Inhumane humanity

I read something in the newspapers this morning which grumped me out for the rest of the day. I don't know if you read it as well, and if you did, if you reacted as I did.

Apparently, one Laurence Kuah Kok Choon is a little bit poorer by the sum of $1000 because his Indah Fauna Breeding and Research Centre in Lim Chu Kang was 'breeding dogs under unsatisfactory conditions', and he got fined.

Now, what really upsets me is that this case, like many others, sheds a dismaying light on the mindset which our judiciary, our legislation, our government bodies and our citizenry have towards the notion of animal welfare.

(I am getting on my soapbox now, there is still time to leave)

According to the article, AVA officials said that he had never seen such bad breeding conditions for dogs before. A total of 106 dogs, with less than 10 which had freedom of movements. Pictures apparently show dogs kept in cages just about big enough for them to walk a few steps. This is the same man, apparently, who had been caught on four earlier occasions with trying to smuggle endangered animals into Singapore, and in doing so, causing the said animals considerable suffering. He had been fined sums up to $10,000 for his previous offences. Despite that, the AVA issued him a license for the dog breeding facility. When questioned, they said that it was because the earlier offences 'had nothing to do with dog breeding'.

Cases of animal abuse and cruelty seem to crop up with dreary regularity. But the name of the game is a mere monetary slap on the wrist, no matter how egregious the offence, or how unrepentant the offender. Because, hey, they're only animals, aren't they? It's not like they have feelings. Remember the man who buried six puppies alive? I believe he got a fine, nothing more. I think it was a couple of hundred dollars per puppy. Because that's about all they're worth, and we should be glad that they even warrant it worthy of that much of a man's money. Life is cheap.

Under the Animals and Birds Act (Cap. 7), section 42, if you are found guilty of causing pain or suffering to an animal, or you have ill-treated an animal, then you can be liable to a fine of up to $10,000 or imprisonment of a term not exceeding 12 months.

In Laurence Kuah's case, he'd been fined sums of up to $10,000 before. And obviously, this did not serve as sufficient deterrent. Nevertheless, despite the fact that the penal option is available, it was not employed. Why not? Well, why stick a man in jail for something as piddling as turning over a hundred dogs into puppy factories and making their existence a sort of hell, when he could be a productive member of society, contributing to the economy, perhaps by setting up a cat breeding centre under the same conditions. After all, the AVA would happily grant him the license. Cat breeding has nothing to do with dog breeding after all. What's that? Prior ill-treatment of animals? Disregard to their welfare? Tish-tosh, it was a different species, it doesn't count. The important thing is that we get money, which goes to the government, and Mr. Kuah here gets his license to make more money, which also goes to the government. See? Everybody wins.

But if I were to spirit away Mr. Kuah, stick in him a small room about 7 feet by 7 feet, just enough space for him to walk a few steps, you understand, if I were never to let him out of the room, and use him only to impregnate other female, and took him out back and shot him through the head when I decided that his bloodline was inadequate (which would be pretty damned quick, believe me), I don't believe that I would get the same $1,000 fine for my actions.

Animals do not have the same rights as humans. But they do have rights. And if we are, as everyone says, indeed higher beings, then shouldn't it be a duty incumbent upon us to ensure that what rights animals have are safeguarded?

If a nation's greatness is measured by how it treats it's weakest members, what does that say about us?

Our most helpless, who suffer mute, and we let people like Laurence Kuah off with a fine.

I am so disgusted with everyone right now.