Exercise 1: Market Research (Karin Tamura 0138323)
NGO’s Introduction
1. What is Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia (SAFM)?
Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia (SAFM), also known as the Malaysian Stray Animals Association, and it is a non-governmental organisation based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. They focus on promoting animal welfare across Malaysia. SAFM places particular emphasis on protecting and caring for stray animals, which are often the most vulnerable. They works to create a more compassionate and responsible society through its various programs and campaigns. (Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia, 2020a)
2. What does SAFM stand for?
SAFM stands for Stray Animals Feeders Malaysia. First, the organisation was originally formed to feed stray animals in urban areas. In 2016, SAFM started implementing a Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) program in the Klang Valley to manage the stray animal population in a humane way. These early projects laid the base of its current role, which led to an animal welfare NGO (Vijayan, 2024).
3. Who is the founder of the organization?
Mr. Kalaivanan is the president and founder of the organization. (Wiki Impact, 2023) He played a key role in establishing SAFM in response to the increasing number of stray animal crises in Malaysia. His leadership and commitment helped SAFM to grow from a grassroots volunteer group to a nationally recognized animal welfare NGO.
4. Why was Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia (SAFM) established?
SAFM was established to address the challenges of animal cruelty, neglect, and overpopulation of stray animals in Malaysia. (Wild Animal Rescue Network, n.d.-b) Since the COVID-19 pandemic spread, abuse of animals has increased significantly around the world. In Kuala Lumpur, cases of stray animals tripled during the MCO period (New Straits Times, 2020, as cited in Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia, n.d.). In response to this, they tried to create an organization to help solve the problem. (Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia, 2020a)
5. What kind of things do they do?
SAFM mainly focuses on four key areas of work. They manage stray animals humanely, provide ongoing feeding efforts in the Klang Valley, and raise public awareness to prevent animal abuse. They also support shelters and conservationists who are struggling with overcrowding and limited funding. (Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia, 2020a)
While there are many animal NGOs in Malaysia, SAFM stands out for its comprehensive approach to animal welfare. Besides feeding projects and animal rescue, they collaborate with authorities, agencies, NGOs, and other stakeholders to raise awareness of the welfare of companion animals and the needs of captive wildlife. They also actively promote their initiatives through social media platforms that help to reach a broad audience and build public support. (Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia, 2020b)
Evolution Journey
7. When was Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia(SAFM) established?
SAFM began with the name “Stray Animals Feeders Malaysia”, which focused on feeding stray animals and implementing a TNR program throughout the Klang Valley. In 2019, the number of cases involving animal abuse, neglect, and abandonment increased so they prompted the group to focus on addressing the problems. Eventually, they changed their name to Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia (SAFM) in 2020. (Vijayan, 2024)
8. How did Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia(SAFM) become a well-known animal NGO organization in Malaysia?
SAFM started as a grassroots volunteer group, focusing on feeding and rescuing homeless animals. They gained recognition through outreach to their communities and social media campaigns and became nationally known for their active response to the rising stray animal crisis during the COVID-19 lockdown. (Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia, 2020a) Also, with impactful initiatives such as the Justice for Kopi campaign, the Putra Heights fire rescue mission, and collaborations with veterinarians, SAFM has earned a strong reputation as a caring and credible animal welfare organization. (Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia, 2025)
9. How has public awareness of animal cruelty changed due to SAFM’s efforts?
Public awareness of animal cruelty has increased significantly through SAFM’s campaigns, especially the widely shared “Justice for Kopi” movement. The campaign touched the hearts of many across the nation, sparking strong emotions and increased pressure for better protection of animals. Thousands of Malaysians signed the petition, spoke out against cruelty, urged authorities to take responsibility and showed a growing sense of empathy toward both pets and stray animals. (Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia, 2024d)
Core Cause and SDG
10. What is the core mission of SAFM?
SAFM’s core mission is creating a more heartful society where all animals are treated with dignity and care. (Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia (SAFM), n.d.-b) The organization prioritizes long-term change through education, policy engagement, and public involvement rather than focusing solely on rescue. By addressing the root causes of animal cruelty, SAFM works to build a safer and more humane environment for all animals.
11. Which Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) does SAFM align with?
SAFM aligns with three points of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). First, SDG 15: Life on Land. SAFM works to protect animal welfare and prevent cruelty, while also supporting the conservation of land-based ecosystems. Second, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. It can be achieved by implementing humane stray animal management, such as Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) programs, which contribute to safer and more inclusive urban environments. Third, SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Active collaboration with government agencies, NGOs, and local communities to promote long-term, effective animal welfare solutions.
