Best of our wild blogs: 9 Jun 17

Straw-headed Bulbul Census at Ubin
Singapore Bird Group

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Father of family of otters at Singapore River dies; poisoning suspected

Chew Hui Min Straits Times 8 Jun 17;

SINGAPORE - One of the first otters that appeared in central Singapore has died, a community of otter watchers said on Thursday (June 8).

The father of a family of otters which live at the Singapore River began showing signs of illness last Thursday, said Mr Jeffery Teo, who is part of the Otter Working Group, made up of representatives from the public and various government and other agencies involved in the welfare of otters.

The formerly robust otter, estimated to be about seven years old, "got weaker and smaller, he was seen vomiting and struggled to swim and eat", he said.

The otter would also sleep on a grass patch while the rest of the family swam in the river, he added.

Otter watchers found blood in the otter's spraint, or dung, in the past week.

The last sighting of the otter by the group was on Wednesday at Jiak Kim Bridge. He was trying to eat but was too weak, and watching over the family but resting.

"He had no energy to join them," said Mr Teo.

Weak and lethargic otter dad at Singapore River at Tuesday (June 6) evening

The Otter Working Group was informed and an operation involving Wildlife Reserves Singapore and the Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (Acres) was planned for this week.

"As long as dad was with the family, we could not isolate him because trapping would cause unforeseen stress to the rest of the otters," Mr Teo said.

They were closely monitoring the otter and planning how to isolate him, but it was too late.

The otter dad was not seen away from his family before this, but has been missing for more than 36 hours as of Friday morning.

OtterWatch, a Facebook page dedicated to Singapore's otters, posted a photo of the otter on Thursday afternoon, with the phrase, "In Memory of 1st Otter in our City. Marina Dad, 2010 - July 2017".

Some suspect that the otter might have accidentally ingested rat poison.

"Recently, Marina dad is looking very tired. Fresh blood has been observed from his poo these 2 days. We are concerned if he has been poisoned," Mr Nick Soo posted on Facebook on June 6.

"Anyone know of a way to ascertain whether he has been poisoned?"

A resident in the area had also posted on Facebook that her dog was poisoned.

"My dog was recently poisoned along the Singapore River. The company Rentokil left rodent poison in the ground cover and bushes along the river, which is a busy walking area with a lot of dogs, kids and otters. Any of them can easily eat the poison without leaving the concrete path. There were no signs to warn of this. Is this legal? And if so, how do we change this?" she wrote on the Nature Society's Facebook page.

The otter, affectionately known as Ah Huat to otter watchers at Gardens by the Bay, first appeared at the Gardens in 2013 with his mate, which gave birth to five pups in 2014.

They had two more litters since, and moved to the Singapore River last year after losing their territory at Gardens by the Bay to the Bishan otter family.

Smooth-coated otters can live from eight to 10 years in the wild.

Related links
Otterwatch facebook group

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Singapore to review implementation of UN sustainable goals: Balakrishnan

Channel NewsAsia 9 Jun 17;

SINGAPORE: Singapore will undertake a voluntary national review next year of its implementation of the United Nations’ 17 sustainable development goals, with a particular focus on Goal 14 – Life Below Water, said Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan.

Speaking on Thursday (Jun 8) at a UN conference on Goal 14, Dr Balakrishnan highlighted the need for sustainable development of the oceans in a “balanced and integrated manner”, and in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

“A rules-based international order provides the necessary framework for all states to operate on a common basis in the global environment. This is important even as we broaden our understanding of the ocean issues to include new areas such as the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction,” he said.

In line with this, Dr Balakrishnan said Singapore, together with Jamaica, Argentina, the Netherlands, Papua New Guinea and the UN Office of Legal Affairs had organised an event on Jun 6 to discuss how UNCLOS can play a central role in efforts to achieve Goal 14.

He added that delegations need to be guided by science and data, instead of politics and polemics, in getting the “right balance between economic growth and environmental sustainability”.

Outlining Singapore’s efforts to protect its marine environment, Dr Balakrishnan noted that the country has put in place measures to contribute to cleaner and greener shipping. Its rich marine biodiversity shows its efforts have borne fruit, even though marine debris remains a concern, he said.

