Stray Animals – Animal Dialogue

Let stray cats have a home – Zhejiang Province established its first animal welfare special fund

Posted on October 7, 2019October 7, 2019 by animaldialogue in animal welfare, News

On September 12th, the “Zhejiang Rainbow Sun Foundation – Morelovecat Special Fund” was founded, and various leaders in academia, corporate, and public welfare foundations attended the founding ceremony.

The growing problem of urban stray cats is detrimental to the urban ecosystem and public health. At the same time, the rapid reproduction of stray cats further aggravates the problem. Besides, due to the unsuitable living environment, fear, and lack of food and water, etc., the life span of stray cats is said to be generally shorter than three years.

As one of the most common stray animals in the city, stray cats have been cared for and rescued by many people. However, the words and actions of extreme supporters or opposers of stray rescue have sparked heated discussion in Chinese society.

In mainland China, because of the current lack of animal protection law, few official organizations have joined in the urban stray cats’ rescue and management. Strays are more likely to be taken in and cared for by non-governmental organizations.

The Morelovecat Special Fund aims to promote an urban stray cat 100% protection program to help stray cats find homes. The Fund’s mission is to protect the strays every step of the way, from their initial wandering stage to their final homes.

At the end of the founding ceremony, the sponsors of the Special Fund released the “Morelovecat Novice Pack” to support new cat owners. The pack contains essential pet supplies such as seven days of cat food, cat litter, and food and water bowls.

Next, they will release information about stray cats through online platforms. They will also seek out prospective cat owners and organize free lectures to promote the urban stray cat 100% protection program.

Stray cat on the street of a Chinese city.

It is great to see an increasing number of NGOs in China engaging in stray animal management. Although the effort has become more organized, official support is crucial. There is still a lot of work for China to do, but great news has come.

On September 25th, the official website of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China published the “Response to Recommendation No. 5074 of the Second Session of the 13th National People’s Congress”, in response to the National People’s Congress’ “Suggestion of the Enactment of the Law on the Prohibition of Cruelty to Animals”. The Response states that it is necessary to develop legislation to combat animal cruelty and other acts that are widely opposed by the public.

The Response can be found at http://www.moa.gov.cn/gk/jyta/201909/t20190925_6328971.htm

Hopefully, soon, the animal protection laws can be implemented, and more official funds and efforts could join in stray animal management.

References:

http://baijiahao.baidu.com/

http://industry.caijing.com.cn/

Translated by Huiyuan Qi

Edited by Andrea Jia @ Animal Dialogue

Shenzhen enhances animal management practices including mandatory microchips for all dogs

Posted on July 1, 2019July 1, 2019 by animaldialogue in animal welfare, News

On June 20th, a Shenzhen citizen reported in an open letter to the city about the death of stray dogs due to poor management at a local dog shelter. The message showed dogs in abominable conditions. The majority of the dogs were sick or starving, and emaciated bodies of dead dogs laid around the facility.

A photo from the open letter exposing terrible conditions at the dog shelter.

That afternoon, the Shenzhen Urban Management and Law Enforcement Bureau made a spot check and demanded the dog shelter to rectify the existing problems immediately. Later, the Bureau held a press conference to report the situation and announced that they are building a new shelter facility up to international standards.

This year, Shenzhen focuses on improving dog management. The new “Trap, Neuter, Adopt” (TNA) Project aims to resolve the stray dog problem in the city. The Urban Management and Law Enforcement Bureau will standardize the management of stray dogs as well as encourage adoptions. For example, the Bureau requires all dogs to receive injections of microchips, which prevents losing pets and holds owners accountable for the dogs’ behavior.

In recent years, due to an increasing number of dog attacks in urban public spaces, Chinese municipal governments have initiated rigorous control of pets and stray dogs.

Last November, the Chengdu Police Department began to seize and dispose of 22 breeds of banned dogs in the city’s dog-restricted area.

Hangzhou government also carried out a governance action plan of pet dog control, prohibiting dog-walking from 7 A.M. to 7 P.M. and imposing fines for unleashed walks and unregistered pet dogs.

A toy poodle receiving an ultrasound exam at the 2019 South China Pet Products Exhibition.

