It is with deep sadness that we read about the spat between ISPCA & Noah’s Ark of Ipoh, that is, NAI in the Ipoh Echo issue 240. If our No. 1 official of ISPCA is keen on resolving the problems, he should agree to meet up with NAI! Ignoring their calls and then issuing threatening letters to evict the cats is absolutely not fair.
Before I start, I would like to stress that I am not a member of NAI but have been an ISPCA member for years. For the past two years, we’ve been very, very disappointed with the new management. Yes, there were some cosmetic changes to the shelter but they were all at the expense of the animals.
There are a few questions which some members and I would like to pose to our ISPCA Committee:
- ANNUAL ACCOUNTS…Why is it no accounts were presented for the past two years, even at the AGM!!! Ms VP (our Manageress + No. 2 official) had stressed that there were reduced donations to the society, BUT AN NGO MUST HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY. Any records of funds collected at events? For example, annual dinners, public donations, adoption funds??????? Our members have been asking for two years now!! No figures were presented! Do not wonder why, and do not blame others if donations are dwindling (please do not blame NAI either).
- DONATIONS…Donations by the public are for the animals, cats included, right?? Otherwise, the name should be changed to ISPCD, and I believe donors want the cats to benefit as well. Cutting the electricity and water supply, and sending notice to evict them is totally uncalled for! Most members do not know that your committee has been cutting monetary support to the cats, otherwise, the society will receive even less donations. (On the contrary, NAI must be given credit for looking after the welfare of the cats with great love and devotion).
- PUBLIC FUNDS… all donations, every single cent, should go to the welfare of the animals, right? Not for hiring a manageress (our VP), installing CCTVs, erecting walls, printing T-shirts, publicity works, etc. All these are not for the welfare of the animals. It amazed us that the walls erected are to protect the doggies! What is there to steal? Once you approach the gate of the shelter, the barking of the dogs will keep any thief away. Moreover, to get into ISPCA is absolutely not easy. One has to go through a columbarium (which is gated and guarded) and the shelter is located by the mountain side where snakes are aplenty! Is it necessary for a wall to go up?
- VOLUNTEERS… Why bar the entry of our volunteers who have been volunteering for years? To say that they took pictures of sick doggies to run down the society is not true. They can take photos of any old diseased dogs from the street to post instead of traveling several km, wasting time, energy and petrol! It must be the truth then, otherwise why is the committee so sensitive as to put up a sign ‘NO CAMERAS ALLOWED’? To counter their lies, throw open the gate and welcome all and sundry to ISPCA at all times. Let people take photos of the HAPPY & WELL CARED FOR DOGGIES instead of barring everyone from entering, even ISPCA members. Visitors are only allowed when the place is tidied up, so appointments are necessary!(By the way, by volunteers, I meant those who go in to groom, cut nails, bath them, interact, getting their hands & feet dirty, that type of voluntary work!! Not ‘organised photo sessions’ with the press present for publicity, for example, going up the roof, ducking into the drain to do rescue work, etc.)
- DOGGY POPULATION… has been drastically reduced! If the No. 1 Official of ISPCA said that they practise a NO KILL POLICY, please examine your conscience! From 300 to 100+ dogs????? Hmm…mm…..ok, the number of dogs has been reduced, so why is the society not accepting abused and injured animals? Two and a half years ago, the society could afford to house and feed 300 over doggies PLUS THE CATS. Now that the cats have been under the care of NAI, there should be surplus funds.
- Members…why are there several memberships not renewed?? Some names even gone missing??
Please enlighten the public and our members who are in the dark. As for NAI, their rescue work is extremely commendable. ISPCA’s rescue work with the animals just cannot be compared with them.
To be fair to NAI, they’ve been exercising great patience and restraint, despite the unfair treatment and limitations set up by this new committee!
As far as we know, NAI does a lot of:
- rescue work, daily they are being called to rescue distressed animals as ISPCA could not be reached!!!!
- they TREAT and board them (at great expense as they don’t have a shelter)
- TNR (trap, neuter & release) which they do about 30-40 animals per month.
Do not be mistaken that WE, members, are enemies of ISPCA. At the end of the day, THE WELFARE OF THE ANIMALS IS OUR PRIORITY AND CONCERN. NO POLITICS AND CERTAINLY NO PERSONAL AGENDA.
A Concerned Member of ISPCA
