Animal rights should be commonplace

Animal rights should be commonplace

Animal cruelty has always triggered my wrath. And for good reason. My experience with my cats and dogs has proven without a shred of doubt their unconditional love for humans.

Some of my most memorable childhood memories involve the strays we took into our home. They became an integral part of our family, always there to share the high and low moments of our lives. Their therapeutic effect is beyond what words can express. All animal lovers can vouch for that.

Thus, it was natural for me to pump my fist in jubilation when the long-awaited Animal Welfare Bill was passed last month. The new legislation protects domestic pets, animals kept for food and working animals. The bill places responsibility for an animal's welfare on its owners. Anyone found guilty of breaking the law could face up to two years in prison and/or a 40,000 baht fine.

But numerous animal rights groups have voiced their objections over the legislation for being too broad. A clause that allows for the killing of animals for food but does not specify which animals — as well as an abstract definition of what constitutes animal cruelty — are issues that need to be made clear.

Despite the fact that the new bill has not pleased everyone, it is the country's first law to prosecute anyone found guilty of animal cruelty, and that is a milestone. While this is momentous for everyone involved, it is important not to get carried away with euphoria just yet. Human concern for animal welfare should gain momentum now that it has become law, but we still have a lot of work ahead of us.

Just how do we educate the public on animal welfare when the general perception of pets is to use them as accessories? Some care for pets when they are cute and lovable, then abandon them as soon as they became old and a nuisance.     

Then there are those among us that use animals as a release for their displaced aggression. Such people should be given a lengthy jail term and fine, as they derive fiendish delight in torturing helpless animals. 

An awareness campaign should be put in place to teach people from all walks of life the basic fundamentals of animal welfare, which goes beyond the physical and psychological well-being of animals. Other concerns could also include how animals are killed for food, how they are used for scientific research, how they are kept as pets and treated in zoos, farms, circuses and surroundings not conducive to their well-being. That's not to mention how human activities influence the survival of wild species.

One way to address this is to use the media to reach the public with the message that animals are not toys but living creatures with physical and emotional needs. Popular radio station FM95 Luktung Mahanakorn, which has a huge fan base, would be one place to start. Reaching out to to people is a sure-fire way to get the message through once and for all that dog meat is a subject not up for debate. Social media can also be used to encourage people to discuss the 2014 Prevention of Animal Cruelty and Provision of Animal Welfare Act. Through discourse I believe people can exchange ideas on how to make this law work more effectively, creating a more ethical and accountable society. Local channels should also prioritise issues dealing with animal welfare, while bumper stickers and commercials can also do the trick.  

The pet trade should also be put under close scrutiny. It is every citizen's duty to bring offenders to justice. One does not need to go far to find that all types of living creatures can be found for sale in markets across the country, and all these pathetic animals are housed in terribly inhumane conditions that go unchecked.

We hear accounts of puppies being drugged to prevent them from crying, large birds being stuffed into tiny cages and protected animals sold openly without fear of the law. Even fish are not exempted from being kept in terrible conditions.

Breeding for commercial reasons should also be looked into, as today we observe large-scale commercial dog breeding operations where profit is given priority over the well-being of the dogs. We should make certain that the standards in which they are kept should not be merely suitable for our canine friends' survival.


Yvonne Bohwongprasert is a senior writer in the Life section of the Bangkok Post.

Yvonne Bohwongprasert

Senior writer

Yvonne Bohwongprasert is a senior writer for the Life section of the Bangkok Post.

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