Kota Kinabalu: Animal rights groups believe the Sabah Department of Veterinary Services is not being honest about the condition of the horses at Melinsung Ranch owned by ex-Mayor Datuk Abdul Ghani Rashid.

The groups are charging incompetence, lack of organisation and a lackadaisical attitude on the part of the department.

Led by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), the groups are considering mounting a campaign to dissuade foreign tourists from visiting Sabah.

After inspecting the ranch in March, Bangkok-based WSPA member society manager Dawn Peacock, together with DVS officers, found that 80 per cent of the horses there were in poor condition, most likely due to chronic malnutrition.

Following the visit, Peacock had pressed for the confiscation of the horses and the owner's prosecution in court for maltreatment.

To her chagrin, the owner, who was not charged, was allowed to sell the horses off at a profit.

Peacock said: "I would like to state here that the welfare training of dept officers (some of whom are veterinarians) is paltry, considering that they are responsible for enforcing the laws regarding animal cruelty."

"The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and I found that the officers are confused over the laws that are applicable within Sabah, and who should be enforcing them."

Dept Director Datuk Awang Sahak Salleh had put the ranch in the clear, and that all horses there were in good condition. Conditions at the ranch were also judged to be satisfactory.

"Any person who could look at those horses and judge them to be in 'good condition', in the last six months, must be inept," said Peacock.

Selangor SPCA Sub Committee on Equine Welfare chairman Quek Sue Yian, said she had pictures illustrating the poor condition of 30 of the ranch's horses.

"I am flying to Kota Kinabalu this Saturday with a lawyer for the Selangor SPCA, to file a police report over this matter. We maintain that the owner must be accountable for his actions," said Quek.

Peacock revealed that the WSPA and the SPCA Selangor had made repeated offers to help rescue and rehabilitate the horses via the dept, on condition that the owner be prosecuted. But the DVS was reluctant to accept the offer.

"The dept has the power of prosecution under the Animal Act 1953, but will not take up the case as the owner is the ex-Mayor of Kota Kinabalu," said Quek.

Meanwhile, ranch owner Abdul Ghani said he had sold off 30 horses and will continue to reduce their number.

The WSPA and the SPCA Selangor said they will go on calling for justice to be served.

"We will begin a campaign to urge tourists to think twice before going to Sabah for holidays."

"We will also lobby equestrian groups to avoid Sabah as an equine event destination in the future," said Peacock.

- Daily Express, 3 April, 2008

Posted by webmaster on 16 May 2008, Fri