In fact, to regulate pet dog ownership and prevent dog attacks, Chinese cities have implemented dog restrictions for many years.

As early as the 1990s, cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, and Wuhan were the first to introduce dog management measures. After merely a decade, dog management measures have been widely adopted in China. The regulations often put specific restrictions on the time and location of dog walks, the number of dogs owned, as well as the height and breed of the pet dogs. Many dog lovers have voiced their concerns that these regulations are unreasonable and cause unnecessary suffering for certain kinds of dogs. Under such circumstances, whether it is necessary to formulate a unified law across China to regulate pet ownership has become a popular topic for the public.

During the 2018 National People’s Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Qian Yefang, standing director of the Chinese Society of Social Law and a professor at the law school of Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, drew up the “Companion Animal Protection Act”, hoping to promote relevant legislation. Liu Chen, a scholar at the School of Public Administration and Media, Guilin University of Technology, also expressed recently the necessity of legislation concerning pet ownership in the public area to guide pet owners under the law.

All information comes from http://www.uschinapress.com/ and http://shenzhen.sina.com.cn/

Translated by Vince Wu

Edited by Andrea Jia and Riley Peng @ Animal Dialogue

Love brings them off the streets: 51 cities in China held a pet adoption event on the same day

Posted on April 22, 2019June 24, 2019 by animaldialogue in animal welfare, News

On April 13th, 51 cities in China held a nationwide pet adoption event at the same time. The activity aims to promote the ideas of caring for stray animals, “adopt, don’t shop,” and responsible pet ownership. Experts commented that the increasing number of people who pay attention to animal’s welfare suggests the advancement of Chinese society.

From Harbin in the northeast to Kunming in the southwest, from Urumqi in the northwest to Xiamen in the southeast, 51 Chinese cities, with a total population of more than 400 million, held the “China Same Day Pet Adoption” activity to help rescued stray animals find new homes.

According to Yang Yang, the event initiator and the director of an adoption platform named “Beijing Pet Adoption Day”, the annual “China Same Day Pet Adoption ” event has been going on for five years in a row. When it first started in 2015, there were only 18 participating cities, but gradually more cities joined in, and the number of cities reached 51 this year.

“Considering the territory size and population density of China, some international experts think this is the largest stray animal adoption activity in the world. Therefore, we applied for the Guinness World Records,” said Yang.

In Shanghai, Sun Li, an actress and the ambassador of the “China Same Day Pet Adoption ” activity, is an enthusiast for saving stray animals and promoting responsible pet ownership. The image of Sun Li hugging a rescued animal had become the activity’s theme picture.

“I think it’s really meaningful if more people were willing to help stray animals when they saw the image of me cuddling a puppy,” said Sun Li.

Sun Li in a promotional poster for the Fifth China Same Day Adoption event

“International experience indicates that promoting adoption can effectively decrease the number of stray animals and enhance the sense of responsibility of pet owners as well as the society,” said Dr. Sun Quanhui, the scientific counselor of World Animal Protection.

“In recent years, the number of stray animal adoption activities in various regions is growing, and a rising number of people gradually accepts the idea of pet adoption,” said Dr. Sun. “Taking good care of animals is a human responsibility, and it’s also an important sign of a civilized society.”

A few days ago, social organizations ACTAsia and Vets For Compassion (VFC China) celebrated for the 10th anniversary of their international veterinary training program in China. According to the founder of ACTAsia, Su Peifen, in the past ten years, Chinese society has made constant advancement in terms of animal welfare, and examples include compassion education in primary schools to animal welfare training for veterinary professionals.

To commemorate World Stray Animals Day on April 4th, the mobile online game, “Onmyoji”, introduced a new gaming system in which the players can adopt injured stray dogs and sign a “contact of guardianship”. The game company would donate a part of their profit to support stray animal rescue and management. In just about 6 hours, the system had reached its expected goal.

“Contract of Guardianship” event banner in the mobile online game Onmyoji

Besides, thanks to social media and live video platforms, more and more stray animals found lovely homes. At a Beijing volunteer-run cat shelter called “The Tenth Life”, some professional photographers are volunteering to take photos of fixed cats with a tame temperament and publish on social media. Any eligible family who wants to adopt the cats may contact the manager through social media.

