Five-month census to determine number of strays
The Thai Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (TSPCA) and Rangsit University yesterday launched a five-month survey of the number of stray animals and levels of animal cruelty in six provinces.
The survey is part of the TSPCA's push for an animal welfare law. At the contract-signing ceremony for the "White-Covered Report" project yesterday, the TSPCA handed over half of the Bt450,000 budget as a first payment to Rangsit University (RSU)'s College of Social Innovation, which will conduct the survey in September. In each province, the survey team will comprise a coordinator leading a team of more than five volunteers. They will gather data from related agencies and visit markets, temples and other places to count stray cats and dogs in the centralmunicipalities of Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchathani, Pattaya, Ayutthaya and Phuket, and in Bangkok's Khlong San, Don Muang and Wang Thong Lang areas, said project head and RSU lecturer Chuleerat Charoenporn. The areas were picked either because they are known to attract stray animals or at the suggestion of the TSPCA, she said. The project will also investigate cruelty to commercial farm animals, wild animals at tourist attractions and zoos, and laboratory animals at educational institutions, Chuleerat said. A complete report will be released in September. The survey is part of the TSPCA's national campaign against cruelty to animals from 2005 to 2008, which includes other strategies such as the Animal Adoption Programme and the Animal Welfare Act Reform Campaign, said TSPCA secretary-general Sawan Saengbunlung. The dog meat trade at Tambon Tha Rae in Sakhon Nakhon's Muang district would also be in the report as a special case study, Chuleerat said. There is no specific animal-protection law in Thailand. Articles 381 and 382 of the Criminal Law subject animal abusers to up to one month in jail and a Bt1,000 fine, Sawan said. The draft animal welfare law, consisting of 15 articles covering domesticated, wild, commercial and laboratory animals, would give officials greater authority to arrest animal abusers and increase the severity of punishments, possibly to between two and five years in prison, Sawan said. The draft is being drawn up under the guidance of the Law Society of Thailand by a panel comprising animal welfare advocates, officials and academics. It is expected to be complete by the end of May, Sawan said. It would then be given a public hearing to gather 50,000 signatures before being submitted by the Agriculture Ministry to the new cabinet. Premyuda Boonroj The Nation
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