Talk of the town：The humane dispatch policy of hamsters
【明報專訊】Soon after the testing results were released, the government announced the decision to kill around 2000 hamsters and other small mammals on 18 January 2022, and ''strongly advise members of the public to surrender their hamsters'' purchased on or after 22 December 2021 to the relevant department. The import of small mammals was also temporarily suspended.
As a local organization confronting and preventing cruelty to animals, The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals(SPCA) promptly released a statement opposing the culling policy. ''The policy disregarded the relationship and linkage between humans and their pets'', they said. They also urged the government not to take extreme measures to cull animals before considering other possible solutions.
Some activists raised an online petition to urge the government to suspend the humane dispatch policy. Up to 25 January 2022, around 38,000 people had signed the petition. Activist groups were also established to handle the foreseeably rising numbers of abandoned pets .
■ Game
Match the pets to their names.
(See the picture)
(Answers on next text)
■ Gear up
1. The importation of hamsters will be stopped for a while.
(True/ False)
2. The SPCA believes that culling is the best measure to deal with the hamsters.
(True/ False)
(Answers on next text)
■Glossary
mammal (n) 哺乳類
suspend (v) 中止
extreme (adj) 極端的
abandon (v) 棄置
(Criticisms on this publication, if any, are aimed at pointing out the errors or defects of certain systems or policies with a view of rectifying or eradicating such errors or defects, as well as prompting improvement or remedy for them via lawful means. There is absolutely no intention of inciting hatred, discontent or hostility towards the government or other classes of the community.)
[Smarties' Power English 第335期]
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