World Animal Day...But Not in Malaysia?

World Animal Day, which was started by a group of ecologists in Florence, Italy, in 1931, takes place on Oct. 4 every year. According the UK site, the goals of World Animal Day are:

• To celebrate animal life in all its forms
• To celebrate humankind’s relationship with the animal kingdom
• To acknowledge the diverse roles that animals play in our lives – from providing food, through being our companions, to supporting and helping us, to bringing a sense of wonder into our lives
• To acknowledge and be thankful for the way in which animals enrich our lives

Sounds good to me! I asked some likely people in the animal world here (SPCA, National Zoo) if they were going to hold any events in conjunction with World Animal Day, and was told that they were not. The reason? It isn't well-known here. Is this really a case of the chicken or the egg? I don't think so; I think you have to publicize something like this first, and then people will know about it. I am pushing to get an animal-welfare related article of my own into The Star on Tuesday; I don't know if it will make it or not.

My cat Dickens came from the Singapore SPCA

Meanwhile, the SPCA in Singapore is going to hold a three-day event to promote pet adoption, kindness to animals and the SPCA's activities. Good for them! Let's hope that next year, we'll have our own animal-awareness-raising events here in Malaysia. Education is the only long-term method for changing the way we treat the animals around us, but it takes time. The sooner we start, the sooner we will see results.