PETPOSITIVE SAYS:
Here is an excellent letter that was featured in The Star yesterday.
It is written by Noah's Ark of Ipoh's protem president Malika Ramiah.
Malika's comments captures the real - and root - cause why dogs often get a bad image among local councils - irresponsible owners!
We also feature yesterday report - also in The Star - an interview with the Department of Veterinary Services from Perak.
1)
Friday November 19, 2010
Play our roles well to help animals
I JOIN the many animal organisations in celebrating the decision against dog shooting.
With our successful meeting with Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh (MBI) officials and several NGOs, including Petpositive, and with the support of the Department of Veterinary Services, we have achieved the almost impossible.
I have to thank Datuk Abdul Rahim Md Ariff, director of licensing and enforcement, for listening to our plight and making that decision.
It was truly a remarkable achievement considering that MBI gets at least two complaints a day involving stray dogs.
However, this ban on dog shooting does not give irresponsible dog owners the licence to let their dogs roam freely and generally cause a nuisance to the public.
This is exactly what the MBI is concerned about.
We must not give it a reason to revoke what we have worked so hard to achieve.
It is not the dog’s fault that it is running amok, but the fault of the owner. Owners, please treat your dog like it is part of your family. Do not have a dog if you cannot be bothered to be responsible for it.
And to all animal welfare groups, please start your campaign to educate the public on responsible pet ownership. Only then will we be able to help these animals.
MALIKA RAMIAH,
President,
Noah’s Ark Ipoh.
2)
Friday November 19, 2010
Non-lethal means will still be used to catch strays
By IVAN LOH
ivanloh@thestar.com.my
IPOH: Tranquillisers will still be used to catch stray animals that behave aggressively.
A spokesman from the Perak Veterinary Services Department (PVSD) said the non-lethal form of shooting would be used if an animal proved difficult to catch.
“Not only will it help calm the animal, it will also be easier for dog catchers to handle them,” he said yesterday.
He said officers from the PVSD would be involved in supervising the usage of tranquillisers in dog-catching operations conducted by the local councils.
The spokesman said they would also use other methods to catch stray animals.
“We will also use the loop and bait to trap the animals,” he said, reiterating that they would not use lethal means on stray animals.
He noted that the MB Dog Trap, which resembled a giant mousetrap, was being used sparingly.
“We only have several sets of the apparatus and it cannot be used extensively,” he said, adding that the trap was an innovation of the PVSD.
The spokesman also stressed the need for a pound to be set up to keep stray animals that were caught.
“We will be having meetings with the Ipoh City Council and the NGOs to discuss the setting up of the pound,” he said.
Meanwhile, dog trainer and canine behaviourist Edward Chin blamed the attitude of city council dog catchers who had acted cruelly towards stray dogs.
Recalling an incident he witnessed two years ago, Chin claimed the dog catchers had acted rudely after shooting a stray dog.
“During the incident, I tried to stop the dog catchers from killing it and said I would take the poor dog away,” said Chin.
“The dog catchers, however, shouted at me to mind my own business before shooting and killing the animal.”
He also said that he felt sorry for the 75-year-old owner of the therapy dog, Spunk, that was shot dead by Ipoh City Council dog catchers recently.
PET+BLOGSPOT is the ONLINE BLOG of the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive). Our reports and stories are CURRENT, ACCURATE and RELIABLE. We offer both local and foreign news on animals, disability and the elderly. PET+BLOGSPOT was first established in October 2007. Our hits since then is now 70,000 and going strong! PET+BLOGSPOT is updated daily. Sometimes even twice or three times a day. Kindly take note that views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of PETPOSITIVE. You may also visit our Webpage by browsing: www.petpositive.com.my You can also find us in Facebook as PETPOSITIVE EMPOWERMENT. Please sign up as a FOLLOWER of this Blog if you haven't done so already in order to show us your kind support. Thank you!
3 comments:
Good milestone achievement, Anthony.
Now what do we do about those selfish people who persist in:
1) walking their dog, allow it to pee and shit along the roadside?
2) bringing/carrying their dog to eateries and even sit them on a chair beside them?
3) bringing their dog into the playground and sometimes even let them run loose?
Please don't tell me to talk to them. The last time I spoke up, I got shouted at by the yuppie-looking lady-owner in such a manner, that it left my children shocked for days. Apparently I have no right to deny her dog its pissing spree as it did it several feet away from my front gate.
My point is, education notwithstanding, it ultimately falls back on the municipal chaps to enforce "responsible" pet ownership. Strangely most pet-owners seem to be unwilling to housetrain their pets reagrdless of their social/educational standing.
Sorry, but like just about everything else that has to do with human attitude, when it comes to the crunch, it always seem to be invariably f-ed up.
Great point Sam!
One of the things that local councils need to to is to get tough on pet-lovers who don't respect the rights of non-pet owning individuals.
They must realise that except in their homes, such behaviour from their pets are a big "no, no."
There are laws that stipulate that all dogs, for instance, must be leashed when they are outdoors.
Local councils must get tough on this.
There must be a giving-in on both sides, from the local councils as well as pet lovers - if there is ever going to be a day when animals and human beings can be free.
Thanks again for your views.
This is exactly what we are concerned about. Dr.Ranjit had a good point. The MBI should engage officers who can patrol early hours of the morning and slap a fine on all those who let their dogs out unsupervised. People will soon catch on then. The council needs to get serious about this. Anyway Sam good on you for speaking out. More people should do the same.
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