IPOH, Nov 12 ― For the first time, the Ipoh Society for the Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals (ISPCA) will be conducting a spaying and neutering exercise for free.
To be offered to strays in Ipoh and Manjung, society president Ricky Soong said the project was in collaboration with Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine.
Soong said he was approached by an undergraduate of the university to have the project sometime in July.
“The undergraduate is a Perakian and she decided to approach us after seeing the Trap Neuter and Release exercise undertaken by our volunteers and supporters,” he said.
Speaking to Malay Mail, Soong said depending on the Covid-19 situation, the society hopes to have the project in December next year or January 2023 during the university's winter break when the students are able to travel to Malaysia from the United States.
Soong said at least 10 veterinarian undergraduates would be involved in the project and they would be accompanied by two of their lecturers.
“An estimated 50 to 80 strays in Ipoh will be neutered or spayed in the two day exercise,” he said.
He added ISPCA would be working with a veterinarian clinic in Ipoh which agreed to let the undergraduates use their operation theatres for the exercise.
As the exercise is free, Soong said there would be a limit to the number of strays that each feeder can bring in to undergo the procedure.
Rescuers normally have to pay for the procedure to be done.
“We will have a registration exercise once the dates for the project are confirmed,” he added.
Soong said all stray dogs that undergo the procedure would be given the Ipoh City Council recognised red collar and micro chipped.
As for the exercise in Manjung, Soong said he would discuss the matter with rescuers in the area.
ISPCA implemented the TNRM project in 2017 and to date, over 4,000 strays in the city had either been neutered or spayed.
Ipoh has an estimated 20,000 strays.