12. What role does the public play in SAFM’s cause?
The public plays an important role in SAFM’s work by participating in campaigns, sharing information, and speaking out against animal cruelty. Individual citizens can support SAFM through donations, volunteering, and advocacy that help sustain ongoing initiatives. By encouraging responsible pet ownership and educating others on neutering and proper care, the public contributes to solving the underlying issues that lead to stray overpopulation. (Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia, 2024b)
13. What does SAFM expect from the government?
SAFM wants the government to do a nationwide birth control and sterilisation program for animals, and to provide proper shelters. They also expect funding and space for responsible NGOs, with public awareness campaigns. With these efforts, SAFM aims to address the stray animal issue humanely and sustainably. (The Star, 2025)
Mission and Vision
14. What is SAFM’s mission statement?
SAFM’s mission is to protect the welfare of all animals across Malaysia. They aim to achieve this mission by supporting animal rights, raising public awareness, and educating communities about the importance of responsible animal care and welfare. Besides, SAFM works to implement humane animal management solutions to create a safer and more compassionate environment for all animals. (Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia (SAFM), n.d.-b).
15. What is SAFM’s vision for the future?
SAFM envisions a future Malaysia where all animals—whether stray, domestic, or wild—are treated with dignity, compassion, and respect (Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia (SAFM), n.d.-b). The organization hopes that society will be free from cruelty and committed to protecting animal rights by introducing stronger laws. Ultimately, their vision is for a humane and ethical approach to animal care to be adopted at every level of society. (Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia (SAFM), n.d.-b)
16. What values guide SAFM’s work?
SAFM is guided by core values such as compassion, respect for all life, and responsibility (Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia, 2020a). SAFM believe that all animals deserve to be treated with gentleness and care. These values are at the basis of everything they do, from education and rescue to public awareness activities.
17. What partnerships does SAFM have to support its mission?
SAFM partners with various stakeholders to strengthen its mission, including local NGOs such as the SPCA Selangor, veterinary clinics like SubangVet SS14 and Faith Vet Clinic, and government agencies like the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS). (Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia, 2025) Additionally, SAFM is a member of the Wild Animal Rescue Network (WARN Asia) internationally. These partnerships help to improve its rescue missions, education efforts, and policy advocacy. (Member Organisations – Wild Animal Rescue Network (Wild Animal Rescue Network, n.d.-a)
SWOT Analysis
18. What are SAFM’s key strengths?
The strengths of SAFM are the way of using social media, effective advocacy efforts, and high levels of public engagement. Especially, the “Justice for Kopi” campaign gained widespread online attention and more than 32,000 signatures were collected. This led to a significant social movement demanding legal action against animal cruelty. By running this campaign, SAFM became widely recognised and gained public trust. Also, the organization with a clear vision and the support of passionate volunteers enables it to sustain advocacy campaigns and meaningful policy discussions. (Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia, 2024b).
19. What are the weaknesses SAFM faces?
One of the weaknesses that SAFM is facing is the lack of a stable financial foundation and the absence of a dedicated animal shelter. SAFM actively supports many shelters, but it does not operate one of its own. (Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia, 2020b) This limitation makes it challenging to carry out specific emergency rescues or provide long-term shelter. They often require the organization to rely on other volunteers or support.SAFM is hindered by unstable funding, particularly highlighted during the COVID‑19 pandemic when donations dropped significantly, making it challenging to sustain rescue missions and feed strays. As a result, the organization must heavily rely on volunteer efforts, which limits the growth of its programs and long-term strategic planning (Uptech, 2022).
20. What operational challenge does SAFM face due to its reliance on volunteer members?
SAFM faces operational challenges due to its too much reliance on volunteer members for rescue and animal care efforts (Vijayan, 2024). This dependency can lead to inconsistent manpower, which makes it difficult to respond immediately and maintain stable long-term operations in emergencies or large-scale rescue missions. Without a dedicated full-time workforce, the organization’s ability to act efficiently and sustain ongoing activities might be limited.
21. How can SAFM improve its weaknesses?
Since SAFM operates based on funding, shared resources, and volunteer support (Vijayan, 2024), I think they can improve their weaknesses by securing more stable financial resources through long-term corporate sponsorships and crowdfunding initiatives. If they placed their animal shelters, they could reduce dependence on external organizations and make it possible to respond more quickly and sustainably to rescue operations. Furthermore, by hiring part-time staff, their operation becomes more stable, leading to a lessening of the burden placed on volunteers.
22. What opportunities are available for SAFM?
SAFM has opportunities for growth by expanding its outreach through digital media such as Instagram and Facebook. It is also strengthen its impact by collaborating with international animal welfare organizations, and advocating for stronger animal protection laws. Also, there is a favorable environment for having educational campaigns and encouraging greater community involvement with rising public awareness of animal cruelty. (Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia, 2024c).
