The Cat Welfare Society believes there are many constraints in and many reasons why a shelter it is not a long term or practicable solution. 1. There is a limit to the number of animals that can be sheltered leaving tens of thousands (by AVA’s estimates) of cats free to proliferate. Without an effective sterilisation programme to prevent stray cats from breeding, the never-ending cycle of killing and re-population continues unabated. The killing of thousands of stray cats over the last 2 decades, without reducing their population nor the number of complaints received, attest to the ineffectiveness of killing as a method of control. 2. As a small non-profit organisation without tax-exempt status, it would be very difficult if not impossible to raise the funds required for such a massive project. Building costs would amount to about 0,000 with the compulsory septic tank alone costing about ,000. Assuming a minimum cost of per cat per day for food and litter, 000 per month for just 2000 cats would be required. This does not even include rental, medical costs, utilities and salaries - full time staff would be needed because a project of this size could not depend on ad hoc volunteers. With running costs at such crippling levels, the option of having a shelter is a very remote one for us, especially when we bear in mind that our total annual budget would not even cover the costs for one month! This would also leave nothing long term programmes such as public education, sterilisation and rescues. 3. The leases for the land are up to 9 years. This is a very short period for such a large financial commitment and responsbility. What will happen to the cats after 9 years? On the surface, the idea of a shelter is appealing. However, on further scrutiny, we find that it is merely a stop-gap, short term option that needs to be complemented with other more feasible and sustainable ways to manage the stray cat population in the long term. In keeping with Remaking Singapore's objectives that Singaporeans take more initiative and not wait for the government to provide all answers, the Cat Welfare Society has in fact submitted a detailed proposal for stray cat management to the authorities. Our multi-prong solution includes a re-worked and refined Stray Cat Rehabilitation Scheme, where sterilised cats no longer breed; proper feeding stations so that irresponsible feeding and littering can be stopped, a change in HDB housing policy so that animal lovers can be allowed to take cats off the streets into homes. If only 10% of the 860,000 households take in just 1 cat (which must be sterilised and micochipped for identification), there will be 86, 000 less stray cats without putting any financial strain on animal welfare groups or individuals. We hope the authorities will consider our suggestions favourably.