Bengal cat giveaway on Facebook "unethical": SPCA

Diane Leow Channel NewsAsia 28 Jan 15;

SINGAPORE: Claws have come out after a home breeder posted on Facebook that he would give a Bengal kitten away to one "lucky" person – if they “like” his Facebook page and leave a comment as to why they deserve the cat.

The post, which went up early on Wednesday morning (Jan 28) on Designer Bengal Singapore, stated: "We are pleased to be giving away for FREE a gorgeous Bengal kitten to one lucky winner on 9th May 2015, whom will be randomly picked in this contest." The word "contest" was later edited out, and replaced with the words "no fee adoption".

The post has since been taken down, following an outcry from people who felt that giving a kitten as a prize was inappropriate. Comments from netizens include: “Are you kidding me? This as a prize? Why don’t you put up a wife as a prize for people to win?” “How is it okay to give away a kitten as a Facebook contest prize?! OH MY GOD. Is this even legal?”

Professional pet photographer Nicholas Lee from Furry Photos said it is in "bad taste" to use pets as a contest prize. "Animal welfare advocates have been trying to educate the public that pets are a serious long-term commitment and using them as a commodity undermines that," he said.

The man behind the Facebook page, Mr Alfred Khan, said he removed the post due to negativity raised from their "intention of generosity".

OFFER "OUTRIGHT IRRESPONSIBLE": CAT WELFARE SOCIETY

Ms Joanne Ng, Chief Executive Officer of the Cat Welfare Society, told Channel NewsAsia she was aware of the situation and got in touch with the Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), as well as the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA).

“More importantly, are they a legitimate breeder or have any license at all to sell this cat? These are the first few questions we would like to address,” Ms Ng said.

She added that many problems currently stem from irresponsible pet owners, who allow their pets to roam freely, refuse to sterilise them, or breed them at home.

“When they reach the point when it’s too much to handle, they will start abandoning the pets,” Ms Ng added. “These are very real issues we face every day.”

Ms Ng reiterated that business practices like this are “not beneficial to society”, as animal welfare societies continue to pour in resources in order to take care of abandoned animals. “This is outright irresponsible,” she said.

SPCA told Channel NewsAsia it "vehemently opposes" the giving of any live animal - regardless of animal type, breed, age or temperament - as a present or gift, in any contest or competition no matter the circumstance.

"It is categorically unethical to give away a kitten as a prize. It is disingenuous of Designer Bengal Singapore to now change 'tack' and claim the Bengal kitten is up for adoption," said Ms Corinne Fong, Executive Director, SPCA Singapore.

"To randomly pick a person without receiving any due affirmation of this person’s experience with kittens, is tantamount to consigning the animal to an unknown fate," she added.

POST "NOT MEANT TO BE A COMPETITION": HOME BREEDER

Mr Khan, who said he has been running a Bengal cat breeding service out of his home for three years, said the post was not meant to be a competition or promotion for his business. “People assume this is cheap publicity. Indirectly, of course it looks like that. It’s not a promotion; I am doing it out of sincerity. If you want a cat, I can make your dream come true,” he said.

“Having a Bengal cat can be very therapeutic. I was thinking maybe this cat could help a cancer patient, or a sick person – something beneficial,” Mr Khan added.

He also said he was prepared for some negativity stemming from the post, but did not expect the backlash. “When I saw that – and how people took screenshots of my picture – I had to delete the post and apologise.”

Mr Khan said that as a cat lover, he had planned to screen the applicant before handing over the Bengal kitten by meeting the person's family, understanding his or her character traits, and seeing if they are able to afford to keep the kitten. The cat would be sterilised as well, he said.

“We will also give them guidance on how to take care of the cat, what (issues) you can foresee in the future, and what kind of food is suitable,” he said. Mr Khan added that follow ups are essential.

“This is going to be a constant relationship, because I am giving them this kitten for free. This is not for them to resell it. This is for them to keep and to love. It has to be from the heart,” he said.

A check on Facebook showed that there were no specific guidelines on product giveaways, unless it involves regulated goods such as firearms, alcohol or tobacco.

- CNA/dl