City Hall finding homes for troublesome dogs
Published on: Friday, January 07, 2022
By: Sidney Skinner
Three of the seven dogs are seen in the front yard of the Luyang home.
CITY HALL is in the process of finding homes for five dogs, which were previously being kept in a Luyang home, and is keeping an eye on a Kepayan neighbourhood to ensure that a rate-payer’s canines do not become a nuisance.This follows feedback from two homeowners that the dogs at both locations had become troublesome.ADVERTISEMENT
They said these pets chased passers-by and messed up the common areas by tipping over bins in their search for food, besides using these areas as a toilet.
These individuals provided Hotline with the address of the respective dog-owners. This information was forwarded to the agency.
A spokeswoman for City Hall’s Health and Environment Department said the Luyang home had twice been inspected since December 13, with a notice served to the owner.
“Officers with our Animal Control Division (ACD) officers counted seven dogs inside the Taman Fu Yen residence during the first check,” she said.ADVERTISEMENT
“No one was home at the time but our staff managed to find out where the pet-owner was working and met her personally the next day.”
They informed the rate-payer that she could only rear two dogs at any one time and that she would have to obtain licences for her pets, according to the spokeswoman.
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She said a preliminary check revealed that none of her canines were registered.
City Hall staff in the process of serving the notice at the house in Taman Fu Yen.
“The dog-owner was asked to relocate her unlicensed pets, with a suggestion made that she might consider allowing City Hall to have them adopted.”
She said further guidance was given to the rate-payer on how to look after her canines.
“Our personnel offered her some pointers on how to keep her yard clean and dispose of the dog waste properly.
“The individual was also asked to take steps to ensure that her pets did not inconvenience her neighbours by barking non-stop or running about unsupervised on the housing road.”
She said a flyer on City Hall’s requirements concerning the rearing of canines was given to her.
The spokeswoman said a follow-up inspection was made on January 4.
“The ACD noted that there were still as many dogs inside her compound.
“The pet-owner personally apologised for not being able to fulfil our requirements.
“Our officers were made to understand that she had encountered some difficulties in giving away her canines.”
The rate-payer, subsequently, agreed to surrender five of these pets to City Hall so that they could be adopted by interested members of the public, according to her.
The spokeswoman said the individual would be given a grace period in which to comply with the guidelines set-out in the agency’s Registration and Control of Dogs By Law 1963 (Amendment 2008).
“Should she fail to obtain licences for her pets after this, then further action will be taken against her.”
AXEL, who lives on Lorong Angsa 2 in Luyang, was under the impression that his neighbour had more dogs than she should in her yard.
He said the sound of barking and growling prevented him and his family from getting a restful sleep.
“It is difficult to doze off again after this, especially when the canines fight,” he said.
“We have spent too many nights being woken up in this manner.”
He said the canines also barked on and off even throughout the day.
“It is especially trying on those nursing or looking after babies, as these young ones start crying because of the noise.
“Some of my neighbours are ill and infirm. They complain that it is difficult to take a nap in the afternoons.”
Axel said some of his neighbours had spoken to City Hall about this nuisance, but the situation had yet to improve.
“I was made to understand that Kota Kinabalu rate-payers are not allowed to keep more than two dogs in their compounds at any one time.
“If this is so, I don’t know how my neighbour can be getting away with looking after so many canines.”
He wanted to know whether City Hall had issued licences for all these pets.
Meanwhile, the ACD is monitoring the goings-on along Lorong Rampai, in Kepayan, according to the spokeswoman.
She said any unaccompanied dogs found wandering would be impounded by the agency, regardless of whether they were licenced or not.
“A homeowner here was informed of this and reminded to keep his dogs inside his compound,” she said.
“He was given a stern warning not to leave his front gate open, when he left the house, as this gave his canines the chance to exit onto the common areas.
“The ratepayer was also asked to block the space between the bars towards the bottom of the gate so that his pets couldn’t squeeze through and escape his compound.”
This action was prompted after City Hall received evidence in the middle of December that his canines were roaming unsupervised on the housing road in Taman Selesa.
“Our officers went to the home as soon as we became aware of this problem. During this check, they found his canines were leashed up inside.”
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