I cannot begin to describe how heavy my heart felt recently when I found two huge Blyth’s Hornbills being crammed into a tiny cage and put on sale at Chua’s Pet Trading in Hougang. If there is any proverbial cupboard where skeletons are to be found in ‘First World’ Singapore, Hougang is one. It’s the ‘Guantanamo Bay’ of Singapore… and freedom is taken away for no other crime than being ‘wild and exotic’ birds.
What else can I say? : (
Beyond what I have just wrote, how do I begin to describe the intimacy with which our own freedom are tied to theirs? I am truly lost for words.
However, let me share this photo (above), and invite you to step back in time with me and witness how insistent the hornbills were at biting the cold hard wire of the cage. They just want to be free; as free as all wild birds are born to be.
Would you, my dear sentient friends, share your thoughts and feelings with me too? I look forward to post them faithfully here. Thank you.
WHEN THE BUYING STOPS, THE TRADING WILL TOO!
©Joseph Lai 2003
The above has been posted at the request of Joseph Lai to let as many people as possible know about the cruelty of this trade.
