MALAYSIA: DOGS CAUGHT ARE STARVED, TORTURED, SUFFOCATED & KILLED

From "Letters", "Malaysiakini"
Parimalawani Muthiah May 8, 08 4:15pm

Put a stop to madcap dog-catching antics

I refer to the letter Urgent need for dog-pounds.

Personally I am sick to the stomach and fed-up with the antics of these animals in the guise of human beings who feel nothing when subjugating dogs to much suffering and pain.

I have also been told by Klang municipal council workers that caught dogs are kept in a 'caged-up' lorry without food or water from the time they are captured until they are cruelly executed.

There was also an occasion in Telok Panglima Garang, which comes under the jurisdiction of the Kuala Langat District Council, when I confronted a group of dog catchers trying to steal two dogs tied-up in someone's backyard.

The men, who were traveling in a council vehicle accompanied by two council officers, were themselves rounded-up to go on the dog-catching spree.

Some of them looked like drug addicts and alcoholics and had no qualms about trespassing into private property to steal the two dogs.

Upon confrontation, the officers quickly apologised and sped off with their sorry bunch of canine bounty hunters.

And of course Leigh's mention of the MPAJ also brings to mind JAD Enterprise which was engaged by the council to round-up stray dogs some years ago.

Many of the dogs which were caught by the canine bounty hunting company had suffocated to death after being locked-up in a van.

All these unfortunate incidents as well as the cruelty shown by local councils towards dogs arise because some people believe that they score heavenly points whenever they torture and put a dog to death.

I hope that the new Pakatan Rakyat government in Selangor would put an immediate stop to the cruel madcap dog catching antics practiced by the local councils in the state.

DOGS CAUGHT BY MUNICIPAL COUNCIL WORKERS IN MALAYSIA ARE ILL-TREATED & KILLED

From "Letters", "Malaysiakini"
Leigh Chen Siew Kuan May 5, 08 3:07pm

Urgent need for dog-pounds

Jojo is a black and tan female dog who loves to climb over her owner’s wall and hide under the concrete drain slabs in the alley. On April 10, between 12 noon to 1pm, she was spotted by Ampang Municipal Council (MPAJ) dogcatchers who went on to noose her. As her owner wasn’t in, a neighbour informed them that Jojo is owned.

The dogcatchers told the neighbour they were acting on a ‘complaint’ about Jojo. The complaint wasn’t defined in detail. Jojo who is so elusive and petrified of humans?

That evening her owner came back and couldn’t find Jojo. The next day we still didn’t see her. On behalf of her owner, my friend rang up Rizal from Bahagian Kesihatan who confirmed he was in charge of yesterday’s dog-catching operations. Here comes the twist.

He remembered Jojo but didn’t noose her because she escaped. When my friend insisted she wanted to check out the dogs caught yesterday, he tersely informed her all the dogs were brought to Klang yesterday evening itself ‘untuk dibunuh’ following his superior’s orders. We, the people, are not allowed to go there. He coldly added, ‘Lagipun, tu semua anjing kurap dan liar!’

His superior, the council’s deputy environmental health officer, informed a journalist last year that the setting up of a dog pound had been delayed due to the high costs involved which he put at RM50,000 – RM60,000. Is MPAJ eradicating strays in this nauseating and vulgar approach as a humane service to community? No holding period or humane considerations would be granted to these hapless and homeless animals? How do we go about claiming pets, which have been mistaken for strays and caught by municipalities without pounds?

Municipal councils such as Kajang and Klang do not have dog-pounds. Where are the caught animals kept if they are unable to killed right away? I have heard of frightful and violent stories about councils and their dog-catching contractors. Some dogcatchers make a trip to the council to claim money for their catch only when the van is filled up with dogs. As it might take days or weeks for the van to be filled up, dogs caught earlier would have died of hunger, thirst, fights and puppies trampled to death. Fierce dogs have been bashed to death with a stick.

Another question follows. Is Rizal a qualified animal medical officer to make out clearly at one sweeping glance between mangy and non-mangy dogs? Would he have known if a particular owned mangy dog was undergoing skin treatment and just happened to stroll out for a while? Is he experienced enough to recognise if an animal is a stray or a house pet? A very relevant question: how are the ‘semua anjing kurap dan liar’ put down? Is this mass euthanasia supervised by a qualified animal medical officer?

