Fighting cruelty and promoting responsible pet care continues to be the priority of the Society. In light of the news this year, that there has been a higher incidence of dog attacks in recent years. The emphasis on responsible pet ownership has never been greater and the SPCA continues to educate that we must not blame the animals themselves for the lack of training and socialisation.

A tragic case of a sterilised stray cat being tied to a pipe and strangled at Toa Payoh North was reported to us by the police in November. The caregivers who had been feeding the cat for three years had last seen the cat, the evening before. That there are people existing in our society who commit these vile and barbaric acts, is a major concern - people who torture animals could very well target younger children and/or the elderly. They not only need to be dealt with in terms of prosecution by the authorities but they also need counselling in the appropriate behaviour to reduce the threat of them continuing the cycle of abuse. This, however, is not possible without the help of witnesses and the SPCA appeals to the public to come forward so that the necessary action can be taken.

In the areas of animal welfare, the SPCA campaigned against the captivity of whale sharks by Resorts World at Sentosa. Having seen firsthand the whale shark at the Atlantis resort in Dubai, I am praying that Singapore doesn't follow that move, as it was a depressing sight to see such a huge majestic animal swimming in circles in the confines of a tank. While we are hopeful to read of media reports of Resorts World scrapping its plan to bring in whale sharks, we are disheartened to learn about the planned importation of seven bottlenose dolphins from the wild for the resort's marine park- and World Animal Day saw us launching our "Say no to dolphins in captivity" t-shirts, in a bid to create awareness of the plight of these free-spirited mammals captured from the wild.

It's been busy as well on the education and publicity front. The SPCA organised the first animal welfare symposium for youth in March at the Singapore Management University (SMU). In May, we launched a series of four ads to promote the adoption of dogs. We also launched a sterilisation campaign titled "Desex in the City" with support of the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority, Singapore Veterinary Association and participating veterinary clinics, offering a 20 per cent subsidy to pet owners in the month of December. The rising numbers of unwanted animals in Singapore have the same origin: someone's pet was not spayed and someone else's was not sterilised. If all owners practised responsible pet ownership, we can do something to stop the cycle of unwanted litters. The SPCA wishes to remind readers that we always have dogs, puppies, cats, kittens, rabbits and hamsters for adoption. Many of these are either surrendered to the SPCA from unwanted litters or are abandoned and rescued from a life on the streets, and all need good homes.

I also had the opportunity to extend our message on animal welfare and cruelty on a larger platform when I was invited to be on a panel for blogtv.sg and Channel News Asia, with the Flying Dutchman and Phin Wong (a columnist with Today newspaper) to discuss responsible pet ownership. It was a most enjoyable experience with everyone giving their views (never mind that some were extreme!) on how to make things better for the animals.

In September, we viewed a prospective plot of land at Choa Chu Kang for our future premises. We are still deliberating and there are various details that have to be ironed out before an official announcement is made. But the next few years is looking to be a trying time for the SPCA with much of our reserves being spent on acquiring land for the next 20 years, and on a new building which is estimated to cost us several millions of dollars. If we don't meet our financial needs, our future will be in question.

Having been around for 62 years, the SPCA is known to many and we can only hope that you will continue to support the society as generously as you have been, all these years. As long as the SPCA is able, it will utilise all means to promote kindness to animals and prevent cruelty to animals.

The year 2009 has flown by, and one thing is evident - at the SPCA our work never ends - being on standby day and night for animals in need of our help, whether it is rescuing them from distressing situations or speaking up for wrongs done to them. SPCA held its first Stop Animal Abuse campaign in 1991 - since then, awareness on animal cruelty has increased, resulting in three times the number of alleged cruelty reports today. We are thankful to the animal vigilantes who report cases of animals in distress to us - and we encourage all of you out there to help us in our quest to stop animal abuse. Every effort as individuals and collectively as a society can make a difference in state of animal welfare and cruelty in Singapore.

I wrap up by expressing my heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to the SPCA team of staff, officers and our volunteers for their passion and commitment towards the animals. A special thanks to the donors and members who make it possible for SPCA to carry out its animal welfare work. Moving forward in 2010, we look to your continued support and generosity as the SPCA campaigns for animal welfare and cruelty issues.

Best wishes to everyone for a Happy New Year!

Sincerely,
Deirdre Moss
Executive Officer