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Let Lucky and Flo blaze the way
Anthony S Thanasayan
Apr 13, 07 1:44pm Adjust font size:

We refer to the malaysiakini report Anti-piracy dogs' 'work visa' extended. We are most delighted to learn that a three-month extension has been given to popular pirated CD-busting pooches Lucky and Flo which are currently ‘visitors’ to our country from Northern Ireland.

We are also pleased to note that the two Labrador Retrievers in mention have now virtually turned into celebrity canines of sorts in their mission to help Malaysia fight CD piracy. As a newly-registered national society on June 7 last year and which aims to use animals, especially pets, for the good of humankind, we at PetPositive are very inspired by Lucky and Flo.

For us, the remarkable canines are not only performing a tremendous job in curtailing illegal activities but through their service, they are also at the same time effectively assisting to arrest ignorance and prejudice against dogs that - sad to say- still exist in certain quarters of our society.
It is strange how we idolise dogs like Lucky and Flo one minute, and then have no qualms whatsoever about doing the opposite like shooting to maim and kill other canines which we deem have little or no value or purpose in society.

Often dogs with no licenses are seized from their homes or shot in cold-blooded shot in front of their owners with little respect given whether they happen to be children, the elderly or the disabled who might be depending on them for animal-assisted therapy. Some dogs owners are, unfortunately, no better in their treatment of their pets. The animals in their care also end up being victimised as a result.

Such owners have too many dogs than they can actually handle, neglect their pets and allow them to be a nuisance to others. If given the opportunity to be rehabilitated and trained like Lucky and Flo, many of these stray dogs could also potentially play positive roles in our society.

They could be used in a variety of ways to help Malaysians. One way is to offer comfort to the sick (dogs accept people unconditionally), to be a companion to the elderly who live alone and even offer independence for the disabled with physical help.

Just like Lucky and Flo who have now permission to go into shopping complexes, PetPositive looks forward to the day when the blind will one day be able to go into shopping complexes with their guide dogs, the physically disabled pulled along in their wheelchairs with their service dogs and the deaf being helped along with their hearing dogs, etc.

Surely, extending independence for such persons which only their highly trained specialised canines can provide them – when you think about it – is far more important and valuable than just shiny fascinating discs.

The writer is president, Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (PetPositive).





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Better for Johor to phase out dog-shooters
Apr 4, 07 4:54pm
Crime is rampant - do something, anything!
Mar 28, 07 4:18pm
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Feb 16, 07 5:04pm
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Jan 26, 07 2:42pm
We need to treat dogs better
Dec 29, 06 3:42pm
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