R.I.P. Robby the Rottweiler

Robby passed away quite suddenly this morning.

That's life.  We are here for a little while, and then off to somewhere else... don't know where.

We thought love would give Robby a reason to live on, but the universe has other plans.

I wish you well, Robby.  May you find peace, happiness and love as you embark on a new journey. Will love you always though I have met you only once in this life.

Below is a chronology of my blog posts about Robby :-

My Christmas Wish

Pray for this Rottweiler

Companion for Life

Happy Birthday, Joanne

Robby Finds A Reason To Live Again

Robby Finds A Reason To Live Again

JB SPCA chairman Ranjeet Singh Bhullar (left) with Harvey Yap, Wong U Ginn and Dr Edwin Singam with Robby.

Pic below shows Joanne Carlo and Robby.  

Robby's story appeared in the Johor Streets, a pullout of the New Straits Times, today.

CHUAH BEE KIM 

JOHOR BARU: AFTER a Rottweiler was rescued from a house in Taman Perling here, he was diagnosed with suffering from distemper by a veterinarian.

A decision was made to put the three-year-old dog to sleep.

The dog had been suffering from fever for three days. Neighbours who felt that something was wrong alerted its owner but he ignored them.

Harvey Yap, 73, and his neighbour Wong U Ginn, 19, then informed the Johor Baru Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

Yap and Wong, both animal lovers, noticed that the dog, which was chained up round-the-clock, was not eating well and had maggots around its anus.

Wong, who lives next door to the dog’s owner, claimed that the owner seldom fed the dog.

Streets had highlighted the 
plight of the dog several months ago.

That time, the dog was reportedly well but had been chained up round the clock.

JB SPCA vice-chairman Dr Edwin Singam responded to the call last Tuesday but the neighbour declined to hand over the dog until the state veterinary department intervened.

By then, the dog could not eat and hardly moved. For the first two days, it had to be on a drip.

Dr Singam confirmed that the dog was dehydrated and underfed.

Volunteers took turns to care for the dog at the clinic. Among them were Yap, Wong and Joanne Carlo.

On Aug 8, Carlo turned 22. That was the day, the dog was to be euthanised. But Carlo pleaded for the dog not to be put down on her birthday.

That evening, after Carlo left the clinic, the dog miraculously got up and wobbled around the room apparently looking for Carlo.

By Saturday, the dog now renamed Robby was strong enough to stand up and eat.

However, the fever had left the canine twitching for life.

JB SPCA chairman Ranjeet Singh Bhullar said people who do not love animals should not be allowed to keep pets.

Ranjeet said the SPCA is also looking for more volunteers to help and rehome dogs like Robby.

“Robby was very sick but he found a reason to live because of the care shown by the dog lovers,” he said.

Happy Birthday Joanne

Updated

Robby was well enough to stand up and eat his meal at the clinic. Picture was sent to me via WhatsApp at 7.19pm.

Original post

For all those who have prayed and sent well wishes to the Rotweiller, I want to say my heartfelt thanks. The  three-year-old male dog renamed Robby seems to be on the road to recovery.

It was initially decided that the dog be put to sleep on Friday because it could hardly eat nor move due to distemper, but JB SPCA volunteer Joanne Carlo (pictured above, left) who turned 22 on that day asked that the dog not be put down on her birthday.

Joanne spent her birthday looking after Robby at the clinic. After she left the clinic in the evening, another volunteer said Robby got up and wobbled its way around the room looking for Joanne. 

Robby has found a reason to live. However, the distemper virus will leave the dog twitching throughout its lifetime.

The important thing now is for Robby to go to a new home that will give it all the love and care that an animal deserves.

Once again, thank you all for the well wishes.

Johor Baru SPCA chairman Ranjeet Singh Bhullar (left) with vice-chairman Dr Edwin Singam (right) at the veterinary clinic. Standing next to Ranjeet is former race car driver, Harvey Yap, and beside him is Wong U Ginn.

Both Harvey and U Ginn have constantly urged Robby's owner and his wife to show more love to 

their pet. Robby's owner moved into the neighborhood about a year ago. They also pointed out to the 

owner recently that something appeared to be wrong with Robby but their good intention was ignored.

