Viral video of dog catchers' cruelty sparks anger

No need to be brutal: A MIAR volunteer (in blue jersey) trying to stop the dog-catchers from further hurting the stray dog in Bandar Sri Rinching, Kajang.

(The Star) - MALAYSIAN Independent Animal Rescue (MIAR), a non-governmental organisation that helps stray dogs, wants the local councils to stop cruelty against stray dogs at once.

This call was raised again following a video recorded by a MIAR member showing a stray dog being treated cruelly while being rounded up by a dog-catching contractor in Bandar Sri Rinching, Kajang.

The video went viral overnight on the Internet.

It showed dog catchers dragging the stray dog by its neck, causing the animal to choke and bleed from its mouth.

MIAR president T. Puspa Rani said the dog catchers’ method was inhumane and urged the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) and other local councils to pay more attention to the matter.

“The dog catchers’ actions are an example of how stray dogs are badly treated in this country. They do not deserve to be treated in such a manner.

“In the video, we can see how much a dog suffers when being caught.

“How long will this cruelty go on? There are solutions to handling strays but the authorities fail to look at it despite pressure from NGOs and the public,” she said

Puspa said that prior to the incident, MIAR had met with MPKJ councillors to work on building a shelter for stray dogs caught in Kajang but that there was no update until they were told by MPKj councillor Lai Wai Chong at the press conference that the shelter was already completed and would begin operations in October.

“Besides the shelter MPKj should have proper guidelines as well as contractors trained in handling stray dogs to avoid more cases of animal cruelty,” she added.

Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy Post Positive president and chairman of Canine Advisory Team for Petaling Jaya City Council Anthony Thanasyan said: “The workers should not have subjected the dog to so much pain. It is obvious that the workers are not trained and have no compassion for the dog.

“MPKj should apologise for the ill-treatment of the dog and take action against the contractor. It should also set up a special committee on dog-catching immediately,” he said.

MPKj councillor Eddie Ng Tien Chee said he would raise the matter at the MPKj meeting immediately as well as bring it up at the state level.

However, he said he would need a written complaint from MIAR and other NGOs to make the move.




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