Stir-fried snake show when society is more compassionate?

Straits Times Forum 31 Dec 11;

SINGAPORE is changing. Our society is becoming more compassionate towards animals.

Laws protect domesticated animals from abuse and wild animals from being trafficked. People rescue abandoned animals, such as cats, from shelters and provide them with loving homes.

People question the serving of shark's fin soup on special occasions, such as wedding dinners. Zoo animals are no longer forced to give unnatural performances. Restaurants offer more vegetarian options on their menus.

Indeed, in increasing numbers, people recognise that animals are thinking, feeling beings deserving of respect. This shift towards greater compassion by Singapore's Government, people and businesses makes it all the more disturbing to see the Healthy Dining series, on Wednesdays on MediaCorp's Channel 8. The series is shot in China, with the goal of teaching the audience about healthy ingredients and how to prepare them.

However, some of these ingredients are animals, such as snakes and guinea pigs. For example, in the show about snakes, the hosts visit a snake farm and play with a snake. Not long after, we see stir-fried snake served on a plate, snake in a soup and a skinned snake. In this way, the show promotes the consumption of exotic animal parts for their alleged 'healing properties' and may whet appetites for exotic game meat among viewers.

In Healthy Dining, the animals are viewed only as objects of entertainment and nutrition for humans. Where, please, is the shift towards greater compassion for animals that we are seeing elsewhere in Singapore society?

Louis Ng
Executive Director
Animal Concerns, Research and Education Society (Acres)

Dr George Jacobs
President
Vegetarian Society (Singapore)

Jennifer Lee (Ms)
Coordinator
Project: FIN

TV show followed MediaCorp's rules on exotic animals
Straits Times 7 Jan 12;

WE THANK the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society, Vegetarian Society (Singapore) and Project: FIN for their feedback ('Stir-fried snake show when society is more compassionate?'; last Saturday).

As part of our support for the environment, we have a policy on the feature of endangered/exotic animals in our television productions. It prohibits the depiction of exotic animals/foods as a lifestyle or food to be sought after (for example, shark's fin, foie gras, veal and wild game).

For programmes that showcase the traditions and practices of another country, and in the event that exotic animals are being featured, the host will treat the subject matter as part of its culture but will not endorse the act.

To this end, Channel 8's programme, Healthy Dining, adheres to the company's guidelines.

Paul Chan
Vice-President (Branding and Promotion)
Channel 8
MediaCorp

Don't curb our taste for shark's fin soup
Straits Times 7 Jan 12;

LAST Saturday's letter ('Stir-fried snake show when society is more compassionate?' by the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society, Vegetarian Society (Singapore) and Project: FIN) characterised the increasing intolerance and push for more space at the expense of others.

While I understand that the inhumane way in which sharks are culled for their fins may be a major concern to many, I still enjoy my shark's fin soup and hope that the farming of sharks happens soon.

As long as an animal is not unduly subjected to unnecessary suffering, all meat is, pardon the pun, game.

After all, pigs at abattoirs are herded through rings where they are either stunned by electricity or gassed before they are slaughtered.

While it is one thing for restaurants to discourage diners from ordering shark's fin soup and substitute it with similarly tasty concoctions, it is another to loudly proclaim during a wedding dinner that fellow diners should be ashamed of consuming the dish.

The 'healing properties' of exotic animal parts are not 'alleged' but anecdotal. Similarly, should we ban traditional Chinese medicine, which is experiential rather than scientific?

I wish for reasonableness to prevail this year.

Colin Loh