How we treat animals says much about us

WHEN you find a cat in distress, whom do you call? The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals? The police? The Singapore Civil Defence Force? Well, my wife and I called all three one night when we saw a cat in distress in Clementi West.

Its leg was entangled in construction wire but we could not free it as it attacked us when we went closer.

So we called the SPCA. We found out that it was too busy to send anyone to the scene but warned us that even if it did, it 'cannot guarantee that the cat will not be put down'.

We then asked the SCDF for help. It had staff stationed at a Housing Board block just three minutes' walk from the spot. Its reply? Saving cats was not its responsibility.

Finally, we tried the Clementi West Neighbour-hood Police Post. It sent two officers almost immediately who promptly freed the cat, to the delight of the small crowd that had gathered.

We are not cat lovers but it pains us to see an animal suffer. We are sure that the police could have made some excuse for not helping. But they did not. They have shown that they, too, have a heart.

SEAH LIANG CHIANG