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THEY say people who treat animals with kindness have a “pure soul”. It’s even more of a blessing when those people are your colleagues or employers – a place where you spend most of your waking hours at, besides home. 

Multiple studies have shown that workplaces that allow pets on the premises help with productivity rate due to our furry friends’ ability to help lower our stress level. That explains the explosion of animal videos on social media platforms, which go by the moniker “petfluencers”.

In this social media age, it’s not uncommon to see comments like “faith in humanity restored” under inspirational videos of strangers helping fellow humans or even animals in distress. Some people, however, have differing opinions about such statement, connoting to the idea that saying “faith in humanity restored” is to imply that we never had it in the first place. 

On Jan 24, this year, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Kota Kinabalu helped to sterilise two stray puppies and their mama dog from their “adopted” home on the premises of a media company in Kolombong.

Instead of chasing the dogs away or reporting them to the authorities to be captured, the company’s staff opted to care for the homeless dogs and get them sterilised and sought the help of SPCA KK, in a bid to control the population of the strays in Sabah.

Three volunteers from the non-governmental organisation came with their four-wheel drive vehicle with the words “For the welfare of animals” as well as its hotline number and a reminder that animal abuse or abandonment can land the culprit on the wrong side of law with costly consequences plastered around the body of the vehicle. 

SPCA KK President Dr Stuart Chin stresses that the civility of a community is judged not by how it removes problems, but by how responsibly and compassionately it manages them. 

“Companies that adopt or care for stray dogs are acting responsibly and should be recognised, supported and protected – not discouraged. Abandonment, particularly at construction sites and commercial developments when projects end, is a clear offence under the Animal Welfare Enactment 2015 (Sabah), and responsibility does not end when workers leave. Developers, principal contractors, and site management have a legal duty of care. 

“District councils and City Hall must do more by issuing clear guidelines on responsible care, formally recognising responsible adopters, enforcing accountability for abandonment, and working with NGOs and veterinarians. 

“Threats, removals, or punishing compassion only worsen the problem; supporting humane, responsible adoption is the effective and sustainable solution,” Dr Stuart said. 

A staff at the media firm agrees that recognition for such companies should be put in place. Leonard Alaza, a senior staff, noted that a sort of a reward / incentive mechanism should be set up to support these companies. 

“Call it a ‘Kindness Gift’ or something. The challenge is how to pool the funds. But it can be done. Need to explore ways to crowdfund globally. Let’s explore what are the global standards for compliance relating to pet care / kindness.”

His colleague, Cornelia Claudius George, said companies that show compassion towards strays have a role to play. 

“Such companies can be an example for others. Encouraging sterilisation helps break the cycle of overpopulation and suffering among strays. Hopefully, other companies will support the strays in their compounds, too,” she said.

Sherell Jeffrey echoes the sentiment and says such companies are compassionate, but what they feed the strays matters, too. “It matters what they are feeding the strays – nutritious food and not stale leftovers. 

“I especially admire those who go further by neutering and spaying, which helps control the population and keeps everyone safer, especially in company compounds.”

Another colleague, Samantha Sulit, who is a new addition at the company, said seeing such compassion left a positive impression on her. 

“Because I like animals. I’m more of a cat person than a dog person but even with the dogs around, they haven’t caused any issues to me personally. About the sterilisation, I think it’s only fair that we take responsibility since the strays chose our office to call their home.”

Previously, SPCA KK had also helped with the sterilisation of another male dog at the Kolombong premises. 

Meanwhile, another staff, who wishes not to be named, said it’s commendable that the company allows the strays on their premises: 

“Companies should be allowed to keep strays at their premises provided these strays are sterilised, not a threat to their staff as well as visitors. 

“Companies should also provide dog houses or kennels so that the animals really feel being cared for – they won’t feel lonely, abandoned.”

On the other side of the coin, however, not all premises are responsible towards the animals that live there. According to some regular feeders who have witnessed animals in less than favourable conditions elsewhere, the dogs are usually used as “guard dogs” but when it comes to taking care of their general wellbeing, these companies would shirk the responsibility. 

With what’s happening in the world today, it’s only apt to quote Holocaust victim Anne Frank, who despite the evil being done to her people, still believed there’s goodness in humanity: “In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart”.

This was her famous quote dated July 15, 1944 from her diary, widely read by the world’s population. 

Similarly today, we can hope that humanity will prevail over the evils in society, especially the rush for material gains and oppression by standing up for social justice – and in this case, for the homeless animals.