Kudos to DBKK, but…
Published on: Monday, August 03, 2020
By: Shirley Khong
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This is an excellent initiative by DBKK and will hopefully make residents take more responsibility and care of their animals and their safety.
It is a typically Asian trait for pet owners to allow their dogs to “walk themselves”, opening their gates early in the mornings or whenever, allowing their dogs to roam around freely, peeing and pooping where they choose (just as long its not their own garden), running in the streets, scavenge for food and getting into fights. Dogs don’t know any better; all they know is they are allowed to go out!
Oftentimes when these dogs do want to come back home, either because they are thirsty or hungry, tired or the weather becomes too hot or it rains, their owners’ gates are firmly closed. Dogs are forced to wait outside their homes in the heat or rain until their owners return home or decide to open their gates.
We have yet to see an owner wait by the gate until their dog returns and open it upon their arrival. Dogs are left to their own devices, come what may.
DBKK also stated that if they see any dogs wandering in housing areas the dogs will be captured and owners will be given a grace period of time in which to claim them, failing which, the dogs will be “disposed of”.
DBKK has yet to confirm how they will do this. We dread to think how DBKK would “dispose” of them!
The big question here is why are the dogs being punished and not the owners?
Owners should be punished and not the dogs because after all it is their responsibility, their duty and care to do what’s best for their pets. If they neglect their duties they should be punished, just as parents who neglect their children would be.
By punishing the dogs would not hurt the owner at all. After all if the owner really loves their pet dog it would not be allowed to roam by itself outside anyway! DBKK taking away their dog could be doing some pet owners a favour instead!
It is these irresponsible dog owners who should be fined RM500 per dog they allow out of their home compound, and it is these same owners, once again, who should pay RM50-RM100 to claim them back. If these owners are not hit where it hurts, they will never learn any lesson from this! No warnings need be given to owners.
These owners have to hit where it hurts!
According to the Sabah Animal Welfare Enactment 2015, all pet dogs must be collared and licensed and kept in a healthy condition and not allowed to roam around. Fair thinks that these same pet dogs should also be sterilised to prevent future problems including illegal breeding and selling, and abandonment. SPCA-KK is also seeking compulsory micro chipping of these pets so it will be easier to find their owner.
It is time Malaysian dog owners started taking better care of their faithful companions and adhere to the laws which were written to protect them. It is time for the Government to get serious and tackle these problems.
Kudos to DBKK for taking the first step by placing flyers warning pet owners!
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