On Aug 5, the neighbours alerted SPCA and Dr Edwin responded. The owner allegedly declined to entertain Dr Edwin. The Johor Veterinary Department had to intervene and that is how this Rottweiler got rescued from a home that showed it absolutely zero love.

Many lessons to be learnt here

1. Be a kind and responsible pet owner and guardian. Don't let it come to this.

2. Be a volunteer. The SPCA needs volunteers for the rescue and re-homing of dogs like Robby and all those which are homeless.

3. Be aware of what is going on in your neighbourhood. Be guardians of the neighbourhood.

I could go on but I guess I'll stop at 3. I want to take an afternoon nap.

Companion For Life

The tests came back positive for canine distemper, and chances of recovery is slim.

Wong U Ginn is seen here comforting the Rottweiler at the clinic. The dog is hardly moving. 

The 19-year-old lives next door to the Rottweiler's owner. He said the dog would wag its tail and appeared very happy whenever its owner came home from work everyday,  but the heartless owner would never bother to look at the dog.

Sometimes the man and his wife even forgot to feed their pet, according to U Ginn. The couple also did not come and visit the dog at the clinic.

Why keep a pet when you can't spare some time and some love for it? 

A sad sad day ...

Dogs are meant to be loved. All breeds, and not only when they are cute and cuddly like Micky here. 

We picked her up at an abandoned house, and Mary has adopted her. See how comfy she looks in the arms of Mary in this picture taken on July 13.

In the latest pictures, Micky's grown quite a bit. She's playful and so eager to explore her new world. 

Pray For This Rottweiler

Last December, I highlighted the plight of this dog

My Christmas Wish

The Rottweiler's story also came out in the Johor Streets, a pullout of the New Straits Times.

Today I received news that the dog may be suffering from distemper. The dog was also dehydrated, underfed and has maggots around its anus.

Johor Baru Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) deputy chairman Dr Edwin Singam is seen here treating the dog at his clinic.  It could only be confirmed tomorrow by the good doctor (I'm saying this with sincerity) whether it is distemper, a serious viral illness.

Enforcement officers from the Johor Veterinary Department ordered the Rottweiler's owner to surrender the dog to them today.  After that, the dog  was handed over to the SPCA, and a dog lover named Harvey has offered to pay the medical bill.

Another SPCA member had, a few months ago, gone to the house and spoken to the owner.  The owner said he loved the dog, but his wife wanted the dog to be chained up all the time.  And since the dog had a home unlike some homeless dogs, we thought the dog would be okay.

I wish I had done more for this dog before it came to this.

Kudos to Dr Edwin Singam and Harvey and the enforcement team from the State Veterinary Department.  At least, the dog had been rescued.  Now, let's pray that the dog will be able to get through this.

If you notice any form of animal cruelty, do not keep quiet.  Act swiftly.

But no cruelty can beat this kind of cruelty "Chinese police beat stray dog to death in front of its owner" A barbaric and uncivilised group of lunatics. The human race is becoming a disgrace.  Please don't be like them.

Don't be like me either, "all talk and no action".

Be like Dr Edwin Singam, Harvey and all those who actively took part in the rescue of the Rottweiler.

The Dog Pound

Does anyone know I'm in a dog pound? Does anyone know where to look for me? 

When a pet ends up in a dog pound, its fate is almost always certainly death.

I've been told the dog catcher gets paid RM50 for each dog, and an additional RM15 to kill the dog if no one comes to claim it after 2 weeks.

For the owner to secure the release of his pet, he has to pay a fine of RM500 for failing to get a dog licence.

And at the pound, the fiercer dogs will not allow the smaller or weaker ones to have their share of the meal, which sometimes lead to death by starvation. It's pretty much a "dog eat dog world" at the dog pound.

After the two-week grace period, the dogs will be killed by lethal injection supposedly by someone with medical knowledge on the dosage. But I've been told the dogs are allegedly fed chicken neck bones laced with rat poison.  The dog will have to endure internal bleeding for a day or two before succumbing to the poison.

In the remaining days of their lives, can't these dogs be treated with more compassion and kindness?

On an unrelated incident, I heard that someone recently climbed over the fence to get into a neighbour's compound.  This man is a Muslim.  No, he didn't climb over his neighbour's fence to create mischief. He did it to feed his neighbour's dog which had been left unfed for days while its owner is away, probably on a holiday.

