KUNAK: The Kunak District Council has captured 250 stray dogs during their 2024 enforcement operations, said Executive Officer Mohd Nazri Pintal on Monday.
The enforcement team strategically placed iron cage traps at various hotspots where strays frequently gather, including the weekly market, police station, hospital and commercial areas such as Boheyan Plaza.
Operations typically occur at night, with trap locations regularly rotated due to the unpredictable movement patterns of the stray animals.
“While the traps are not always effective due to the unpredictable nature of these animals, we remain committed to managing the stray population in Pekan Kunak, despite the challenges posed by their widespread breeding,” Nazri said.
The council’s efforts are conducted within the framework of the Animal Welfare Act, which mandates humane treatment of captured animals.
Caught strays are relocated to remote areas, such as waste disposal sites, far from residential zones.
This update comes in the wake of a fatal incident last Saturday, where a homeless person in her 60s was attacked by stray dogs near the Express Bus Terminal.
A viral video on social media showed the victim surrounded by the pack of dogs before they attacked her.
Police had said the authorities received a call from a member of the public at around 6.30am reporting the discovery of a woman’s body at the bus terminal area.
The victim, not a local resident, had been seen in the area days before the attack. The case has been referred to police and relevant ministries have been notified.
Nazri said that this was not the first such incident, referencing a previous attack on a primary school student in Kg Bagiang near Pekan Kunak in May 2023.
He assured that the council will continue its control efforts within legal boundaries to address the stray dog situation in Kunak and surrounding areas.
