レポート
Wonder the World Vol.5: “How to help stray animals around the world” （動物愛護について考えてみよう。）
ヤン（マレーシア出身）
2008 年から多くの公文英語イマージョン アクティビティ (KEIA) に参加しています。立命館アジア太平洋大学を卒業後、マレーシアに帰国し、夢を叶えるために頑張っています。野良動物を助けるための実践を重ねています。路頭に迷ってしまった動物に私たちができることについて考えてみようと提案されています。
私は動物愛好家で動物福祉に関心を持っています。マレーシアでは野良となってしまった動物たち…、捨てられ、虐待や世話を放棄され、路頭に迷う動物たちの支援をしています。動物愛護と福祉において一人ひとりができることを考えてみましょう。
Yan is from Malaysia, who joined many Kumon English Immersion Activities (KEIA) since 2008. She graduated from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University and has currently returned to Malaysia to pursuit her dreams. Her compassion towards animals is one of her passion, which she will be sharing with us about what actions we can also take to help stray animals.
The plight of stray animals
Hi everyone, my name is Yan and I am from Malaysia. For the longest time, I have always been passionate about animals, whether they are pets, strays, in the zoos, etc. I am an animal lover by nature hence I am always concern for animal welfare, especially in Malaysia. I probably would have been a veterinarian if I had more passion for studying. There is always this big concern of mine for stray animals.
Did you know that these “stray animals” did not choose to be strays? They too long for a warm and loving home where all they ever wanted was food, shelter and love. Many a times, these stray animals will go hungry for days, getting poisoned and tortured by cruel human beings, abandoned by selfish humans. They suffer hardships from the day they were born and it’s a really cruel cycle from there onwards.
For strays to be born in Malaysia, there are many obstacles they have to face with certain authorities and also with the mindset of certain people. They have been neglected, abused and discriminated upon and so far nothing has been done for the well beings of the stray animals. Hence, I try to do what I can for them.
Covid got me started helping stray animals
During the Covid lockdown, I noticed that my area has a few strays and they were emanciated and were not so healthy looking. I feed both stray dogs and cats. I used to feed daily but as the lockdown eased, there are other independent feeders that have stepped up to help hence lessened my burden financially. Due to this, I was also able to meet other independent feeders who have shared their own story on how they started and their background on helping strays. With this, we started a network.
A year back, for the first time, I rescued a 4-month-old puppy who had met with an accident due to a reckless driver. The puppy’s leg was broken and on the verge of being crippled if not helped. I brought it to the vet and as suspected, the puppy needed surgery. It wasn’t a cheap surgery so I did a fundraiser. The vet was sympathetic and kind as he reduced the puppy’s boarding fees and he did not charge me for his food and supplements. When I did the fundraiser, I was touched that many of my friends, even the ones whom I have not been in contact with for a long time, donated for the surgery which gave me hope that humanity is not dead. The surgery was successful and as the saying goes “All’s well, ends well”, I managed to rehome the puppy.
Here is his pic, before and after:
From that day onwards, I continue to help out in areas where I am able to, whether it is to rehome or foster, help injured strays, promote TNRM and raise awareness (on social media, adoption drives, etc).
Do you know about TNRM?
TNRM which is the acronym for Trap, Neuter, Release and Manage plays a pivotal role in reducing strays everywhere around the world. Research shows that an unaltered female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies in just six years, while a female cat and her offspring can produce a staggering 370,000 kittens in seven years. It is also a very inhumane act to end the lives of innocence.
Over time, TNRM effectively reduces the number of strays as they keep territories from being invaded by unaltered animals, and thereby allowing rescue groups to keep track of which areas have been cleared of any unaltered dogs, and work in a systematic manner so as to eventually desex all strays in all areas. What groups like TNRM Malaysia does is work with community feeders such as myself, people who provide food and water to packs of stray animals in their area. By trapping the animals, bringing them to clinics to be spayed or neutered, and then returning them to the streets.
My dream
It is my dream and hopes that one day, people will realize that the world does not only belong to the humans but all living creatures. We have to be kind to animals, big or small. If possible, please adopt instead of buying a pet. There are many unwanted or abandoned pets around the world that would give the same unconditional love and care as a bought pet.
I do hope that the above article can help enlighten everyone about the plight of stray animals and how you can do your part to help them out. Spread the love, guys!
この記事のまとめ
動物が路頭に迷ってしまうのはなぜでしょう。彼らは温かく愛情深い家が欲しかったのに…。多くの野良動物は、一部の利己的な人間に見捨てられてしまっている現状があります。私は現在、自分ができる範囲で、野良動物の保護活動に取り組んでいます。
コロナで町がロックダウンした時、地域の数匹の野良犬に毎日餌をやりました。数週間が経ち、より健康になって見栄えが良くなり嬉しくなりました。以来、少しでも声なき命を救うことができる力になれると思ったのです。ロックダウンが緩和されるにつれて、他の団体も支援に乗り出したため、協力でし合えるようネットワークをつくりました。
1 年前、交通事故にあい足を骨折、手術しなければ歩けなくなる寸前の生後 4 か月の子犬を保護しました。手術費用は安くなかったので、募金活動をしました。多くの友達が寄付してくれ感動しました。手術は成功し、無事子犬は里親にわたすことができました。
皆さんはTNRMについて知っていますか？ TNRとは、Trap・Neuter・Return（トラップ・ニューター・リターン）を略した言葉で、捕獲器などで野良動物を捕獲（Trap）し、不妊・去勢手術（Neuter）を行い、元の場所に戻す（Return）取り組み（Management）のことです。救助団体の最終目標は、すべての路頭に迷う動物をなくすことです。世界は人間だけのものではなく、動物のものでもあります。 どんな動物にも私たちは優しくしなければなりません。
できれば、ペットを買う代わりに保護動物の里親になってください。 世界中には無条件の愛と世話を必要とする動物がたくさんいます。 野良動物の窮状を知り、彼らを助けるためにあなたができることについて、考えてみてください。
New words List
Plight…窮状
Stray…迷子の、野良の
Veterinarian…獣医
Tortured…拷問された
Abandoned…捨てられた
Selfish human…利己的な人間
Cruel…残酷
Authorities …当局（ここでは政府機関）
Neglected…無視された
Abused …虐待された
Discriminated…差別された
Burden…重荷
Emaciated…やせこけた
Crippled…不自由な
Boarding fees…ここでは入院費用
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