topics
Session 1: Domestic Animal Welfare
All over the world abandonment of companion animals is an ongoing problem, affecting millions of animals every year, and Singapore is no exception. Every year thousands of animals are needlessly put to sleep or end up in shelters, simply because people get bored of them, or they do not want the responsibility any more.
How can we effectively stop prevent people from abandoning companion animals in our throwaway society?
The mass-breeding of puppies on puppy farms for commercial gain, with the often- resulting poor welfare of the breeding dogs and suffering of puppies born with health problems, not to mention what happens to the ‘surplus' puppies who do not get sold, is a major welfare issue in today's world of consumerism and ‘designer dogs.'
How can this issue best be addressed?
Session 2: Wild Animals in Entertainment
All over Asia animals are exploited for all kinds of “entertainment”, from confinement in zoos and marine parks, to being forced to perform in animal shows, to being exploited for photography sessions or being used to give rides.
New zoos and marine parks are springing up throughout Asia , bringing with them a whole host of animal welfare issues. Animals such as dolphins are being captured from the wild for marine parks- doomed to a miserable life in a totally artificial environment, denied their freedom and often forced to interact with humans. Certain animals such as dolphins are known to suffer greatly in captivity as they are wide ranging animals who live in complex social groups, and it is impossible to provide for their needs in captivity.
How can we effectively end the capture of wild animals for zoos and marine parks and help those animals who are already in captivity?
The use of animals in circus-style shows brings with it a whole host of welfare issues- from training methods to the welfare of the animals when they are not performing-not to mention the totally inappropriate message that portraying animals as ‘clowns' and objects of ridicule gives, purely to get a laugh from the audience.
How can end the use of animals in circus-style animal shows?
The booming tourism industry in Asia has sadly meant that wild animals are being exploited in any way possible to make a quick dollar- from being used as “photo props” to being made to perform to being ridden on in the case of elephants at one of the many elephant parks in Thailand that are kept going by the tourism industry.
How can we end the exploitation of wild animals for the tourism industry?