Last year saw two significant changes in Mauritius. The infamous Dr Shuja, the head of the Mauritius Society for the Protection of Animals, resigned. He has returned to the UK and retired. Mrs Wong (Shuja’s second in command) has taken up the reins and the killing of dogs still continues. IAR maintains close links with PAWS, the local animal welfare group, and we are told by PAWS that the dreaded electrocution cabinets are no longer used to kill the dogs. Instead, they are killed by an injection directly into the heart. This is still not a recognised method. Alan Knight , Chief Executive of IAR, has contacted David Bowles of the RSPCA International section. The latter has confirmed that the RSPCA will not affiliate the MSPCA until their record of animal welfare is acceptable. The RSPCA is also insisting that the MSPCA removes the RSPCA logo from their letterheads.
The good news is that the Marchig Trust and the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) have donated a brand new mobile sterilisation bus to PAWS. Reports from Jeanne Marchig and from PAWS say that the bus is a great success and the process of sterilising the dogs of Mauritius rather than killing them has now started.