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| A flashback of our front-page report last Friday. |
Last year, the local council handled 540 complaints about stray dogs.
However, MPJBT corporate and public relations department administrative officer Salwa Abd Rashid said the NGOs had to be committed if they wished to work with the local council.
"We cannot release a dog once we have caught it, and we cannot provide any allocations. The other local councils have outsourced the work to dog catchers who, we believe, are paid as much as RM100 for the capture of one stray dog.
"MPJBT has its own team of dog catchers which consists of six men. We do not feel that we need to spend taxpayers' money by outsourcing to private dog catchers.
"Our team does not go out to look for stray dogs. We only act when there are public complaints.
"We need to take action or we will be seen as not doing our job," she added.
Salwa did not deny that carcasses of culled stray dogs were dumped into garbage bins near public markets.
"Those were roll-on roll-off (RoRo) bins, which are huge.
"We wrapped the carcasses in plastic bags before dumping them.
"We also instructed that the dogs be dumped only on days when the waste management company (SWM Environment Sdn Bhd) is coming to collect the rubbish.
"As to claims that our dog catchers shoot the dogs or clobber them to death, that is not true," she said, adding that the local council only shot crows.
Salwa said some stray dogs did get hostile in the presence of dog catchers.
However, she added, the council had yet to receive reports of stray dogs turning hostile on the public.
"If the NGOs want to work with us, please also launch a campaign to educate pet owners to be more responsible.
"Pet owners should not discard their dogs when they no longer think the dog is useful.
"If they do not want the dog anymore, they can call us to put it to sleep, instead of taking the dog somewhere far and dumping it and letting it become other people's problem," she said.
Siapa lebih kejam? BOTH.
ReplyDeleteBut who is MORE cruel?
DeleteThe dog owners are to blame for this. Don't scream BLOODY MURDER when you see a street dog being put down. Last time I stay in another taman where my neighbor had a dog. After the dog gave birth, he don't want her anymore. He drove the dog and newborn pups to a nearby park where there are little children running around. The dog was very fierce because she just gave birth. At that time I was just a child but I felt disgust for my neighbor's actions. He was not only CRUEL, he was selfish as well. Typical Cina Bukit lah my neighbor.
ReplyDeleteOf course dog owners need to be responsible. I once sent a puppy to a dog shelter. I need to make sure it's disease free, I need to spend money at the vet. It's all about responsibility. And on the dog catchers side, are they out for the money? Are they treating another living being with respect? Or are they just making it easy for themselves? There is always more to do to be kind. The choice is ours. Stray dogs in a pack can be a danger to the public.
ReplyDeleteResponsible pet ownership is not only for dog owners but for cat owners too.
ReplyDeleteThere are many neighborhood pet cats that annoy us too with them defecating in our compound on our tiled floor, scratched our cars, meowing away in the middle of the night. Dogs also annoy neighbors with barking non stop, fierce ones terrorizing neighbors, etc..... And the list goes on.
Responsible owners should not let their pets cause inconveniences to neighbors, how would you like it if u became irritated with your neighbour's pet or your neighbour turning a blind eye/ deaf ear to your complaints? We as good neighbours should also play our part in understanding each other and not get defensive and start a 'war'.
Basic civic consciousness is what many Malaysians lack.
Imagine if your neighbour had a pet snake/ crocodile and it went loose?
Hi, I need to clarify something. Yesterday, a neighbour asked me what did the local municipal council mean when they say they cannot give an allocation nor can they release a dog after it has been caught?
ReplyDeleteI apologize for not writing it clearly. MPJBT will release the dog if the owner can prove that the dog is his. There are many dog lovers who ask for the stray dog to be released even when it is not their dogs. And some NGOs also ask the local council for allocations.