PET+BLOGSPOT COMMENT:
SCORES OF YOU have written in to ask why PETPOSITIVE is not taking part in an important signature campaign handover that is taking place in a popular mall this Sunday.
Well, the fact is, Petpositive was supposed to.
Until our national animal-assisted therapy society got unceremoniously kicked out by the petition organiser: namely the Selangor SPCA.
The move was meant to be somewhat a "punishment" of sorts for comments made by our President Anthony Thanasayan to the online news portal Free Malaysia Today.
The funny thing about this whole banana skin joke of the SPCA Selangor is that Petpositive was one of the first fews NGOs to rush in and endorse the signature campaign.
So much so that we even received an email - almost at once, and somewhat like a standing ovation, if you will - commending us for our commitment towards animal issues.
Not only that, but Thanasayan even played an instrumental part in getting PAWS Animal Welfare Society to get back into the petition campaign when the latter withdrew out of protest for some other matter.
Petpositive was booted out of the petition because animal lovers were said to be "furious" with Thanasayan's remarks about animal NGOs in the article. They were even "threatening to withdraw their support", it was alleged.
At least that is what the SPCA's weak and rather lame excuse was when they wrote to our President to inform him about the sudden disappearance of Petpositive's logo from the document.
Such a cheap stunt by the Selangor SPCA only discriminates against persons with disabilities and the elderly who depend daily on animal-assisted therapy for positive living nationwide.
It really shows that they have no interest and really couldn't quite care less about the role and importance of representation of these specialised groups of people.
And wouldn't it have simply warmed the heart of the Prime Minister, to whom this petition is said to be eventually going to, to have seen the handicapped and elderly who are actively receiving animal-assisted therapy's endorsement as well in the document?
So what did Thanasayan say that was apparently so outrageous to animal groups that made their blood shoot up to the sky?
Here it is in a nutshell once again:
- Stop being viewed as hypocrites to local councils.
- Work with them instead of constantly fighting against them.
- You cannot win the war without educating them first.
- Change your strategy or risk becoming irrelevant altogether - and forever.
The SPCA Selangor's kicking out of Petpositive is not only unethical but a clear act of betrayal against a fellow animal NGO who has faithfully worked with them over the years.
They seem to give an impression that hundreds - (okay, let's be generous here: even thousands) - were against Petpositive.
What about the scores of groups that we know that are against the SPCA and attack them openly in their blogs and Facebook pages?
Some of them now appear to be bedfellows with them for the sake of convenience?
SPCA Selangor has forgotten that the very person - and organisation - they are against - namely Anthony Thanasayan had played a key role in getting them into committees with many of the local councils over the past three years to work for change for the animals.
Without him, it remained only as a tantalizing fantasy.
I guess we all learn new things about people and NGOs every day we suppose.
With such shallow and closed up minds, how can one ever dream of being a viable voice for animals especially when it comes to changing local councils so-called "hearts of stone."
We are only letting out nothing but hot air.
PET+BLOGSPOT is the ONLINE BLOG of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association or Petpositive. Our stories are CURRENT, ACCURATE and RELIABLE. We offer both local and foreign news on animals, disability and the elderly. PET+BLOGSPOT was first established in October 2007. Our hits since then are now 150,000 and ever increasing! PET+BLOGSPOT is updated daily. Kindly note that views expressed in PET+BLOGSPOT are not necessarily those of PETPOSITIVE. You may also visit our Webpage by browsing: www.petpositive.com.my You can also find us in Facebook under PETPOSITIVE EMPOWERMENT. Please sign up as a FOLLOWER of this Blog if you haven't done so already in order to show us your kind support for our work. Thank you!
6 comments:
Dear Mr Thanasayan,
I want to thank you for this excellent piece of writing.
As a fan of your column Wheel Power, you certainly have a knack for expressing your thoughts.
You have given us readers a clear picture of things we, the public, don't really know about and sometimes blindly part our money to charities.
I'm a civil engineer and this is the last time that I will donate my money to the SPCA in Selangor.
What they did is truly outrageous.
As for that other Malaysian dogs thingy group, they would be lucky to even get a sen from me.
Keep up the good work. You are alright!
How rotten and low down of SPCA to do this to you guys.
I think all of you should go in your wheelchairs and walking sticks to the press conference on Sunday and PROTEST right in front of the entire event.
That would deliver a very loud message.
Hello Mr Thanasayan,
Very shocking to hear that the SPCA Selangor gave you the boot! Just goes to show what sort of an organization they really are! As Cyndi Lauper sang, "true colors shining through".
Anyway, every cloud has a silver lining, you're better off without them! I have always supported them but will not anymore. They've shown that they got no class! The SPCA Selangor is now no different than the scam group that is run by that mental case journalist.
Jac Singh
Very typical. Caring for animals but not giving a damn about the disabled and elderly participating.
Congrats SPCA and all you bunch of whackos! (sic)
what exactly did the president of petpositive say in the article? you have to understand that the SPCA in selangor have to also keep the 'furious' pet owners happy. while i agree that pet+ should not be sidelined, as they have contributed greatly to this petition, this article only shows one side of the story. If what the SPCA claims is true then they alone are not at fault. do not victimize yourselves- this probably has nothing to do with being disabled. it soudns as though you are just conveniently using that to your advantage.
Dear Anonymous,
Thank you for your comments.
First, I wish you had revealed your identity as I always prefer to address my replies to people who are not afraid of revealing who they are - even if they are critical.
Nonetheless, thanks for responding. Here is my reply:
> what exactly did the president of petpositive say in the article?
aNt: I gave a gist of it in my writeup. However please go here to read it in full: http://petpositive.blogspot.com/2011/05/thanasayan-bites-hypocrites.html
> you have to understand that the SPCA in selangor have to also keep the 'furious' pet owners happy.
aNt: At the expense of betraying another NGO and denying a legitimate representation of disabled and elderly pet lovers? I should think not, certainly.
> while i agree that pet+ should not be sidelined, as they have contributed greatly to this petition, this article only shows one side of the story.
aNt: One side of the story? I should think not again as unlike most other blogs, I did my part to mention clearly why they kicked us out.
> If what the SPCA claims is true then they alone are not at fault.
aNt: So are you saying that it's okay to dump an ally and marginalised groups when it's convenient?
> do not victimize yourselves- this probably has nothing to do with being disabled. it sounds as though you are just conveniently using that to your advantage.
aNt: Your statement clearly shows that you are a non disabled person. As such, it is quite understandable why you don't see things the way people with disabilities do.
Petpositive is an organisation for disabled and elderly persons who actively receive animal-assisted therapy for positive living.
I am a disabled person too, otherwise I cannot be President.
And you say it has "nothing to do with being disabled?"
What gives?
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