There are numerous and various forms of cruelty.

Cruelty rears its ugly head in dog pounds; in badly run shelters, in pet shops --- when the dog is not sold and kept in the same cage it was put in when it was months younger and in homes with clueless, careless owners.

Choose not to be cruel.  Choose kindness and humanity.

Hey Micky

Picked up this little cutie at an abandoned house in Taman Skudai Baru, Johor Bahru. Homeless pups like this little girl have a higher chance of finding a guardian and a new home when they are cuddly and lovable.

The older a dog gets, the harder it is to re-home them.

I would love to invite the puppy home but I already have pets.  My pets came into my life on Feb 23, 2009. They are family.  You don't abandon family when they are old and sickly.  That is the time when they need you even more.

No, my pets are not old and sickly yet, they're still rambunctious.

Luckily Mary who also has a pet decided that her house can accommodate one more. So, that is how this little pup that goes by the name Micky now, has been inducted into the Dass family.

Mary with Mickey.

Anyone who wants to adopt a stray cat or dog, or wants to become a volunteer, lend a hand in any way, can call Valerie at 016-755 1893.

Find Me A Home

Pic by NST photographer Zulkarnain Ahmad Tajuddin. 

Everyone can take photographs but not everyone can be a photographer. I absolutely love this shot. 

There's also a lot of talk about saving strays, and it's all just talk. I also don't do much except talk.

Seriously, let's put our hearts and heads together and do something that can stop the suffering of strays.

May all strays find a place they can call home. 

Blur

My favourite blogger Annie started her blog post Friends calling herself  "blur".

I don't think anyone can beat me in that department.  Shortly after leaving my house this morning for work, I suddenly realised I didn't bring my press kit.  I went back home.  Luckily I had just started my journey.  As soon as I went into the house, I saw the press kit and beside the press kit was my hangbag.

If I didn't remember my press kit, I probably would have to "puasa" for the rest of the day.

Speaking of puasa, I'm attending a special "buka puasa" gathering tonight.  It's not only the breaking of fast for my Muslim friends, it is also to bid farewell to two workmates.  More on that in another post.

Meanwhile, my story on stray cats saw print today in the Johor Streets.

JOHOR BARU: Stray cats are getting a taste of the spirit of sharing as feline lovers feed them near the Taman Perling Ramadan bazaar close to the Taman Perling wet market here every night.

  "There are many kind-hearted souls among the local community here.  There is an elderly couple who bring food to the strays quite regularly, and it is not only during the Ramadan month," said veterinarian Dr Edwin Singam.

  Dr Singam, who is also the deputy chairman of the Johor Baru Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), said every evening, the stray cats would converge in the area knowing that people who come to the Ramadan Bazaar will give them some food.

  Dr Singam said the non-governmental organisations such as Noah's Ark Natural Animal Sanctuary (NANAS) and the SPCA have been picking up cats here to neutering them to curb the stray population.

  "As most animal shelters are already full, we put the strays back into the streets while we try to organise adoption campaigns.

  "Our campaigns have been quite successful.  In the last adoption campaign that was held in KipMart Tampoi, 50 stray cats found new homes," he said.

  Dr Singam said this was the best way to help the strays.

  "There must be other alternatives besides killing them.  But we need dedicated volunteers.  Volunteers who will collect the strays from the streets, send them for neutering, and help to find homes for them," he said.

  Siti Nurhayati Bakar, 35, a mother of three, said she understood the suffering of hunger, especially in the month of Ramadan.

  "As we Muslims fast, we know what it is like to go hungry.  These cats do not ask to be strays.
  "They already do not have a home with guardians to love and care for them.  They are deprived of food.  The worst thing a human can do is to harm them," Siti Nurhayati said.

Stray Cats and Dogs

This scrawny kitten is a stray.   It was found lazing at the Perling wet market in Johor Bahru yesterday.  It has been rescued.  A vet will have it neutered, then hopefully, volunteers can help to find it a new home.

Another case of "to feed" or "not to feed".   There are animal lovers and people who can never understand animal lovers.

I've got a story about stray cats enjoying the Ramadan spirit of sharing but it's so crazy I don't know if it'll see print.  Sometimes crazy ideas sell, sometimes not.

