The instinct for stray dogs is to seek out food sources for survival, and where there are community cats with caregivers putting out food for them, these dogs are can detect the scent. We have always advocated a system of responsible stray management for all animals, and a key point is that caregivers must feed responsibly and discreetly, ensuring there is no leftover food which may attract dogs and other pests.

Dogs by nature are territorial, and will not encroach on another's territory. Based on this understanding, cat caregivers can set up patrols with pots and pans and ward off the pack with noise and dominant gestures, targeting the pack leader, which is usually a male.

Another key point of a responsible stray management system is sterilisation, not culling. The results from First World countries are proof of that, and we have seen the results. Sterilised strays cannot breed and will eventually die from natural causes. Only when the balance is upset by the authorities culling them, do we see the stray population increasing as unsterilised strays move in and breed again. Culling is a short-term solution which wastes taxpayers' money and does not achieve the objective of reducing the stray population in the long term.

With the scarcity of land and resources, it must be understood that stray management is a community effort, and not just left to the handful of animal welfare organisations. Taking the animals off the streets is an ideal but simplistic notion. There are too many, and not enough land and resources. With cooperation between the authorities, animal welfare organisations and the community, and a responsible stray management system in place, the objective of reducing the stray animal population can be steadily achieved.

Ricky Yeo
President
Action for Singapore Dogs Society