“The point is if a small busy port like Singapore can have such natural resources and is making efforts to conserve it, surely everyone else can and should do so as well.”

In his speech, Dr Balakrishnan also reaffirmed Singapore’s commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change and the Paris Pledge, under which Singapore aims to reduce its emissions intensity by 36 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030.

The Foreign Affairs Minister also held bilateral meetings with the President of Palau Tommy Remengesau, Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Isabella Lovin and Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson Smith, Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

“They reaffirmed the warm and friendly bilateral ties, and discussed ways which small states can support the achievement of the sustainable development goals,” the ministry said.
Source: CNA/dl

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Clean-up dive nets trolley, boat battery

20 divers collect more than 72kg of trash in 45 minutes at Sisters' Islands Marine Park
Audrey Tan Straits Times 8 Jun 17;

Metal nails, a discarded trolley and an old boat battery have their place in the scrapyard. Instead, these items ended up in a watery dumping ground: The Sisters' Islands Marine Park.

In just 45 minutes on Sunday, 20 divers collected more than 72kg of trash there, including plastic bags, disposable cutlery and wire mesh.

"It is surprising to find trash like the trolley and battery in the marine park, and it could be even worse in places that are not frequented by divers," said marine biologist Toh Tai Chong, who helped organise the event.

The volunteers did the underwater clean-up at Singapore's only marine park to mark World Oceans Day today.

The information from the clean-up was uploaded onto Dive Against Debris, an online portal which collates international marine trash data run by Project Aware - the environmental arm of the Professional Association of Diving Instructors.

Dr Toh, who is from the National University of Singapore's Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI), told The Straits Times that such data helps to give a better picture of the regional trash situation.

For example, identifying trash "hot spots" could help conservation groups zoom in on the areas which need the most urgent action, he said.

An estimated eight million tonnes of plastics enter the oceans every year, said Ms Kakuko Nagatani- Yoshida, the Asia-Pacific coordinator for chemicals and waste at the United Nations Environment Programme, and Asian countries are among the worst culprits.

Everyone can make a difference she noted, adding: "Multiple solutions are possible, including avoiding single-use and non-essential plastic items in our daily lives and investing in better solid waste management on land."

Even though underwater clean-ups have been organised before, this was the first community-led one involving multiple partners.

Organisers included TMSI, dive centre The Submersibles as well as conservation group SeaKeepers Asia. The National Parks Board (NParks), which manages the marine park, as well as the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) supported the event.

Other than collecting trash, the volunteers also helped to rescue corals by picking up fragments that had been dislodged from the reef, and transferring them to NParks' coral nursery, which is also at the marine park south of the mainland.

"Eventually when they grow bigger, the corals will be attached onto artificial reefs there," said Dr Toh, whose research shows that coral fragments placed in nurseries could be transplanted to reefs to improve the habitat.

Said Dr Karenne Tun, director of the coastal and marine division at NParks' National Biodiversity Centre: "The two activities involve community volunteers and are very much aligned with our objectives of conservation, outreach and education at Sisters' Islands Marine Park."

Added MPA chief executive Andrew Tan: "For us, keeping the environment clean is as important as making sure that we are also the world's No. 1 port."

• To find out more about the marine trash situation, visit http://www.projectaware.org/diveagainstdebrismap

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Residents in older HDB flats to get more efficient toilets for free

With the replacement, households can save up to five litres of water per flush and their water bills could be cut by 10 per cent as a result, PUB says.
Channel NewsAsia 8 Jun 17;

SINGAPORE: PUB said on Thursday (Jun 8) it will roll out a project to help eligible families living in older Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats replace their non-water efficient nine-litre water closets with more water-efficient ones for free.

The project aims to help these families replace water closets, and any non-water efficient washbasin taps and kitchen sink taps, the national water agency said in its press release. With the replacement, households can save up to five litres of water per flush and their water bills could be cut by 10 per cent as a result, it added.

PUB said about 9,000 families currently on community assistance schemes and living in HDB flats built between 1986 and 1992 are expected to benefit from the project. These flats were fitted with nine-litre water closets, which were discontinued in 1992.

