Responding to a civic leader’s appeal during yesterday’s regular closed-door meeting to set up a “whitelist for the adoption of cats and dogs”, Wu Hang San, deputy convener of the government-appointed Central District Community Service Consultative Council quoted two Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) officials, who agreed with the civic leader’s appeal, as saying that the bureau will try its best to launch such a list, hoping to expand the scope of pet adoption and the number of adopters.
Wu did not identify the member of the council who made the appeal. She made the remarks during a press briefing after yesterday’s closed-door meeting with the officials at the Patane Activity Centre of the Municipal Market Complex on Avenida de Demétrio Cinatti.
According to Wu, the pet adoption process could be expedited through the whitelist. She added that once a dog or cat is abandoned and handed to the bureau’s animal shelters, the bureau could arrange them for adoption immediately as prospective adopters would have been added to the list in advance.
Wu said: “The current adoption process is fast”, adding that it was usually completed in between 10 and 30 days.
Last year, 497 dogs and cats were adopted, according to Wu, who added that the bureau had co-hosted 16 dog and cat adoption sharing sessions with animal protection groups, involving 2,000 attendees.
In order to enhance public awareness of conservation and animal protection, Wu quoted the officials as saying that the bureau will strengthen cooperation with the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) in holding more competitions such as painting contests in the future while, at the same time, enhancing training for adopters and sharing educational videos through multiple channels, such as social media platforms.
Wong Man Pan, a member of the council, underlined during the press briefing that the Municipal Affairs Bureau “was strict” in approving adoption applications, in which potential applicants must pass a home visit by animal protection group representatives before they are allowed to adopt a pet from the IAM animal shelters.
The bureau is running two shelters, one on the peninsula and the other in Coloane.
Meanwhile, according to the officials, Chang Ka Wa, a member of the council, said during the press briefing that the bureau will also strengthen cooperation with the Macau Customs Service to “comprehensively” crack down on the smuggling of animals into Macau, while also aiming to enhance the relevant regulations.
Wu Hang San, deputy convener of the government-appointed Central District Social Services Consultative Council (centre) and committee members Chang Ka Wa (right) and Wong Man Pan pose during yesterdays’ press briefing after the council’s regular closed-door meeting with Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) officials at the Patane Activity Centre. – Photo: Yuki Lei
