Cats and dogs in new green 'condos' (1 viewing) (1) Guest
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TOPIC: Cats and dogs in new green 'condos'
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Cats and dogs in new green 'condos' 1 Year, 9 Months ago
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Cats and dogs in new green 'condos'
By Boo Su-Lyn
May 08, 2010
Chin with an animal housed at the shelter. - Picture by Choo Choy May
KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 — A year after finally getting the title deed to the Ampang land it has occupied for 51 years, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is tearing out the old cages to build an ecologically-friendly animal shelter.
The two-acre plot in Jalan Ayer Kerja Lama was originally leased to oil giant Shell during SPCA's birth in 1958. The lease expired in 1982, rendering SPCA "technically immigrants" for the past 51 years and under threat of being kicked out.
But the change in state government after Election 2008 has given the SPCA a new lease of life and hope for the future.
"We've always wanted to build new facilities," said SPCA chairman Christine Chin in relating her vision of the SPCA Eco Animal Shelter. "We agreed we should embrace the eco trend."
Having just submitted its plans a few days ago, she expressed hopes of building the revolutionary green animal shelter by the end of this year.
The current SPCA shelter takes up only one acre, which is mostly surrounded by trees. Chin explained that the new Eco Animal Shelter would be built on the same premises using all two acres.
"We want it to be a happy, friendly place for adopters…the first place to come to mind when they think 'let's adopt a dog or cat' instead of going to a pet shop or shopping mall," she told The Malaysian Insider.
She explained that the main concept driving the construction of Eco SPCA was Maddie’s Adoption Center in San Francisco SPCA that looks more like an apartment building than a conventional animal shelter. There are 21 "doggie apartments" and 67 "kitty lofts" where animals stroll among television sets, furniture, rugs, toys and even hammock-style dog beds.
In contrast to cramped animal shelters, Maddie’s Adoption Center is spacious and cosy with picture windows, comfortable furniture, artwork and plants. There are umbrella shade tables and chairs on the verandah for potential pet owners to talk about their decision to adopt. The quirky animal shelter is designed to help adopters picture the pets living in their homes and to ease the animals’ adjustment to potential homes.
With architect Hijjas Kasturi on board who offered his services pro bono, Chin was excited about the green concept of Eco SPCA, which would include harvesting rainwater and building 140 spacious kennels and airy catteries that can house up to 200 cats. The cat aviary would be built around trees so that cats can roam in the treetops.
Award-winning architect Hijjas is well-known for his innovative green designs. His highlights include the Putrajaya Convention Centre, the Putrajaya Boating Clubhouse, and the Al-Faisal University in Saudi Arabia.
"The estimated development costs are between RM2 million and RM2.5 million," said Chin. "To date, we’ve collected RM470,000."
Like any fairy tale, SPCA's inspirational story also had its share of villains and conflict.
SPCA's dream of building the first green animal shelter in Malaysia was almost destroyed four years ago when the Selangor state government, then under the Barisan Nasional (BN), handed it an eviction letter.
"They (BN) said we'll give you RM114,000 for your premises," she said. "They assessed the kennel and office infrastructure… is worth only RM114,000."
However, SPCA's assessors estimated RM800,000 for the cost of replicating SPCA's current facilities, which entails rebuilding kennels, catteries and offices. In exchange for the land, the former state government told SPCA to build its new site at a ravine near a cemetery behind the current location, which Chin said would make access an issue.
"They said we'll give you the land, you do the fund-raising yourself," Chin said. "They wanted to turn it into a commercial area."
SPCA was told that they would have to bear all construction and development costs, including the cost of building a retaining wall around the ravine which was estimated at RM300,000.
"They were very insensitive and inconsiderate to us," sighed Chin. "Very unsatisfactory negotiations…. so we ding-dong here and there… then March 2008 came."
After Pakatan Rakyat (PR) wrested Selangor from the BN in the momentous March 2008 general election that robbed BN of its two-thirds majority in Parliament for the first time in Malaysian history, Chin spotted the chance to regain SPCA's future.
"After March 2008, a miracle happened," said Chin. "We applied to get the land in April 2008 and we got the land title in May 2009… I must say it's very efficient."
The PR government initially told them that they would sell the two-acre plot at a premium of RM5 million, which was the market rate. After making an appeal on the basis of charity, SPCA managed to get the price reduced to RM904,000, or RM8 per square foot.
"For two acres, it was excellent!" she said.
SPCA immediately snapped it up. The land that it had been squatting on for 51 years was finally theirs in May last year. It could now start laying brick and cement to the SPCA Eco Animal Shelter drawing plan.
So far, SPCA has received donations of RM68,000 from both private corporations and individuals for the construction of facilities like a vet clinic and a humane education hall for its planned eco shelter.
Aside from sheltering abandoned or abused pets, SPCA runs education programmes for visiting students, investigates reports of animal neglect and abuse, neuters and spays cats and dogs, assists other animal rescuers, and lobbies the government for animal welfare.
"SPCA is very happy and proud to leave that legacy for the next generation," she said. "The current committee's vision is to make animal welfare a viable industry for young people to enter."
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