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PETALING JAYA: Animal rights activists have praised the Sultan of Selangor’s message of showing compassion towards stray cats and dogs, and hope that the relevant local authorities will follow his advice to implement more humane statutes.
In a statement on social media yesterday, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah urged the public to take care of the animals “either as a pet or in their own habitat,” adding that local government must find a comprehensive way to deal with dogs. stray so they don’t end up locked up or killed.
Arie Dwi Andika, Chairman of the Malaysian Animal Association, said that while he welcomed the comments, it is now necessary for lawmakers to take the necessary action in accordance with the Ruler’s message.
“At the moment, the statutes allow the capture or killing of stray animals in an effort to prevent diseases such as rabies, even if an animal cannot be proven to be sick.”
He said the Sultan’s suggestion that Malaysia adopt a system similar to Turkey’s was a good one, as it allows for humane handling of stray animals.
“Time for action. The way Turkey does it, where they capture, sterilize and release or re-house, is a compassionate way of managing the number of stray dogs.
“If they want to see the stray dog problem better controlled 10 years from now, they must start now,” he added.
In Turkey, where rabies was once a serious problem that killed many dogs, the government passed a law in 2004 that required local governments to rehabilitate animals rather than kill them, with stray dogs captured, treated and released after being spayed or neutered.
Local governments are also responsible for feeding them.
In 2018, 1.2 million street animals were reported to have been neutered and 1.5 million were vaccinated in Turkey after the law was implemented.
Puspa Rani Thanabalasinagm, founder of Malaysia Independent Animal Rescue, said it was a fitting comparison, noting that while Turkey is a secular country, the population is still predominantly Muslim like Malaysia.
He said he was happy that the sultan came out with this statement.
“All religions spread the message of compassion and love. Unfortunately, when it comes to these poor animals, especially dogs, this message seems to have been lost and misinterpreted. “
Puspa Rani said that in addition to amending the laws, there must be education programs and initiatives to improve the public perception of homeless people and ensure that pet owners are held accountable so that the animals are not unnecessarily homeless.
