I AM sure many animal lovers share my sorrow over the deaths of the mongooses that drowned in the rising waters in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, on Monday.

Animal welfare organisations such as the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have criticised retail pet sales.

The level of welfare standards in the pet industry is appalling.

Most pet shops are staffed by unskilled workers who do not have the requisite level of knowledge to work with animals.

In the event of a fire, flood or any other danger, the animals have no means of saving themselves and thus die.

Even more common is the death of animals through illnesses, neglect, poor diet and other problems brought on by the stress of being transported and then housed in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions.

Of greater concern is the sale of exotic animals and wildlife.

It is doubtful that the sale of mongooses is legal in Mal-aysia. Fragile ecosystems are disrupted when humans invade the natural environment to collect animals for the pet trade.

Capturing wild animals can threaten the species’ existence, as is the case with endangered tarantula varieties.

In addition, most people who buy exotic pets from retail outlets do not understand the care, commitment or costs involved.

Once the novelty of having a new pet wears off, many exotic pets are left to fend for themselves or left in overcrowded animal shelters and zoos.

Abandoned exotic animals may not survive in an inhospitable new environment and may die seeking food and shelter or, alternatively, they may thrive and become an environmental threat, as in the cases of Madagascar hissing cockroaches, pet snakes and pet crocodiles.

It is insufficient for the authorities to create non-binding guidelines on the sale or care of exotic animals, or to expect environmental organisations and animal protection groups to undertake the task of educating the public on animal care and advising society to boycott the wildlife trade.

The Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) and Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) are unable to respond to every complaint on the sale of wildlife and exotic pets because there are too many retail outlets selling live pets, and those selling exotic pets are often under the guise of legitimate businesses selling companion animals such as cats, dogs and rabbits.

I would, therefore, recommend that the authorities and licensing bodies restrict the sale of live animals to only select stores that can meet certain criteria such as having an in-house veterinarian and a 24-hour caretaker to deal with crises such as floods and fires.

There should be a ban on the sale of pets in hypermarkets, department stores and pet stores that do not meet the requirements.

Once such regulations are in place, Perhilitan and the DVS can more effectively monitor the sale of wildlife and provide for routine inspection of pet retail outlets respectively.

Deaths of animals such as the mongooses in Brickfields will then be reduced.

WONG EE LYNN, Petaling Jaya

Source: NST – March 28, 2008