Source : Today Online, Singapore, 23 Jun '05
By : Jasmine Yin
  

It is the first time the biennial animal welfare conference is being held here.

Hosted by local non-government organisation Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres), the conference aims to be a platform for participants to network, exchange expertise and develop new strategies to address animal-related concerns.

Some topics the three-day conference will touch on include farm animal welfare, the role of government agencies in animal protection, the management of stray animals and tackling trade in wildlife.

"We are confident that this conference will provide a unique learning opportunity for all involved in animal protection. We are certain the movement in Asia will be strengthened following AfAc," said Acres president Louis Ng.

Attendance for the conference numbers over 200 and comprises representatives from 12 Asian governments, animal welfare organisations and members of the public.

In her keynote speech yesterday, Ms Jill Robinson, chief executive officer of Hong Kong-based Animals Asia Foundation, commented: "I believe there has never been more help available to the animals of Asia than there is today."

Mr Grant Pereira, who was representing the international organisation Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and the Green Volunteers Network — the volunteer arm of the Singapore Environment Council, said it was a "good first move" that Singapore was hosting the conference.

This, he hopes, would create more awareness to stem the smuggling of endangered species from the region via Singapore as the transshipment hub.

Statistics from the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA), the regulatory body that oversees animal welfare in Singapore, show that illegal wildlife trade is on the rise here.

Ninety-seven cases were reported last year, an almost three-fold increase from the 34 cases in 2000.

He added that the participation of AVA at the conference is indicative of how ties between the regulatory body and animal welfare groups here have improved over the years.

"In the old days, when you held these kind of conferences, you didn't get anyone (from Government agencies)," he said.

"When we wanted to talk to them in the past, they would think negatively, 'What do you want to see me for, it must be trouble'. They are more open and ties have become more amicable now."