Charity drive to help animals
By THOMAS HUONG
Metro, 5 Dec 2003

IN conjunction with the Christmas season, Hilton Petaling Jaya and Memory Lane are jointly embarking on a charity drive for the dogs and cats housed by the Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals (SPCA) Selangor. 

The one-month campaign entitled “Love Needs No Pedigree” aims to raise funds and increase adoption for the abandoned animals in SPCA Selangor.  

From Dec 8 till Jan 7 next year, the public and hotel guests can buy plush toys as Christmas gifts from a special Memory Lane counter at the lobby of Hilton Petaling Jaya. 

A 10% contribution from the sales of the plush toys, priced from RM19.90 onwards, will be donated to SPCA Selangor.  

The “Love Needs No Pedigree” counter will open daily during the campaign period from 11am till 9pm.  

Pictures of cats and dogs available for adoption will also be displayed at the hotel lobby and those who wish to adopt the animals will be provided forms which can be dropped off at the hotel.  

“It is hoped that some of the animals will be able to find a home this Christmas,” said SPCA Selangor public relations officer Melissa Raj during a recent press conference. 

“We have hundreds of dogs and cats for adoption of all ages, colours, shapes and sizes. The adoption fees are from RM100 (dog) and RM70 (cat). This includes de-worming, vaccination and compulsory neutering (sterilisation),” she explained.  

Raj hopes that the campaign’s adoption drive will somewhat reduce the use of euthanasia as a means of population control within the kennels of SPCA Selangor.  

“More than 1,100 animals are surrendered at SPCA Selangor every month. Adoption of the animals is only at 10% of the surrender rate. Thus, our hope is that we do not need to put to sleep a thousand animals every month,” she said.  

She also praised Hilton Petaling Jaya and Memory Lane for their charitable efforts on behalf of SPCA Selangor.  

“We are a non-profit organisation which receives no government funding and depend solely on public donations. We need about half a million ringgit a year to run our operations,” said Raj.  

According to Hilton Petaling Jaya marketing communications manager Tiang Li Ming, the “Love Needs No Pedigree” campaign is in addition to the hotel’s annual charity initiatives for orphanages and old folks homes during the Christmas period.  

“However, this year we also hope to bring Christmas joy to the abandoned animals in SPCA Selangor,” she said.  

“The adorable plush toys are perfect for children and adults alike. The gifts are also made more meaningful as there is a charity deed behind each one,” she added. 

Also present at the press conference were the hotel’s director of business development Bjorn-Henning Buth and marketing communications executive Cindy Wong.  

SPCA Selangor, a temporary shelter for unwanted animals, is located at Jalan Kerja Ayer Lama, Ampang Jaya.  

It is open daily from 9am to 4pm. For details, call 03-4256 5312.