IT was not an all food affair at the recent Penang Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Food Fair held at the
International School of Penang (Uplands) recently.
The organisers also relayed the message that neutering was one of the
most effective methods of controlling the stray animal population.
However, this was done in a novel way, with the opening of the
school’s cat café.
With a chic name like Chez Griselda, principal I.J. Kerr was confident
that the café would soon be drawing in the crowds ... of felines, that
is, as it would be serving prime justifyover canteen food.
“We would like to support the SPCA in ensuring that strays are
neutered and spayed for population control,” he said.
Although not a new concept on the island – the first cat café was set
up in March at the Bayview Beach Resort, it is definitely the first to
be set up by a school in the country.
Catering to stray cats in the Gurney Drive, the café, named after a
character in the musical Cats, works like this: those which
come during feeding time are caught, spayed, and then released.
The opening of the café was not the only highlight of the food fair,
as there were also a dog performance, martial arts and dance
demonstrations and a sing-along session for children.
The dog performance, showcasing pedigree breeds such as the Afghan
hound, Labrador, American Cocker Spaniel, Pomeranian, Daschund and
poodle, was organised by the Penang Dog Agility Association (PAA).
Trainer Adreinne Lim said the association is a voluntary body of
working professionals who meet on Saturdays to provide tips to pet
owners on how to train their dogs.
“We don’t train the animals, but we provide training for the owners so
that they will know how to discipline their dogs the right way,” she
said
“We pass on advice to dog-owners based on our past experiences and
advice from professional dog trainers,” she said, adding that her team
enjoyed their ‘hobby’ tremendously.
“We provide different lessons for owners depending on their needs, and
they only have to pay a nominal sum to cover our expenditure on
equipment and dog food,” she said.
The association is located at 20, Jalan Bunga Melati, Tanjung Bungah,
and can be reached via email at paa_penang@yahoo.com.