Perak considers legal action over misleading stray dog claims
State Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Sandrea Ng Shy Ching said the matter is being taken seriously, especially after some parties questioned the credibility of local councils over the handling of recent stray dog culling operations.
'The government will not hesitate to act against those who issue false statements. We are currently reviewing the matter from a legal standpoint before taking further action.
'We want all parties to be responsible when issuing statements to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings,' she told a press conference here today.
On Monday, two short video clips - 15 and 13 seconds, went viral on the Malaysia Homeless Animal Movement Facebook page. The videos showed dozens of stray dogs in cages on a truck belonging to the Ipoh City Council (MBI), prompting strong reactions from netizens.
Yesterday, MBI denied claims that the dogs were buried alive at the Lahat Animal Detention Centre. It clarified that all animals involved were humanely put to sleep (PTS), in accordance with established guidelines and legal provisions.
Sandrea added that the state government has introduced several initiatives to tackle the stray animal issue, including the Perak Pawsitive programme. Since its launch last year, more than 300 dogs and 250 cats have been neutered through subsidised campaigns.
'We face many challenges in managing stray animals, including limited capacity at impound centres, low awareness among pet owners, and low adoption rates across Perak,' she said.
As of July 20, MBI had received over 900 complaints concerning stray and pet dogs.
MBI enforcement director Ahmad Zaiyadi Sudin said 740 of the complaints were about stray dogs, while 201 involved pet dogs, mainly in the Ipoh area.
'The number of complaints is high. Some involved dog bites, and if I'm not mistaken, there has been at least one fatal case. There are also concerns over diseases and other risks.
'When stray dogs are caught, they are kept at the impound centre for around three days. If anyone comes forward to claim them, they can do so by paying a fine,' he said. - Bernama
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