Michael Hammer, the Global Development Director of World Animal Protection, commented that the booming development of social media and these fantastic, original ways of caring about animals brought out the best in each other, which was very commendable. The Chinese younger generation’s concern for animal welfare and their actions to improve the well-being of animals are worth being promoted worldwide.

“Before Adoption” vs “After Adoption” of the stray animal in Onmyoji

All information comes from https://xw.qq.com/

Photos from https://xw.qq.com/ https://yys.163.com/ Weibo @turbosun

Translated by Hengyu Du

Edited by Andrea Jia and Riley Peng @ Animal Dialogue

Striving to be animal welfare ambassadors – Chinese primary school asks the world to protect animals

Posted on November 20, 2018November 20, 2018 by animaldialogue in animal welfare, Conservation, News, Uncategorized

Chengdu Jinyang Primary School invited Xi Li, an educator from the Animals Asia Foundation, to give an innovative and meaningful lesson to third-graders on animal welfare and humane care education.

According to Li, the five major areas of animal welfare (nutrition, health, environment, behavior, and emotional states) are the scientific standards for judging whether animals are happy. “Firstly, different animals have unique nutritional needs, but they all require a balanced nutrition like humans do. The canines of lions, tigers, and bears are often removed or cut off to reduce injury and mortality in trainers during various performances. Such procedures can cause a variety of dental diseases, affecting the animals’ food intake, which in turn may cause other illnesses. Organizations should provide animals with an environment that is suitable for their nature, instead of harming them deliberately for the entertainment of humans. We should let animals express their natural behaviors freely, as each individual has different behavioral needs.” Li said that a large number of wild animals are still being hunted, rare animals are sold as commodities, pets are abandoned or abused, and animals are required to please tourists in circuses throughout their lives.

The students of Jinyang Primary School make the following requests to students and parents around the world:

Do not watch animal performances;
Do not consume wild animals;
Do not take photos or interact with wild animals within a short distance,
Do not keep wild animals as pets;
Do not ride elephants;
Do not feed wild animals.

Let us all start protecting animals and become animal-welfare ambassadors.

All information comes from china.com

Translated by Sherry Yao

Edited by Andrea Jia and Riley Peng @ Animal Dialogue

Dog film launches a “Love Dog Action”

Posted on October 25, 2018 by animaldialogue in animal welfare, Interviews, News, Uncategorized

The cutest movie in the Year of the Dog, The Big Rescue, has teamed up with the China Small Animal Protection Association (CSAPA) to raise funds for the eradication of rabies in China. For each ticket sold, The Big Rescue will donate one yuan to the CSAPA, which will use the funds to feed and immunize stray animals.

The Big Rescue tells the story of a grand partnership formed between man and man’s best friend to rescue kidnapped pooches from a drug ring. Due to its animal protectionist theme, the movie had attracted the attention of CSAPA members since the pre-production stage.

China Small Animal Protection Association was formally founded in 1992. Based in Beijing, the CSAPA organizes public education campaigns, outreach, and animal rescues. The CSAPA’s mission is to protect animals’ freedom from death, illness, and abuse and to improve the living standards of small animals.

Ms. Liang Ting, the film’s producer, director, and screenwriter, said that the purpose of the film is to “spread the idea of animal protectionism and animals’ equal right to live.”

Ms. Liang Ting added, “Although the public’s animal-loving sentiment is growing stronger, the number of stray animals is steadily rising, which may somewhat increase the risk of diseases in humans.”

China has the second highest number of reported rabies cases in the world after India. Dr. Fu Zhenfang, a world-renowned rabies expert and the professor of pathology at the University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine, said in an interview, “The highest priority of rabies prevention is animal immunization. Animals should be vaccinated in both urban and rural areas.”

The Big Rescue and CSAPA will use the majority of the funds raised to administer rabies vaccines to stray animals in addition to purchasing food and medical supplies.

