In a media interview earlier, Jurong GRC MP David Ong reiterated that food littering by irresponsible stray feeders was one of the main causes of the rat infestation in Bukit Batok (‘MP says dog feeding the cause of rat infestation‘).
He said, “One of the things we are doing now is that on the community-front, we will be mobilising our community on patrol to do more frequent patrols around this area so that we can engage the dog feeders to not leave food indiscriminately, as well as to work with the National Environment Agency to see how we can raise the level of monitoring and enforcement on food littering.”
Mr Ong started serving as a grassroots leader in the Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng Constituency in 1999 and eventually became a PAP MP. Since 2003, Mr Ong has also chaired the Chinatown Festival’s Committee that organises the 2 major Chinese festivals – Chinese New Year Celebrations and the Mid Autumn Festival.
Now, Mountbatten MP, Lim Biow Chuan, has joined the fray to defend his fellow PAP MPs. On Saturday (27 Dec), Mr Lim told the media that the rat infestation problem in Bt Batok is due to stray dogs not finishing its food.
He said many do not understand that stray dogs may not finish the food left for them, allowing rats and other pests to flourish.
Mr Lim said, “We should go on an outreach programme to reach out to coffee shop owners and people living in the area, to say that if they see anyone trying to feed stray dogs, tell them to please make sure that they clear up the food after they have fed the animals. Of course, it’s best if you don’t even feed the animals, because you’re just leaving food around in an unhygienic manner.”
Mr Lim added that while officers from the National Environment Agency and the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority could step up patrols in the area, they have limited resources. He said public education on the problem of leaving unconsumed food out would be the most effective solution.
Expert points to multiple contributors to rat infestation problem
When the media asked Senior Research Fellow Dr Ian Mendenhall of the Duke-NUS Medical School if it was fair to blame the feeders of stray dogs for the proliferation of rats, Dr Mendenhall said:
http://www.tremeritus.com/2014/12/29/mp-rat-problem-due-to-stray-dogs-not-finishing-its-food/
He said, “One of the things we are doing now is that on the community-front, we will be mobilising our community on patrol to do more frequent patrols around this area so that we can engage the dog feeders to not leave food indiscriminately, as well as to work with the National Environment Agency to see how we can raise the level of monitoring and enforcement on food littering.”
Mr Ong started serving as a grassroots leader in the Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng Constituency in 1999 and eventually became a PAP MP. Since 2003, Mr Ong has also chaired the Chinatown Festival’s Committee that organises the 2 major Chinese festivals – Chinese New Year Celebrations and the Mid Autumn Festival.
Now, Mountbatten MP, Lim Biow Chuan, has joined the fray to defend his fellow PAP MPs. On Saturday (27 Dec), Mr Lim told the media that the rat infestation problem in Bt Batok is due to stray dogs not finishing its food.
He said many do not understand that stray dogs may not finish the food left for them, allowing rats and other pests to flourish.
Mr Lim said, “We should go on an outreach programme to reach out to coffee shop owners and people living in the area, to say that if they see anyone trying to feed stray dogs, tell them to please make sure that they clear up the food after they have fed the animals. Of course, it’s best if you don’t even feed the animals, because you’re just leaving food around in an unhygienic manner.”
Mr Lim added that while officers from the National Environment Agency and the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority could step up patrols in the area, they have limited resources. He said public education on the problem of leaving unconsumed food out would be the most effective solution.
Expert points to multiple contributors to rat infestation problem
When the media asked Senior Research Fellow Dr Ian Mendenhall of the Duke-NUS Medical School if it was fair to blame the feeders of stray dogs for the proliferation of rats, Dr Mendenhall said:
http://www.tremeritus.com/2014/12/29/mp-rat-problem-due-to-stray-dogs-not-finishing-its-food/
