March 10, 2009 Categories: 5-Minute Interview
WITH recent attention focused on the need to improve animal welfare, Malay Mail talked to Global Animal Welfare Solutions (GAWS) founder Glyn Roberts who is currently in Malaysia helping the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). Roberts, 40, spoke about his experience during his days as a RSPCA Inspector in the UK, his thoughts on animal welfare here and the adequacy of our animal protection laws.
What is GAWS and how did it come about?
“GAWS was established following my interest in overseas animal welfare. I’d given up my holidays to volunteer with a number of charities and even worked in Sri Lanka following the 2004 tsunami, so setting up an animal welfare consultancy company was a logical next step.”
How would you describe your experience as an RSPCA inspector?
“I joined the RSPCA UK in 1990 and trained as an inspector (cruelty investigator) in 1994. Since then, I have worked all over the UK and brought many people to court over the cruel treatment of animals. As an inspector, I’ve abseiled off buildings and cliffs to rescue trapped animals, worked in
snow and flood waters and also worked with the fire brigade to rescue animals from farm fires.
I have also ‘borrowed’ a navy helicopter to rescue a trapped cow and accompanied police on drugs raids where there were fighting dogs to be controlled. It has been a fabulous and unique experience but I left to start my own consultancy with a friend last year.”
What are your responsibilities at SPCA Selangor?
“I’ve been helping out at the SPCA for a few months now and will be going back to the UK next month. The RSPCA in the UK is the only animal welfare NGO to employ almost 400 trained inspectors, something like animal police officers. The selection and training process is extremely hard and almost 2,000 people apply for each course, which may only have 15 available places. I am working with the SPCA inspectors here to pass on some of the UK skills and procedures so that they
can work more effectively and in turn, train others. The SPCA Selangor is the only SPCA in Malaysia to function in a similar way to the RSPCA in the UK.”
Do you think Malaysia has adequate laws to protect animals, whether domesticated, livestock or wildlife?
“The Malaysian Animals Act 1953 is based on the UK’s Protection of Animals Act 1911, which I used for almost my entire RSPCA career to prosecute animal abusers and is a very easy piece of legislation to use.
Whilst it is good to bring it up to date with stronger punishments and penalties, it can be effectively
used in its present form.
My only disappointment is that Malaysia does not seem to use the existing laws adequately and very few people are actually prosecuted. By all means, strengthen the laws and draft new ones but at some point, the will to enforce them also needs to be looked at.”
This article was taken from: The Malay Mail: 5 Minute Interview 10 March 2009
WITH recent attention focused on the need to improve animal welfare, Malay Mail talked to Global Animal Welfare Solutions (GAWS) founder Glyn Roberts who is currently in Malaysia helping the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). Roberts, 40, spoke about his experience during his days as a RSPCA Inspector in the UK, his thoughts on animal welfare here and the adequacy of our animal protection laws.What is GAWS and how did it come about?
“GAWS was established following my interest in overseas animal welfare. I’d given up my holidays to volunteer with a number of charities and even worked in Sri Lanka following the 2004 tsunami, so setting up an animal welfare consultancy company was a logical next step.”
How would you describe your experience as an RSPCA inspector?
“I joined the RSPCA UK in 1990 and trained as an inspector (cruelty investigator) in 1994. Since then, I have worked all over the UK and brought many people to court over the cruel treatment of animals. As an inspector, I’ve abseiled off buildings and cliffs to rescue trapped animals, worked in
snow and flood waters and also worked with the fire brigade to rescue animals from farm fires.
I have also ‘borrowed’ a navy helicopter to rescue a trapped cow and accompanied police on drugs raids where there were fighting dogs to be controlled. It has been a fabulous and unique experience but I left to start my own consultancy with a friend last year.”
What are your responsibilities at SPCA Selangor?
“I’ve been helping out at the SPCA for a few months now and will be going back to the UK next month. The RSPCA in the UK is the only animal welfare NGO to employ almost 400 trained inspectors, something like animal police officers. The selection and training process is extremely hard and almost 2,000 people apply for each course, which may only have 15 available places. I am working with the SPCA inspectors here to pass on some of the UK skills and procedures so that they
can work more effectively and in turn, train others. The SPCA Selangor is the only SPCA in Malaysia to function in a similar way to the RSPCA in the UK.”
Do you think Malaysia has adequate laws to protect animals, whether domesticated, livestock or wildlife?
“The Malaysian Animals Act 1953 is based on the UK’s Protection of Animals Act 1911, which I used for almost my entire RSPCA career to prosecute animal abusers and is a very easy piece of legislation to use.
Whilst it is good to bring it up to date with stronger punishments and penalties, it can be effectively
used in its present form.
My only disappointment is that Malaysia does not seem to use the existing laws adequately and very few people are actually prosecuted. By all means, strengthen the laws and draft new ones but at some point, the will to enforce them also needs to be looked at.”
This article was taken from: The Malay Mail: 5 Minute Interview 10 March 2009
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