All information and photos come from ifeng.com

Translated by Andrea Jia and edited by Riley Peng @ Animal Dialogue

Fuxi Animal Hospital brings free veterinary clinics to the community

Posted on July 29, 2018June 24, 2019 by animaldialogue in animal welfare, News, Uncategorized

On July 13, 2018, in order to promote scientific methods of raising pets and preventing animal diseases, Fuxi Animal Hospital and the Judean Community Neighborhood Committee hosted free medical consultation sessions for animals at the South Gate of the Judehuayuan Community in Tianhe District, Guangzhou.

The theme is “Harmonious Community, Civilized Science, and Pets,” which enables the community residents to learn how to scientifically raise their pets. At the same time, the event provides support services for community stray animals, and collaborate with the local community to create a safe and comfortable living environment for both the residents and their pets.

On the same day, seven senior physicians from the Fuxi Animal Hospital set up a general medical examination desk for providing free full-body physical examinations to animals. The items examined included: body weight, body temperature, body condition, level of consciousness, behavior, body posture, ear examination, eye examination, nose, mucosal color, cavity, teeth, skin coat, palpation of the abdomen, limbs, joints, auscultation of the heart and lungs, etc.

In addition, the event taught the residents general pet knowledge and how to take care of young and old sick animals, handled dog certification for community residents, and popularized vaccines, deworming, and zoonosis.

In recent years, as the number of pet families increased, the number of stray pets also increased. To foster a harmonious community, Fuxi Animal Hospital actively provides support services for stray animals. It implemented a half-priced stray animal sterilization program, as well as a half-priced stray animal disease diagnosis and treatment plan.

Fuxi Animal Hospital said that it intends the free clinic activities to advocate for a more civilized way of raising pets, to build a harmonious community environment, and to provide care and love for stray animals. It hopes that these activities will help the residents better understand their pets, and improve the emotional exchange and communication between residents and their pets.

All information and photos come from gogochina.cn (click to view source).

Translated by Sherry Yao and edited by Riley Peng @ Animal Dialogue

1,500 Stray Animals Rescued in 3 Years by Stray Animals Protection Center in Jingzhou

Posted on May 5, 2018 by animaldialogue in animal welfare, News, Uncategorized

On the shores of the Long Lake in Jingzhou, the base of Stray Animals Protection Center is built in an inconspicuous enclosed area. Nearly 200 animals are sheltered here, either being cured or under recovery. Among them are around 160 dogs and 20 cats. According to Qin Li, the founder of this center, most of the animals here were run over by cars with broken bones. Others were abandoned after infected with diseases or bred in disorder.

While only 3 staff members officially manage daily affairs in the base, many citizens volunteer here, including white collars, old ladies, and elementary students.

Babysitting these little patients is not a simple task for the volunteers. They have to do everything—cleaning and disinfecting the doghouse, vaccinating, sterilizing. feeding, etc.—except tasks that could only be completed by vets.

The fee for treatment and recovery is inevitably high. Donations from dog-lovers and volunteer help pay for the center’s daily expenditures. 71-year-old Fanglan Feng is one of the center’s funders. Every month she donates 1800 yuan out of her pension to help rescue stray animals. Now there have been over 100 funders like Feng.

Qin Li publicly publish the expenses for every rescued animal on online platforms such as Weibo and WeChat. The volunteers in her WeChat group help her search for stray animals that need to be rescued. They call Li “Mother Du,” a name inspired by her pet dog Dudu, who has acccompanied her for 16 years.

On a summer night in 2015, Li was taking a walk when she found a bleeding dog. She spent more than 1000 yuan to save the dog and took care of him for 3 months. This experience inspired her desire to help rescue stray animals. She then gathered many dog-lovers to establish a volunteer coalition, and raised money to build the center.

Last May, Li’s volunteer coalition rescued 800 pet cats who were previously stolen and sold illegally in June 2016. Most of these cats eventually found their new homes through the subsequent adoption activities.

Not long ago, Jingzhou Stray Animals Protection Center was authorized by the Ministry of Civil Affairs. It has become the second authorized stray animals protection organization in the whole province.

In 3 years, Qin Li and the volunteers in the center have rescued over 1500 animals. Li calls for the public to care for homeless dogs and cats and respect each small animal. Every single act of kindness helps advance a city’s culture.

Info and photos from hbtv: http://news.hbtv.com.cn/p/1318287.html

Translated by Victor Du, edited by Riley Peng @ Animal Dialogue