I share the concerns of animal activists over the welfare of the juvenile sharks (Activists raise concern over blacktip reef sharks kept in dental clinic aquarium; Jan 11).
Meanwhile, another group of animals has been left captive - and neglected by the activists - for far too long: birds.
Birds are created to fly in the unbounded sky. Like human beings, they need companionship and often live in a group.
It is selfish and cruel to keep a bird in a cage for personal pleasure.
Bird enthusiasts who wish to see these animals up close can observe them in their natural habitats.
They can participate in bird-watching tours armed with a camera or a pair of binoculars.
In Singapore, the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is a good place to watch birds that make Singapore their home or fly in for a stopover from distant lands.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals should lobby for legislation that bans the keeping of birds as a hobby.
Donny Ho Boon Tiong