LETTER | Spare some thoughts for welfare of homeless animals

LETTER | Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is also the finance minister, will be proposing Budget 2024 in Parliament soon.

I wish to take this opportunity to appeal to the good office of the prime minister to consider allocating special financial grants to help out animal welfare shelters in the country.

These shelters are managed by volunteers from public donations. The animal volunteers are providing invaluable welfare services to these homeless creatures including rescuing and neutering them.

In view of the global sluggish economy and the rising inflation, animal welfare shelters are facing difficulties in obtaining donations from the public to maintain these shelters.

Several animal shelters have closed down and many are on the verge of closing down soon due to the inability to secure public donations.

Tax relief

On behalf of animal lovers in the country, I humbly appeal to the prime minister to kindly consider allocating financial grants to these animal shelters.

The mechanism of distributing these grants to deserving animal shelters can be sorted out by the Department of Veterinary Services together with the National Animal Welfare Organisations.

In the meantime, the government should consider providing tax relief for veterinary products and pet food.

Mobile veterinary clinics should be introduced to cater to the animals in the rural and semi-urban environment.

Alternatively, the government can consider providing subsidised medical care and neutering for cats and dogs by a panel of private veterinary clinics. It can be referred to as the Madani veterinary health care similar to the popular Madani health care currently offered by the Health Ministry-appointed private clinics

Humanity blossoms when we ensure the welfare of the homeless animals in our midst is not neglected.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.