Ben Madilynn
Pet lovers in Ipoh had the opportunity to get up close and personal with a variety of animals at Petz-A-Mania.
Held at the Perak Turf Club, the two-day event was indeed a “paw-radise” for animal lovers, featuring entertaining performances by parrots and cats as well as dogs from the police’s K-9 unit.
Petz-A-Mania organiser Jeffrey Parama said the festival, held since 2022, aimed to encourage the public to treat animals lovingly and to refrain from abusing or abandoning them.
Two of the parrots on display.
“I organised this (festival) to enable the public to gain knowledge about caring for pets such as cats, rabbits and dogs so that they can become responsible pet owners,” he told Bernama.
Various types of pet food, health products and accessories were also sold at the festival.
Several pet owners and animal activists were also present to share their knowledge with visitors.
A woman looking startled while the child appears unruffled by a flying parrot.
Mohd Ghazali Mohd Shafii, from Ipoh, whose hobby is rearing parrots, brought along five of his beloved pets which put up a “free-fly” performance for visitors.
He owns 15 parrots of various species which he said cost him thousands of ringgit to acquire.
Choy (left) with Jeffrey after launching Petz-A-Mania.
He said the birds were all registered with the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan).
According to Mohd Ghazali, parrots are intelligent and tame.
Visitors marvel at the beauty of a bird in flight during the festival.
“The uniqueness of parrots lies in their ability to mimic human speech, although their pronunciation may not be perfect.
“People find this entertaining,” he said, adding parrots have a lifespan of between 80 and 100 years if well cared for.
“Parrots can recognise their owners. They are trained to ‘free fly’ and can perch on the shoulder or hand when called by their names or by using a whistle.”
Raja Mohd Sanezan Raja Sulaiman (right) with his son Raja Sayf Ayden playing with a kitten.
Present at the festival was Nora Shaw, a member of a non-governmental organisation that runs a shelter for rescued stray, sick and abandoned cats.
“We receive donations from the public to meet the cost of providing food, medicines and vaccinations for the rescued cats,” she said.
Nora with her pet cat.
Also present was Perak Deputy Speaker Jenny Choy Tsi Jen.
The event was supported by Ipoh City Council (MBI), Perak Tourism and the state Veterinary Services Department.