The first phase of the project will involve 5,700 households living in 3-room HDB flats, PUB said. Eligible households will be informed from June 2017, and they can then contact PUB or its appointed contractor to arrange for the replacement.

The second phase, for the remaining eligible HDB flats, will commence in October this year, the agency said.

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This latest move comes after Minister for Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli's announcements on initiatives to enhance water efficiency and encourage water conservation during his ministry's Committee of Supply debate earlier this year.
Source: CNA/dl

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High-tech farms in Singapore take on cold-weather crops

Wendy Wong Channel NewsAsia 8 Jun 17;

SINGAPORE: Kale is touted as a "superfood", eaten in salads and sandwiches, blended in green juices and even baked into chips.

The trendy greens are typically grown in temperate countries such as Australia and the US, but with the help of technology, such cold-weather crops - which typically would not survive in Singapore's climate - are now being grown in some high-tech vertical farms.

Local farms currently produce 12 per cent of Singapore's total vegetable consumption, exceeding the 10 per cent target set in 2009.

In line with the Government's push for farming productivity - such as the recently enhanced Agriculture Productivity Fund and the announcement that farmland would be set aside to promote high-tech farming - more farms are exploring new methods to grow crops previously thought to be impossible to cultivate in Singapore's climate.

One such farm is Sustenir, which grows hydroponic crops in a fully controlled environment. This includes making use of technology such as LED lights, air-conditioning ducts and an automated irrigation system to grow temperate produce such as kale, cherry tomatoes and strawberries.

Co-founder Benjamin Swan explained that the firm leverages technology to manipulate every facet of growth within the room, from humidity and temperature, to the nutrients in the water.

This has helped the farm cut the growth time of crops to two weeks - half the time needed at conventional farms - as well as customise its crops to fit customer preferences. For example, it has successfully modified the naturally fibrous and indigestible stems of kale crops to become edible.

Da Paolo Group is one eatery chain that sources its kale from the farm, and its group executive chef Andrea Scarpa said he found the produce "very comparable" to that found overseas.

"The taste profile is very, very similar to what we get imported. But for us it's even better, simply because you get to eat the entire plant from the top of the leaf down to the root," he explained.

"Traditionally when you eat kale you import from overseas, you'd have to rip off the stem, which is a huge waste - 50 per cent of your weight gone. But it's great (that) we get to use the whole thing when it's done locally.”

The 740 sq m farm, which is located in an industrial building, also plans to expand to tailoring edible flowers and micro-greens for its customers.

Another vertical farm thriving on technology is owned by Japanese electronics company Panasonic. The 1,154 sq m farm currently grows 81 tonnes of produce annually under its brand Veggie Lite, which supplies its vegetables to supermarket chains, hotels and restaurants. This includes more than 30 crop varieties such as green and red lettuce, swiss chards and sweet basil.

"By adopting technology from our parent company in Japan, we are able to control light, temperature and humidity to ensure optimum conditions,” a spokesperson for the farm told Channel NewsAsia.

"Through local production, we have the control to produce a stable supply of safe, fresh, high-nutrition and high-quality vegetables," the spokesperson said. "As importation involves more third parties and logistics arrangement, there are more concerns to be considered in ensuring the produce quality and freshness."

Veggie Lite aims to contribute 5 per cent of local vegetable production - or about 1,000 tonnes annually - by 2020.
Source: CNA/mz

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Malaysia: Alien fish invasion -- Melaka enforces ban on imported fish species

JANE RAJ New Straits Times 8 Jun 17;

MELAKA: The Melaka Fisheries Department today enforced a ban on imported genus and species of fish which pose a danger of disrupting the biodiversity and stability of the marine ecosystem here.

A total of 35 premises dealing with the sale of aquarium fish in Melaka, will be given explanation on the banned genus and species under Section 61 of the Fisheries Act 1985.

A total of 15 genus including Trout, Lepisosteus, Salmon, Sturgeon, Peacock Bass, Arapaima, Northern Pike, Serrasalmus, Serrasalmo, Pygopritis, Piaractus, Mylossoma, Myletes, Pygocentrus, Catoprian, Flower Horn, Myleus, Pristobrycon and species of Red Claw are banned.

