Tuesday, February 12, 2008

No pest control spotted

I just spoke with one of the caregivers who went down to check the area where there was supposed to be trapping and there was no sign of pest control. It's a relief that they didn't go - and again calls into question how reliable this information is.

10 comments:

jules said...

Am only very glad that this info turned out untrue altho it has upset many caregivers. Just wondering when the day will come that such trapping will cease to exist and we do not have to fear for our community cats anymore...sigh...

Dawn said...

jules - exactly. At the same time, I do think some caregivers have a measure of security even as it is because they work with the TCs but I agree with you that a no-trapping policy would be most welcome!

Anonymous said...

I called AVA to check on the Tampines cat this morning and was questioned by the officer if it's the big tabby one. Does this mean that there were trapping? I cant answer him as I dont know the cat around that area. He said he'll call me back but he did not.

The last I heard a lady call K is working on getting the cats out but goes around raising funds first.

I also notice most feeder only check with TC. Just curious any one call AVA directly to check?

I also have someone saying TC wont have mess trapping nationwide. But why cant the same pest control consolidating the trapping on the same day.

NC

Dawn said...

NC - first of all, it's best to let the caregivers call. Trapping has always been going on, so the fact that they are trapping is not in itself unusual. In TCs with caregivers working with the TCs however, they don't trap the sterilised cats. If you aren't the caregiver and have no idea if the cat is sterilised and aren't a resident there, the TC is not going to release the cat to you nor are you going to be much use to the cat as you don't know which cat it is. It's better to try and find the caregiver there.

Secondly, yes most caregivers DO call the AVA if the cats are missing. However if a sterilised cat is caught and the TC is working with the caregiver, then the caregivers want to know why the cat was caught obviously. Also if it was a mistake, the TC will issue a letter for the caregiver to take the cat back.

Thirdly, can you imagine the logistics of trying to trap the cats nationwide? How many vans and personnel are there? Also why would TC have mass trapping nationwide? One TC doesn't go and look into the affairs of another TC - each runs independently.

Anonymous said...

Obviously if that area is not cared by us, we do not interfere. No one feeder will be so free and rich to mind others businesses. Unfortunately in any case if that area’s feeder cant be located and if you are aware of the situation. Do you do nothing?

Like the rest your comment on the third point is very one sided. If pest control is hired on the basis of yearly tender for all the TC in SG then it makes sense that the same pest control is culling for the whole island. If there are a few TC requesting to cull cats, why cant the pest control consolidate the request and get one particular team who are trained in culling to carry out the requirement in the different location of Singapore within the same day.

NC

Dawn said...

NC first of all I don't understand your point. How can the area be cared for by you and yet you don't know whom the caregiver in the area is? Please explain.

Secondly, I don't understand what you mean by the comment being on-sided nor what makes you think that all the pest control is hired on yearly tender by all the TCs in Singapore? Different TCs hire different companies. I remember speaking with one TC that told me that the company that they had hired had refused to trap cats and they had to swap companies. That's also why if you ask around you see different pest control vans in estates.

Anonymous said...

This post is with regards to the sms right? If no one in Tampines is located at that point of time, instead of letting the cat die, someone just call AVA and hopefully to buy some time. This is respond to your comments on your earlier reply

[NC - first of all, it's best to let the caregivers call. Trapping has always been going on, so the fact that they are trapping is not in itself unusual. In TCs with caregivers working with the TCs however, they don't trap the sterilised cats. If you aren't the caregiver and have no idea if the cat is sterilised and aren't a resident there, the TC is not going to release the cat to you nor are you going to be much use to the cat as you don't know which cat it is. It's better to try and find the caregiver there.]

What I was trying to say is that you are coming from the TC point of view on this culling exercise. I am coming from the pest control point of view. If a few TC call me on various locations culling, likely I will consolidate the "order" and carry out the task at one go.

Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter any more. It had been proven that this tip about culling is not a hoax. Maybe we should channel the effort now in getting the TC in Tampines to issue a letter to get the poor cat out. Two had already been destroyed while people are still wondering should we take such sms seriously.

NC

Anonymous said...

Btw, I am not a care giver in Tampines.

NC

Dawn said...

NC no the SMS was not about Tampines. So far there have still been no verifiable SMSes. That's exactly my point about people running around without any evidence that these SMSes are true. Perhaps you got a different SMS because it now seems that there are difference 'sources' as well.

I wonder why people are so willing to believe SMSes from people that no one knows when they have not been verified. How do you know the intent of the person behind the SMS? The people passing it on may mean well - but how do you know the person behind the original SMS does?

If you are referring to the case in Tampines, that area had several complaints in the past. When I was working with CWS, I had already tried to look for someone in the area for quite a while. One caregiver went down and spoke with the families but the people there refused to keep their cats in subsequently. No one else came forward to offer to help because they are busy in their own areas (and understandably so).

The cats I understand were unsterilised, there have been numerous complaints. The TC is going to say that they had already given caregivers ample time to help in this area but no one came forward, so I think the chances of them releasing the cats will not be good. Perhaps if you know people in the area (since you are not) you can let CWS know so that in the future complaints in the area can be directly referred to them.

As for the pest control, how will they 'consolidate' it when different companies work for different TCs? You may want to read the link I posted in today's blog post.

Dawn said...

By the way NC just to clarify, are you speaking about the SMS about the trapping that was alleged to be about to be carried out or the one about a cat that already had been trapped because I received both?