And my interview with Dr Edwin Singam on helping stray dogs came out in the NST today.
Dr Edwin Singam, 67, is the deputy chairman of Johor Baru Society For Prevention of Cruelty To Animals. He operates a veterinary clinic in Taman Johor Jaya.

Let NGOs, volunteers help council 

I AM very concerned about the plight of strays dogs and cats. I understand why the local councils have to get rid of strays, but I hope they will do it in a more humane way as the whole world can see what we are doing due to the advancement of technology.
The recent dog culling video showing Johor Baru Central Municipal Council bludgeoning the dogs to death is a case in point.
We need to handle the matter in a civilised manner.
The public, especially cat and dog lovers, can do their part in helping the strays that would not have been one if their owners had not cruelly abandoned them.
Four months ago, a property developer was kind enough to build a small shelter complete with cages on a piece of land for stray dogs.
It is only a small shelter, but that small gesture can buy some time for the strays to find new homes.
It was an exemplary move by the developer, and I hope other developers will also adopt this move.
There are about 10 volunteers helping out at this shelter.
They all have jobs and families to take care of, but they allocate a little time to bring food to the dogs at the shelter.
Meanwhile, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) like Noah’s Ark Natural Animal Sanctuary (Nanas) and the Johor Baru Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) help to neuter or spay the dogs.
The dogs are all picked up from coffee shops or from the streets. It is unsafe for dogs to loiter on the streets.
The dogs’ presence on the street can cause accidents or someone may get bitten, so I can understand why the local councils have to get them off the streets.
But like I said, euthanisation of a stray must be done in a proper manner.
With the concerted effort of the property developer, as NGOs and volunteers, we can reduce the number of strays in the neighbourhood.
But for this exercise to work, we need people or factory owners to adopt these dogs. To give them a new lease of life.
These dogs can become guard dogs at factories.
I am reluctant to tell people the location of this shelter because people have the habit of dumping dogs. We do not want to encourage this. Two months ago, about 30 puppies were dumped outside the shelter.
Fortunately, people adore puppies so we managed to find new homes for the puppies.
It gets harder to rehome a dog as it grows older.
I am also trying to save some dogs at a different shelter. The local council is checking out the shelter as there have been complaints by the neighbours.
The shelter operator — whether she is aware or not — is practicing some form of animal cruelty.
There are just too many dogs in the house and none of them were spayed or neutered. Some of the dogs are tied outside where there are no shade.
And the neighbours have been complaining for some time now.
Due to this, the local council has no alternative but to step in and stop the operation.
My plea to the local council is to let us assist them in the matter. Let us help in rehoming the dogs. I also hope that more people will help us make the rehoming programme work.
For those who would like to chip in and make the programme a success, can call Valerie at 016-755 1893.

We Can Save The Strays

Doesn't this picture just melt your heart and make you go Awwww???

This is a stray dog who got so attached to a volunteer at a temporary shelter for dogs.  The shelter was set up by a property developer, and the volunteers go there to feed the dogs while efforts are made to re-home the strays.  The dogs are neutered or spayed at the shelter.

This is a beautiful programme.  These dogs can be sent to a new home or industrial sites.  But volunteers have to monitor the dogs to ensure that they are adapting well in their new homes.  Can dog lovers unite for this wonderful cause?

This is one way of getting strays off the streets --- so that they don't end up in a dog catchers' truck or  the cooking pot. Or other unimaginable horrors like starvation, maggot infestation or being knocked down by a vehicle.

And look at the dog listening so attentively as I was getting information from the volunteer.

Property developers, factory owners, farm operators and dog lovers can all play a part to make this work.

Views and suggestions are welcomed.  Dog lovers, can we save the strays?

Treat Strays With Kindness

 THOUSANDS of homeless dogs in Johor have been culled in a most inhumane way.  Hopefully, this will come to an end.

  A recent videotape of seven dogs being bludgeoned to death by dog catchers with what was seen to be iron stick, surfaced in the social networking site, Facebook.  The taping garnered an outcry from dog lovers nation-wide.

  Malaysian Independent Animal Rescue founder and president T. Puspa Rani flew to Johor Baru to lodge a report against the Johor Baru Municipal Council (MPJBT).  She was joined by three other non-governmental organisations concerned with animal welfare, and some 15 people who lodged invidual reports.

  This is believed to be unprecedented.
 