Melaka Fisheries Department deputy director Doreen Wee Siew Leen led the operation and gave clarifications to 12 different premises this morning.

"Today, we will be giving clarification to the owners of the premises and will make them put up posters of the banned fish," she said.

She added that no one can sell, buy or rear the banned genus and species in Malaysia without a permission letter from the Fisheries Department.

She said the reason for banning these fish was because they pose a threat of becoming dominant and cause the extinction of native fish in the river.

This, she said, would also affect the economy and the industry if the banned fish breed in a large scale and kill other local species which contribute to the food supply.

"It would be a predator because it grows twice as big compared to our local fish. Fish such as mahseer and carp will decrease if we don't take action now," she said after the operation in Melaka Tengah.

These banned breeds of fish can also cause the local fish disease including the Koi Herpes Virus, Epizootic Ulcerative Syndrome, Spring Viraemia of Carp.

Based on the inventory done by the department, local fish are decreasing due to this imported fish which are banned.

"Certain owners, are not able to care for these fish due to its rapid growth and expenditure. Eventually they will release those fish in any river nearby," she said.

Doreen said the fish which are banned will be an interference to the ecosystem, and biodiversity of a river.

"To those who does not possess a permission letter, they will be given one month to apply.

"If they do not take any action, we will carry on with the enforcement." she said.

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Indonesia: Five more hot spots detected in Jambi

Jon Afrizal The Jakarta Post 8 Jun 17;

The Jambi Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) spotted five new hot spots in the province on Thursday.

Agency head Nurangesti said they detected two hot spots in West Tanjungjabung regency and three others in Batanghari regency, Sarolangun regency and Tebo regency.

“The confidence levels for these hot spots ranged from 60 to 89 percent,” Nurangesti said.

In response to the emergence of hot spots, the Jambi Land and Forest Fire task force has readied their personnel to watch each hot spot in the region. The task force also apprehended a farmer who was allegedly burning his own land in Tebo regency.

“We apprehended Amran, a 65-year-old farmer, for burning a 1.5-hectare plot of land,” said Col. Inf. Refrizal, the task force’s commander.

He added Amran allegedly cleared his land of trees and branches by burning it, so he could plant rubber trees on it. (kuka/ary)

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Asian nations make plastic oceans promise

Roger Harrabin BBC 8 Jun 17;

Nations responsible for much of the world's ocean plastic pollution have promised to start cleaning up their act.

At a UN oceans summit, delegates from China, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines said they would work to keep plastics out of the seas.

Some of the promises are not yet formalised and environmentalists say the measures proposed are not nearly urgent enough.

But UN officials praised the statement.

Meeting in New York, they said it was part of a clear international shift against ocean pollution.

Eric Solheim, the UN's environment director, told BBC News: "There are quite encouraging signs, with nations taking the ocean much more seriously. Of course, there is a very long way to go because the problems are huge."

It is estimated that 5-13 million tonnes of plastics flow into the world's oceans annually. Much of it is ingested by birds and fish – and fragments of plastic have even been found in organisms at the bottom of the ocean.

A recent paper said much of the marine plastic often originates far from the sea – especially in countries which have developed consumer economies faster than their ability to manage waste.

The Helmholtz Centre in Leipzig, Germany, estimated that 75% of land-borne marine pollution comes from just 10 rivers, predominantly in Asia.

Reducing the plastic loads in these rivers by 50% would reduce global plastic inputs by 37%, it said.

'Change in attitude'

Tom Dillon from the Pew Charitable Trusts, which campaign on oceans, urged China to move quickly.

He told BBC News: "For thousands of years the Maritime Silk Road was a pathway for export of Chinese culture and influence. Will the ocean be a vehicle for export of Chinese pollution, or a new culture of conservation and sustainability?"

A report to the UN conference from the Thailand government says most marine plastic debris is land-based, caused by inefficient waste management and poor handling of plastic wastes.

In Thailand, the total amount of garbage finding its way into the sea was estimated at 2.83 million tonnes in 2016 - of which 12% was plastic.

