Overpopulation is a pressing issue, and unless more efforts are made to curb indiscriminate breeding among these homeless or abandoned animals, the numbers will only continue to grow.
This is why AnimalCare, a non-profit organisation, advocates the care-neuter-return-manage (CNRM) method.
Speaking with FMT Lifestyle, founder Dr Chan Kah Yein explained that CNRM starts with caring for the animals’ wellbeing and safety by feeding them.
The next step is to round them up and send them for neutering before returning them back to their colony. Lastly, the approach involves monitoring and looking after them in the long term.
“We advocate for everyone to do one-street CNRM, because it’s not sustainable to do it on a large-scale,” she said – for example, by focusing on the street you live on.
According to Chan, the advantage of returning the animals to their original location is to let them keep guard and prevent other strays from encroaching upon the area.
She discovered this when she moved away from her old home with her seven neutered cats and found her old street populated with new strays when she returned several days later. Leaving with her cats allowed new unneutered strays to fill the space.
Chan’s rescue work began in 2006, when she found three abandoned newborn kittens by the roadside. With no prior knowledge on how to care for such young kittens, she took them in and learnt on the fly.
Her organisation, a neutering fund and educational platform at its core, was founded in 2009 and officially registered two years later.
Animal lovers who send strays in their area for neutering can apply for funding from AnimalCare with a limit of RM200 for dogs and RM150 for cats.
To avoid instances of fraud, “we ask for before-and-after photos and receipts of the procedure. If you apply for a second time, we also request for follow-up pictures of the previous animals you sent for neutering”, Chan explained.
Over the years, the NGO has expanded to include funding for vaccinations, medical treatment, and food aid, relying on donations from connections and members of the public.
While initially focused on the Klang Valley, news of Chan’s good work has spread, and AnimalCare now provides funds for people who care for strays all over Malaysia.
It also has a strict no-kill policy, which is why Chan doesn’t support spaying pregnant animals, insisting instead that they give birth first before any procedure is carried out.
Furthermore, Chan uses her platform to post educational materials, from how to care for your animals to her daily interaction with her rescue cats.
She has also penned a series of books including stories about her pets. Hard copies of these are available for free, while e-versions can be downloaded from the AnimalCare website.
Presently, Chan has some 17 rescue cats at home, requiring her to get up at 5am to care for them.
“I’ve had cats with kidney issues, cancer and other illnesses. After sharing how I take care of them on my blog, people ask for my opinion regarding their own pets, too.
“However, I’m not a veterinarian, so I’m not qualified to give medical advice. I can only speak from experience and share what worked, and works, for my cats,” said Chan, who holds a PhD in maths education.
One thing close to Chan’s heart is teaching the young the importance of kindness towards animals. She has passed this on to her own grandsons, who were taught at an early age how to care for her rescues.
All in all, Chan hopes more Malaysians will show compassion for the strays they come across, and welcomes them to seek her organisation’s help if they are in need of financial aid.
“That’s why we named ourselves AnimalCare – because ‘care’ is the most important part.”
Learn more about AnimalCare and their initiatives via their official website, where you can also download Chan’s books.