  There were previous cases of dog culling and abuse, but the number that responded to condemn the act was not like this.

  Also unprecedented was the fact that MPJBT readily admitted to the wrongdoing.  Kudos to the young man who took the trouble to tail the MPJBT lorry and record the gruesome incident. 

  All it took was one act, one individual.

  After it was seen and shared via Facebook, and the numbers made the difference.  Now, we just need to be persistent.  Keep at it.  To stop the cruelty, and any future acts of cruelty.

  Puspa also talked to representatives of the Department of Veterinary Services who was also at the Skudai police station and to her shock, found out that the MPJBT actually does not have a certified veterinarian to terminate the lives of the dogs.

  According to her, no dogcatchers are allowed to kill.  This is like murder of the innocence whose crime is only to be born a stray.

  There is something even more shocking.  Companion Animal Rescue Effort Society (CARES) founder Joseph Chia recently told me that he had received numerous complaints of pet dogs that have gone missing from homes. 

  Chia said that although the dog catchers have the right to enter a locked compound to snatch the dogs, it should not be done without any prior warning to the owner.

  "Even if there were complaints, the dog catchers should be merciful and let the owners have some time to do something about it as these are not strays," he said.

  However, not much can be done there because the pet owners were too scared to lodge a police report. 

   If we keep quiet, no one will know what is going on.  I know there are people who are insensitive to all these.  People who do not like dogs, for instance, would consider homeless dogs as just "biological trash".

  "They have no homes, and they can't be on the streets.  So what else can be done except to kill them?"  There are people who will never comprehend why there will be a public outcry when strays are slain. 

  But every life is precious, and ought to be treated with utmost respect.  And do not forget, the numbers can make a difference.  Persistence can make a difference.  Whatever it is, do not give up even when the situation seems hopeless.

United For Justice

IN the JOHOR STREETS

FIFTEEN individuals and four non-governmental organisations lodged reports at Skudai police station yesterday against the Johor Baru Central Municipal Council (MPJBT) over its treatment of stray dogs here.

Malaysia Independent Animal Rescue (MIAR), Johor Baru Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Companion Animal Rescue Effort Society (Cares) and Petpositive were the four NGOs that lodged the police reports.

Among the individuals who lodged the report was G. Suhanthan, 28, who had on June 9 made the first police report after witnessing the incident of MPJBT officers bludgeoning seven strays to death with an iron rod.

Suhanthan had recorded the horrific event on video and uploaded it onto Facebook.

He claimed that so far no investigating officer had contacted him even though the video clip went viral on the Internet.

MIAR founder and president Puspa Rani, who was also at the police station, said MIAR has received numerous emails from animal lovers nationwide.

"As far as I know, about 30 police reports have been lodged over the video from animal lovers throughout the country.

"Which is why I am here today," she said after lodging the report at the Skudai police station.

Puspa also said it is a criminal offence under Section 428 and 429 of the Penal Code which states that an offence is committed if "a person commits mischief by killing, poisoning, maiming, or rendering useless any animal of the value of five ringgit or upwards". The offence is punishable with an imprisonment of two years, or fine, or both.

"No dog catchers can kill a stray in any manner without a certified veterinarian.

"Even if the dog is put to sleep by lethal injection, only a veterinarian knows the lethal dosage," she said.

Puspa said that if she failed to get a satisfactory response from the council or relevant agency, she will be bringing the matter up to the complaints bureau in the Prime Minister's Department.

Puspa further said representatives from the Department of Veterinary Service (DVS), who were also at the police station, had told her that the MPJBT did not have a veterinarian.

"So how were the strays put to sleep in Johor over the years?" asked Puspa.

The DVS representatives, however, declined to comment on the matter. A call to the DVS office to get the comment of the department's director also proved fruitless.

MPJBT also could not be reached for comment.

MPJBT corporate and public relations department administrative officer Salwa Abd Rashid was quoted as saying that the council did not shoot nor clobber strays to death.

On Monday, MPJBT when contacted, had said that they would investigate the matter.

MEANWHILE, in the STAR

Ops to catch stray dogs put on hold

BY DESIREE TRESA GASPER AND KATHLEEN ANN KILI

   

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JOHOR BARU: The operation to catch stray dogs will be put on hold amidst continuing public outcry over cruelty in the putting down of the animals.