The bottom line is humans caused the existence of strays through their irresponsible pet- ownership. It is in short the human wrongs that need managing. These strays, cats or dogs, (through no fault of their own) admittedly do have an adverse impact on the public health, safety, welfare and environment. Mandatory sterilisation is the most effective, economical, humane and ethical solution to the problem of unwanted cats and dogs lacking permanent homes. It arrests unwanted births too. This will seek to promote the health, safety, welfare and environment of the people considerably.

Till today, we are still crazy with worry as Jojo is still missing. Maybe, she went on a one way trip to Klang. To the ‘animal judges and executioners’ of our local municipal councils, I leave you with this quotation by Pierre Troubetzkoy to ponder over: ‘Why should man expect his prayer for mercy to be heard by what is above him when he shows no mercy to what is under him?’

Animals are mental creatures which have beliefs and desires, memories and expectations; who feel pleasure and pain, experience emotions. Like us.

SLAUGHTER OF COWS FOR RELIGIOUS (MUSLIM) FESTIVAL IN MALAYSIA

Every year, all over the world and here in Malaysia, Muslims slaughter sacrificial animals like cows and goats for their religious festival, known as Hari Raya Aidiladha/Hari Raya Haji/Hari Raya Korban/Qurban.

These poor animals are roped around their necks, dragged, tied up and then their throats are slit while they are still alive. They then lie there dying while the blood drains out of them.

Such gruesome acts, inflicting so much pain, are so primitive and cruel. You can actually see the animals shed tears, looking so sad and pitiful, while their butchers/murderers, the onlookers and those waiting for their meat would be full of excitement and glee, in anticipation of the big feast ahead.

Such slaughter is also carried out for weddings, celebrations and practically any special occasions.

SLAUGHTER OF COWS & GOATS IN MALAYSIAN PARLIAMENT COMPOUND

From "The Sun" newspaper, Malaysia

July 10, 2007

Slaughter of animals in august place riles MPs

KUALA LUMPUR : A decision by backbenchers to slaughter six head of cattle and 10 goats in the compound of Parliament House to celebrate Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad's marriage annoyed other MPs.

"I am objecting to this on two grounds. This is Parliament. How can we allow the slaughter of animals in the compound? Should this not be done in an abattoir?" M. Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat) asked Speaker Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib just after question time.

"Morever, this slaugher of cattle is sensitive to Hindus. Surely you should have thought about this aspect before allowing it."

Ramli's response was that the animals were slaughtered for the kenduri hosted by the Backbenchers Club (BBC) to celebrate the marriage of Abdullah to Jeanne.

When Kulasegaran said he was aware of the reason but that the slaughter should not be allowed, Ramli said any similar request in the future would be looked at carefully.

"I don't see why there should be any objection to this. This is norm (slaughter animals) whenever there is a kenduri. Therefore, it is not an unusual practice," Ramli said.

Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah) begged to differ. "This is an august place. We use this place for meetings. If next time, the Opposition wants to slaughter other animals then what happens?" she asked.

"Even though it is a norm by BBC, it does not mean it is correct. And it should not be continued."

Fong said non-Muslim MPs are sensitive to the religious beliefs of others that they were "even careful with the type of food they brought into the parliament building".

She said this should be reciprocated.

Ramli brought the discussion to a close by promising that the House would be careful in similar requests in the future.

Acting BNBBC chairman Datuk Raja Ahmad Zainuddin Raja Omar (BN-Larut) told reporters in the lobby of the Dewan Rakyat that the backbenchers decided on the kenduri after he was given the go-ahead by the parliament administration.

"We only did it after the House gave us permission. The place was decided by the parliament," he said.

"Where else are we supposed to do it anyway? We are members of Parliament, we are entitled to do it here," he declared.

A Hindu BNBBC committee member S.K.Devamany (BN-Cameron Highlands), met in the lobby said he did not know of the planned slaughter.

"I was not at the meeting when it was decided. By the time I came to know of it. All the arrangements were put in place."

Devamany vowed to ensure that in future it will not happen again.