The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) has said that the number of dog and cat adoptions has continued to rise since the city’s Animal Protection Law came into effect in 2016, while the number of abandoned pets handed in to the bureau has dropped significantly – but lawmaker Ella Lei Ching I yesterday cited the bureau’s figures as pointing to a “significant” increase in the number of dogs that were euthanised between January and August this year compared to the same period in previous years.
According to the bureau’s Macau Animal Health Control Website, the number of euthanised dogs and cats dropped from a peak of 879 in 2004 to 127 in 2016 – the year the Animal Protection Law took effect, but the data also shows that the number of euthanised dogs and cats is on an upward trend, as the number of euthanised cats and dogs reached 360 last year, while in the first eight months of this year, the number of euthanised canines and felines had already reached 333, of which 241 were dogs.
According to the website, the number of abandoned cats and dogs received by the bureau in 2016 totalled 164, whereas last year 106 cats and dogs were taken in by the bureau. In the first eight months of this year, the number of cats and dogs received by the bureau stood at 73.
Referring to the bureau’s earlier comments that its TNA (Trap-Neuter-Adopt) initiative had achieved certain results, Lei urged the bureau to evaluate the effectiveness of its existing measures and continue to step up its efforts in promoting the concepts of animal protection, early neutering and adoption instead of purchase: “What are the reasons for the significant increase in the number of dogs euthanised, as assessed by the bureau? What further plans does the bureau have to reduce the abandonment of pets by members of the public and to promote the adoption, instead of purchase, of pets for lifelong care?”
Meanwhile, in her written interpellation, Lei also raised concerns about the fact that some veterinary surgeons who had been practising for many years were not accredited due to their insufficient academic requirements. “The community expects the bureau to monitor the market demand for and price changes at private veterinary clinics after the Veterinary Clinical Care and Commercial Activity of Animals Law came into effect in April this year, and to review the current arrangements for its veterinary outpatient services,” Lei said.
Lei quoted the bureau’s data as noting that as of June this year, the government-appointed Council of Veterinary Medicine Professionals had received 117 applications for recognition of their veterinary qualifications, among which 101 applicants had been approved by September, while some veterinarians failed to make the transition to veterinary surgeon status after the new law took effect.
This file photo taken last year shows two abandoned dogs at the Coloane Municipal Kennel. – Photo: Yuki Lei
