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals -
harsh terms will deter smuggling and hopefully nature can recover a bit.
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Harsher terms? It's a good idea... We shld deal those criminal harshly...
However, if there are harsher sentence then sure will have some groups of ppl who "love" to take the chance to write to the newspaper, forum, everywhere asking for petition and shyt, saying the term is too harsh etc etc...
But still I agree... Harsher terms... especially to those animal abuser...
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Originally posted by ^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~:
Harsher terms? It's a good idea... We shld deal those criminal harshly...
However, if there are harsher sentence then sure will have some groups of ppl who "love" to take the chance to write to the newspaper, forum, everywhere asking for petition and shyt, saying the term is too harsh etc etc...
But still I agree... Harsher terms... especially to those animal abuser...
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Look, If we love animals, Why not let's be vegetarians instead of claiming we love animals and yet in the same time eat meat? Seriously this is total bullshit to be honest.
I don't think that (cruel t'wards to animal)is a ground for harsher terms. We all eat 'em do we? Either direct or indirect?
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Originally posted by TIB1167D:
Look, If we love animals, Why not let's be vegetarians instead of claiming we love animals and yet in the same time eat meat? Seriously this is total bullshit to be honest.
I don't think that (cruel t'wards to animal)is a ground for harsher terms.
might as well don't eat, why compete veg with the herbivores?
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Mar 28, 2011 - ST Forum
Use sniffer dogs to nab animal smugglers
IT IS disappointing to read that animal smuggling is on the increase in Singapore ("Animal smuggling on the rise"; March 21).
The illegal wildlife trade is exceedingly cruel and wasteful, and is now second only to the illegal trade in drugs and firearms. Reports have indicated that Singapore is ranked among the top 10 illegal wildlife smuggling hubs in the world.
While measures are in place to curb this trade in Singapore, there is, without a doubt, a need to do more and do so urgently.
In response to Animal Concerns Research and Education Society's (Acres) suggestion of using sniffer dogs to curb the trade, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) stated that "they were less cost-effective than other measures".
Can AVA clarify what the other measures are and whether they are already in place?
Sniffer dogs have been used successfully in several countries. Thailand, for example, which is also a hub for the illegal wildlife trade, now has a sniffer-dog unit. The unit is largely designed to serve as a deterrent to would-be smugglers and wildlife traffickers. The training and maintenance of the entire sniffer-dog unit functions on a meagre annual budget of 1.4 million baht (S$58,000).
In South Korea, Animals Asia Foundation's (AAF) detective dog, Simba, worked with the Incheon Customs Department to spearhead the fight against the trade in endangered species. According to AAF, Simba worked in Incheon airport with his handler to literally "sniff out" smuggled bear gall bladders, bear bile products, tiger bone, ivory and deer musk.
In his two years of employment, Simba repeatedly detected major finds almost every month - totalling an astonishing 142 separate animal parts. These included over 80 finds of bear bile and deer musk, as well as whole bear gall bladders, snakes and seal penis.
Simba even found four live baby monkeys and 22kg of marijuana for which he was not even trained.
The use of sniffer dogs is not only cost-effective but is time-effective as well. Acres hopes that AVA will reconsider our proposal and we will be keen to collaborate with them on this project.
Louis Ng
Executive Director
Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres)
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It is even pathetic to see people who claim they are pet lovers 'indirectly' hurting other animals.
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most people are detached from nature.