Though the well-intentioned efforts of dog lovers have saved the lives of many stray canines roaming Bukit Batok, authorities have pointed out that the act of feeding them has actually been a main cause for the rat infestation wrecking the area.
Speaking to Channel NewsAsia, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) has pointed out that the feeding of stray dogs — usually by leaving food out in the open — has escalated their population and also of pests including rats and other vermin, in addition to causing sanitation issues.
According to AVA, they have received around 2,300 complaints this year regarding stray dogs. 100 of them have been about the canines of Bukit Batok Central, and the people who feed them.
On the other side of the issue, dog lovers have rebutted authorities, maintaining that strays have always finished the food left out for them, with some even hunting down rats as a source of food. A video has been uploaded on Facebook by Karen Koh, documenting astray puppy feasting on one.
“It is clear that the rats started to outnumber the strays because the strays were all caught and taken away,” says Koh.
AVA stated that 40 stray dogs have been rounded up in the Bukit Batok area this year, and that they’ll be working with relevant stakeholders to continue managing the stray population in Singapore to ensure public health and safety.
Photo: Will Ellis via Flickr