The Thai government says the nation has established a 20-year strategy to tackle the problem, including developing financial incentives for keeping plastic out of the sea and encouraging eco-packaging design and eco-friendly substitutes for plastics.

In Indonesia, the government is starting a mass education programme for schoolchildren, and in the Philippines new laws are being developed.

Part of the challenge is finding substitutes for plastics. An international prize for smarter materials and design for packaging was launched recently by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

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Indonesia spots 52 smoldering hotspots in Sumatra

The Jakarta Post 7 Jun 17;

At least 52 hotspots indicating forest fires appeared in satellite images of several locations in Sumatra on Tuesday.

“We spotted [the hotspots] at 7 a.m.,” said Pekanbaru Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency head Otto Sukisno as quoted by tempo.co.

Jambi has the most hotspots with 17 locations, followed by Bengkulu 12 locations, South Sumatra (seven locations), Lampung (six locations), North Sumatra (three locations), West Sumatra (three locations) and Bangka Belitung (one location).

In Riau, the hotspots were detected in Indragiri Hulu, Rokan Hulu and Rokan Hilir.

In the past three days, hotspots were also detected in Riau’s Kuala Kampar, Pelalawan, Rokan IV Koto, Rokan Hulu and Siak Kecil.

Roesmin Nurjadin Air Force airbase has deployed a Super Puma chopper to monitor the hotspots.

The airbase spokesman Maj. Rizwar said that another chopper carrying four tons of water had also been deployed to conduct ‘water bombing’ in some burning areas in Riau recently.

“[It] conducted 12 water bombings to extinguish fires in Siak Kecil,” Rizwar said. (dmr)

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30 weeks' jail for man who smuggled 11 puppies into Singapore

Channel NewsAsia 7 Jun 17;

SINGAPORE — A 43-year-old man, Ravichandran Muthusamy, was sentenced to 30 weeks' jail on Wednesday (June 7), after he had tried to smuggle 11 puppies into Singapore in March this year, the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) and Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in a statement.

Ravichandran was also jailed for 20 weeks for subjecting the puppies to unnecessary pain or suffering. Both sentences will run concurrently.

On March 23, the 11 puppies were found hidden in a modified fuel tank of a car driven by Ravichandran at Woodlands Checkpoint.

Investigations by AVA revealed that Ravichandran had been commissioned to smuggle the puppies to an unknown person in Singapore.

No food or water was provided for the puppies in the modified compartment of the car, which was cramped.

AVA added that the 11 puppies are being cared for and quarantined at its facilities.

The importation of any animals or live birds without an AVA permit is illegal and carries a maximum penalty of S$10,000, or imprisonment of up to one year, or both.

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Pet farm owner fined S$180,000 for neglecting dogs’ health

Vanessa Paige Chelvan Channel NewsAsia 7 Jun 17;

SINGAPORE: The owner of Top Breed Pet Farm at Pasir Ris was fined S$180,000 and disqualified from running any animal-related businesses for six months on Wednesday (Jun 7), after he was found guilty of failing to treat eight dogs found in poor health.

Edwin Tan Guowei, 29, was convicted of six of 11 charges for failure in duty of care, breach of farm licensing conditions and operating an unlicensed pet shop. Five other charges were taken into consideration in sentencing.

The dogs were discovered during a surprise inspection by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) on Mar 9 last year. AVA officers found six dogs, including three Shih Tzus, in poor condition. They told Tan to take the dogs to the veterinarian immediately.

According to the vet’s report, five of the dogs suffered from eye problems, including ulcers and swelling. One of the dogs, a husky, had open wounds, and a pomeranian was found to be completely blind.

After a follow-up examination about four months later, the vet noted the conditions of four of the dogs had improved, but not significantly. The other two dogs had died by this time.

The prosecutor said although Tan was aware the six dogs had been in poor health, and tried to treat them, “he did not bring the dogs to the vet … and failed to take reasonable steps to ensure the dogs were protected from, and rapidly diagnosed of any injury or disease”.

AVA also found that the farm did not comply with its pet farm licensing conditions related to housing and animal health, and production records were also found to be inaccurate.

In addition, AVA investigations subsequently found that Tan operated a pet shop at Bukit Merah Central without an AVA licence. Tan was ordered to stop selling animals immediately, it said.

