Hospital will drive stray cats out

BEIJING - The Beijing Children's Hospital will drive all the stray cats from its compound and clear away the catteries by Thursday, it recently announced.

Dog walking will also be banned, it says.

Some stray cats entered the wards in the hospital days ago, greatly disturbing the patients while disrupting the hospital's order. The ban was to avoid public safety accidents, says the hospital in its notice.

"A stray cat entering the ward several days ago almost scratched a kid," said Hou Xiaoju, director in charge of publicity in the hospital. "Most patients coming to our hospital are kids who don't know how to protect themselves, who can be easily hurt by the animals."

Besides, the homeless animals may carry infectious diseases, posing a serious threat to the patients.

"It's especially dangerous to the kids with illnesses who are not strong enough to stay immune to the infections and disease," said Hou. "The animals wandering around the hospital have created similar troubles for us before as well and it is necessary that we take measures."

Posters were put up on Sunday at the gate and inside the hospital.

Kong Luyu, a Beijing resident who accompanied his granddaughter to the hospital last week, said he was in support of hospital's getting rid of the animals.

"It doesn't mean we don't love the creatures," said the 58-year-old man. "The hospital is not the right place for showing our love and care."

To expel the animals wandering in the hospitals, the temporary houses and food bowls for the pets will be cleared away, so "they won't be coming anymore", according to Hou.

Besides the stray dogs and cats, those raised by the medical care personnel and retired staff will also be sent back home for security concern.

However, some animal rights groups criticized the hospital's exclusion order as cruel and ruthless.

"They only think of their business, regardless of how the poor cats could survive in a freezing winter," said Wang Liqun, founder of an animal rescue organization based in the capital.

"To prevent the animals from hurting the kids, the hospital can simply place them in a designated area instead of driving them out."

To drive out the animals can will only make the children think that the creatures are dirty and dangerous, according to Wang.

"This is unfair to the animals, as well as the kids," said Wang.

In response to the doubts and queries, Hou said the hospital will only disperse the animals without hurting them. Besides, the animal lovers are welcome to come and adopt the stray cats as well, according to Hou.