We now know that whales sing across oceans, great apes share more than 98 percent of our DNA, sheep can recognize as many as 50 faces after not having seen them for two years, pigs and chickens can learn to operate switches to control heat and light in factory-farm sheds to their liking, and dogs can learn more than 1,000 human words, even though we don't understand even one of theirs. Yet our fellow Earthlings are largely treated as if they were nothing more than wind-up toys for our amusement, test tubes for toxic chemicals, fabrics to slice up and stitch into clothing, or walking entrées. Cruelty and neglect are widespread in Southeast Asia, and they are even culturally acceptable in many areas. Animal protection laws are virtually non-existent, and the few laws that do exist are rarely enforced. Crimes Against Nature The many animals of Southeast Asia are terribly exploited. Trafficking—including of endangered species—is rampant. Monkeys in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Mauritius, and Vietnam are torn from their homes and families and sent to laboratories for use in painful experiments. Philippine Airlines is one of the few airlines in the world that remains complicit in this cruel trade by flying primates to their deaths in laboratories. Southeast Asia's zoos are notoriously cruel. At the Manila Zoo, animals are confined to rusty, barren cages that are nothing like the lush jungles in which they would naturally roam. The depressed and neurotic animals pace constantly, sway their heads, and walk in circles. At Indonesia's Surabaya Zoo, a giraffe died after ingesting almost 20 kilograms of plastic. Domesticated animals suffer, too. Homeless dogs and cats face a daily struggle to survive on the streets or in cruel pseudo-shelters. At Tony's Shelter in Thailand, for instance, dogs are kept in feces-filled pens and denied veterinary care for broken bones, open wounds, mange, and other conditions. Fights regularly break out, and starving dogs have even cannibalized each other. Signs of Progress Despite the dire situation for animals in Southeast Asia, attitudes are changing, and there have been many recent victories—both large and small—for animals. In Malaysia, where PETA has pushed for stronger animal protections for years, six zoos have been closed after inspections by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks showed that they weren't meeting requirements for food, cage sizes, and veterinary services. In Vietnam—which was ranked the worst of 23 nations for wildlife crimes in a recent survey—government officials took strong action against cruelty by dismissing a group of soldiers from their unit for torturing endangered monkeys. Villagers who were paid by the soldiers to slaughter the monkeys illegally were also arrested. And in the Philippines, a couple who produced a series of “crush” videos—in which scantily clad young girls tortured and killed animals—were arrested, charged with violations of child abuse and animal welfare laws, and jailed without bail. As Asia's role in the global economy continues to grow and citizens have increased access to free press, higher education, and the Internet, the region's treatment of animals is also improving. Speciesism and indifference are gradually being replaced with compassion and empathy. We still have a long way to go, but PETA won't stop until the day when every animal—from the tiniest mouse to the most majestic elephant—can live free from abuse. ** Jason Baker is the vice president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Asia. To get in touch with PETA, please visit PETAAsiaPacific.com. Bikyanews.com
