THROUGH THE SMOG that hangs perpetually over the Goddess of Mercy Temple on Lebuh Pitt, the last cage of pigeons took to the skies, scattering like frightened dust back to the freedom they once enjoyed as, with self-congratulatory candour, the fellowship of pilgrims who purchased the birds-for-release looked on. A good deed has been done.
Furtively glancing around, the bird merchant discreetly muttered into the phone, placing an order for five more cages’ worth to be trapped and delivered the next day. Unfortunately, what this circular irony of symbolic, virtuous releasing of captive animals also does is to normalise the liberation of pets that have outstayed their welcome, into the “nature” of recreational spaces and forest fringes.
