40 groups rally in Putrajaya for no-kill policy on strays
PUTRAJAYA : Over 80 protestors gathered outside the headquarters of two ministries here today to call for the enforcement of a no-kill policy on stray dogs nationwide.
Participants started gathering at 2.30pm outside the agriculture and food security ministry, before going to the housing and local government ministry.
Gabungan NGO Haiwan Malaysia, a coalition representing 40 animal welfare organisations, submitted memorandums to representatives from both ministries demanding reforms to the Animal Welfare Act.
They called for amendments to be made to the Act to outlaw the killing of strays by local authorities.
It accused the veterinary services department of failing to protect animal welfare, especially in monitoring acts of abuse by local authorities and lacking ethical policies to manage the stray population.
It also claimed that adoption fees imposed by local authorities, ranging between RM300 and RM2,000, were unreasonably high and burdensome for those who genuinely wanted to adopt and care for captured stray dogs.
The coalition also condemned the Negeri Sembilan government for using religion as a justification for its plan to cull 'some' stray dogs in Malay-majority residential areas. It said such a policy stemmed from negative perceptions of stray dogs that label them as threats to public safety.
Independent animal rescuer Shima Aris rebutted the perception that dogs were 'haram', or unclean, in Islam. 'I am a proud Muslim woman and my religion never teaches us to kill dogs,' she said.
Activists have said only the veterinary services department was legally allowed to cull dogs, and that local authorities should adopt the 'trap, neuter and spay' method instead.
Last week, the coalition gathered more than 300 protestors outside Negeri Sembilan's state secretariat to submit a memorandum with more than 5,000 signatures opposing the stray dog culling plan.
It also urged menteri besar Aminuddin Harun and state leaders to start an open dialogue with relevant ministries and agencies to explore humane alternatives for managing the state's stray animal population.
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