The disqualification order, which will prevent Tan from running any animal-related businesses for six months, will take effect on Aug 7, to give him time to rehome more than 180 dogs still on the farm.

HIGHEST FINE FOR ANIMAL CRUELTY OFFENCES

AVA said in a press release on Wednesday that the fine imposed on Tan was the highest imposed on anyone for committing animal cruelty and welfare-related offences.

The authority pressed for a deterrent sentence and a disqualification in view of the severity of Tan's offences, it said.

This is also the first time a disqualification order has been issued for animal-related businesses, after a 2015 amendment to the Animals and Birds Act to include provisions for disqualification orders and higher penalties for offences committed by those involved in animal related businesses.

For failing to provide proper care of the dogs while conducting an animal-related business, Tan could have been jailed for up to two years, fined up to S$40,000, or both, on each charge.

The maximum sentence for non-compliance with pet farm licensing conditions is a fine of S$10,000 and a one-year jail term for the first conviction, and that for selling pets without a license is a fine of S$5,000.



Pet farm owner fined S$180,000, disqualified from running animal-related business
SIAU MING EN Today Online 7 Jun 17;

SINGAPORE — Questions loom over the fate of some 180 dogs that remain on a Pasir Ris pet farm after the owner was disqualified by a district judge on Wednesday (June 7) from running any animal-related business for six months. He had failed to care for the animals properly.

The disqualification of Edwin Tan Guowei, 29, will kick in two months’ time, but some animal welfare groups TODAY contacted said they have not been approached to render help. It was not known if Tan had sold the pet farm, Top Breed Pet Farm.

Tan was also fined S$180,000 for six counts of failing to take reasonable steps to ensure the animals were protected from and quickly diagnosed of significant injuries or diseases. Another five charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.

This is the highest fine imposed on an accused person for committing animal cruelty and welfare-related offences. This is also the first time a disqualification order has been issued for animal-related businesses.

In 2015, the Animals and Birds Act was amended to include provisions for disqualification orders and higher penalties for offences committed by persons involved in animal-related businesses.

Tan’s offences came to light after the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) carried out a surprise inspection on March 9 last year at the farm Tan has been running since 2015. Eight breeding dogs, including an unsterilised bulldog, shih tzus, husky and pomeranian, were found in poor physical condition. The farm was also housing more than 100 dogs at that time.

The AVA instructed Tan to take the dogs to the vet for treatment immediately and to produce the vet’s report during their next inspection.

The vet who examined the dogs that day found that they suffered from a range of conditions, such as corneal swelling in the eye, corneal ulcer, loss of hair, scabs and open wounds.

The AVA’s investigations later found that Tan had operated a pet shop at Bukit Merah Central without an AVA licence. Tan was instructed to stop the sale of animals immediately.

A few months later, the AVA found that two dogs — a female shih tzu and a male husky — had died. While some of the dogs’ physical conditions had improved, others continued to suffer from discharge and swelling in their eyes, among other conditions.

Although Tan knew about these problems and had tried to treat the dogs, he did not go to a vet promptly, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Selene Yap. She urged the court to impose a punishment that would “prevent any like-minded pet business owners from engaging in similar activities”.

In sentencing, the district judge said people like Tan had a greater obligation to care for the welfare of animals in his custody, since he ran an animal-related business.

Parliament clearly intended to emphasise that persons like Tan had to ensure that the animals’ welfare was not compromised by the need to make profits, the judge added.

Tan’s disqualification order will start on Aug 7, and the dogs must not be sent to the AVA. The grace period is for Tan to make arrangements to comply with the order, the AVA said.

Contacted by TODAY, animal welfare groups SOSD and Action for Singapore Dogs (ASD) said they have not received any requests to take in dogs from Tan’s farm. In any case, the SOSD can only take in about 10 to 20 dogs should Tan approach them, said president Siew Tuck Wah.

ASD president Ricky Yeo added that more upstream measures should be put in place, such as requiring pet farm owners to place a deposit with the AVA before issuing them a licence.

The deposit could be used to offset the costs of rehoming the dogs in cases where owners are unable to continue with their business, he noted.

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