23. Which types of organizations or professionals would be most effective for SAFM to collaborate with in order to improve humane stray animal capture methods?
As they made partnerships with veterinarians during the Putra Heights Fire Relief Mission (Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia, 2025), SAFM can improve humane catching of stray animals by building strong collaborations and wider networks with local authorities and veterinary professionals. These partnerships enable better access to the training, equipment, and expertise which is needed to carry out ethical approaches such as TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return). By doing this, more and more sustainable and effective solutions for managing stray animals can be achieved. (Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia, 2025)
24. What threats could impact SAFM’s work?
One of the main threats SAFM faces is political indifference, which delays the implementation of humane stray animal management policies. The spread of misinformation on social media is another major concern. For example, an unverified claim blaming stray dogs for a cat-killing incident on the University of Malaya campus went viral, prompting SAFM to issue a public statement to clarify the situation (Malaysiakini, 2024). False or negative posts on social media can interfere with SAFM’s efforts and damage its reputation. Also, public apathy toward animal welfare poses a serious challenge, which leads to reduced volunteer engagement and donations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, SAFM experienced a significant drop in donations, which made it hard to continue its rescue and feeding efforts (Uptech, 2022). Moreover, the lack of government support further threatens the long-term sustainability of SAFM’s mission.
25. How did the COVID‑19 pandemic impact SAFM’s funding and what did they do in response?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, SAFM experienced a significant decline in donations, which made it difficult for them to continue rescuing stray animals and operating the feeding project. To respond to this, they strengthened their online funding campaign and collaborated with local communities to support feeding efforts for stray animals. They also continued to raise awareness about the needs of stray animals during times of crisis through educational outreach and advocacy.
Latest Creative Campaigns
26. What recent campaign has SAFM launched to raise awareness?
In 2023, after the viral animal abuse, SAFM launched the “Justice for Kopi” campaign and gained national attention. The campaign gathered over 32,000 signatures and helped to put strong pressure on stricter laws regarding animal cruelty. As a result, public awareness significantly increased, and authorities were urged to take concrete action in response.
(Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia, 2024c)
27. What platforms did SAFM use for the campaign?
SAFM utilised multiple social media platforms to promote the campaign. They mainly used Instagram (Stray Animal Foundation Malaysia, 2023), Facebook (Stray Animal Foundation Malaysia, 2024), and the Change.org website (Safm, 2024). Each of the social media platforms helped to spread awareness and collect support from citizens for the campaign.
28. What were the outcomes of the “Justice for Kopi” campaign?
The campaign of “justice for Kopi” raised awareness nationally and led to stronger animal welfare laws. It brought public pressure to agencies like the PDRM and DVS, and reached Parliament (Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia, 2024b). As a result, enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act 2015 was strengthened, and new regulations were introduced (RAWS Newsletter, 2024). Also, state and local governments started animal welfare education programs.
29. What major recent event, besides “Justice for Kopi,” has SAFM been involved in?
In April 2025, SAFM was involved in the Putra Heights shelter fire rescue mission. It was for responding to a gas pipeline explosion that affected a local animal shelter. The incident resulted in the rescue of 69 animals, including cats, dogs, and even snakes. (Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia, 2025)
30. How did SAFM respond to the Putra Heights fire emergency?
SAFM responded quickly to the emergency by arranging emergent medical treatment and food supply for affected animals. They acted immediately to ensure the animals received the care they needed. Their fast and organized response and direct action demonstrated their ability to act effectively in times of crisis (Mail, 2025).
31. Who did SAFM partner with during the Putra Heights rescue mission?
SAFM collaborated with SPCA Selangor, veterinary volunteers, and local authorities during the Putra Heights rescue mission. This partnership ensures that all rescued animals receive the proper attention and support. They worked to provide care and rehabilitation for the affected animals. (Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia, 2025)
Summary
Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia (SAFM) is an NGO in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, that works to protect stray animals through TNR programs and public awareness campaigns, by using social media platforms to influence society. Even though they are facing many challenges, such as limited funding and reliance on volunteers, the organization continues with its efforts by collaborating and making partners. Through this research, I learned that running an NGO needs not only passion but also strong strategic systems and networks to make a sustainable impact.
Reference
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The Star. (2025, June 10). Be more humane in managing stray dogs, govt urged. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2025/06/10/be-more-humane-in-managing-stray-dogs-govt-urged
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Wiki Impact. (2023, October 10). Mr Kalaivanan. https://www.wikiimpact.com/dvteam/mr- kalaivanan/
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