A decision would be made at the next full council meeting on whether action would be taken against officers involved, said Johor Baru Central Municipal Council (MPJBT) president Sallehuddin Hassan.

The MPJBT came under fire after a video clip showing enforcement staff bludgeoning stray dogs at the back of a warehouse in Jalan Makmur, Skudai, went viral recently.

“People should understand that these are not stray cats but aggressive dogs. The public also found the dogs a nuisance in their neighbourhoods. The dogs were not killed in a public space.

“The council has the right to put such stray dogs to sleep. However, I do not deny the way it was done was indeed regrettable,” said Sallehuddin.

He added that he did not know how the dogs were killed until the video surfaced on June 5.

It is believed that the MPJBT department in charge of stray dogs had found it hard to obtain supplies for injections – which is usually used to put down stray dogs.

Checks by The Star at the warehouse, where the brutal culling took place, showed no signs that it was still being conducted.

However, dogs could be heard barking within the premises while enforcement officers were seen entering the warehouse area.

Various non-governmental organisations and at least 10 people have lodged police reports over the incident.

“It is unacceptable that no firm action has been taken against the officials,” said Malaysian Independent Animal Rescue (MIAR) president T. Puspa Rani, who is also the representative of the group, during a press conference at the Johor Baru Central police headquarters here.

She added charges could be made under Sections 428 and 429 of the Penal Code for mischief against animals.

Defenders of Dogs

Malaysia Independent Animal Rescue (MIAR) founder and president Puspa Rani was in Johor Baru today. MIAR was one of the 4 non-governmental organizations that  had lodged a police report against the Johor Baru Central Municipal Council (MPJBT) over the video.

Please go to my earlier post http://ardentindulgence.blogspot.com/2014/06/black-monday.html if you have yet to watch the video.

She is pictured above talking to representatives of the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS).  Puspa says no dog catcher is permitted to kill a stray as only a certified vet is allowed to do so because only a vet would know the drug dosage if death is to be from lethal injection.

It was learnt the MPJBT doesn't have a vet.

"So how were the strays in Johor killed all this while?"

Puspa seen here with JB SPCA chairman Ranjeet Singh.  The other 2 NGOs that lodged a police report against MPJBT today were Companion Animal Rescue Effort Society (Cares) and Petpositive.

Apart from the NGOs, some 15 individuals also lodged reports. One of the individuals was G. Suhanthan, who witnessed the incident and recorded it before uploading it onto Facebook.

Puspa said the matter could be investigated under Section 428 and 429 of the penal code for cruelty to animals.Theoffender, if convicted, faces a fine not exceeding RM500 or jail up to five years, or both.

Since the video clip was uploaded, MIAR has received numerous emails and some 30 reports have been lodged nationwide so far, according to Puspa.

Meanwhile, CARES founder and chairman Joseph Chia told me that there has been complaints of dog catchers entering houses to seize pets.  Chia said that although the local council has the right to do that, he appeals to them to be merciful.

"A warning should have been issued first before taking the pets from their homes," Chia said.

Meanwhile, I want to clarify something here. Someone has been going around telling people that I have 4 dogs at a dog shelter. I have told him time and again that those were not my dogs. I stumbled upon four adorable puppies playing by the roadside a few years ago.

My heart went out to them but I didn't take them immediately. The next day I went back to see if the dogs were still there, and they were.  I always believed that all dogs should have a home filled with love. At that time I didn't know much about dog shelters yet. At that time I only knew that I couldn't leave these 4 young dogs to fend for themselves on the street.

So I took them to a vet before sending them to a shelter. My dogs are still with me and they are all mongrels. The 4 that I sent to the shelter were Shar Pei or maybe mixed breeds. Why would I send away the branded breed and keep the mongrels?

More about my mongrel dogs in another post. I hope this man would stop telling everyone that I didn't want my dogs anymore. 

Be A Responsible Pet Guardian

 

A flashback of our front-page report last Friday.

JOHOR BARU: The Johor Baru Central Municipal Council (MPJBT) says it is willing to work with non-governmental organisations (NGO) to keep the stray dog population under control.

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.

Read more: MPJBT wants to work with NGOs to cull strays - Johor - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/streets/johor/mpjbt-wants-to-work-with-ngos-to-cull-strays-1.567047#ixzz2yuRzEPdq