The Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) is finalising a decision to microchip every pet dog to curb the growth of the stray population and to monitor irresponsible pet owners.
The council’s health director Razif Zainol Abidin said it was awaiting approval from Selangor State Government to introduce the new rule.
He said the new rule will require every pet dog be implanted with a microchip that contains records of the dog and its owner.
“This can prevent irresponsible pet owners from abandoning their ailing animals,” he said when launching a dog licence application initiative in Selayang Jaya Market yesterday.
He said the new rule will be launched simultaneously with neutering and public education campaigns to reduce the number of stray dogs in the district.
Komunitikini has learned that MPS receives about 500 complaints on stray dogs every week. The areas which lead the tally of stray dogs are Rawang Integrated Industry Park and Gombak.
Razif said MPS carried out daily enforcement by hiring third-party contractors to catch stray dogs, which are brought to a detention centre in Rawang.
“If no one claims the dog within a week, we will then dispose of it by lethal injection.
“This is done under the advice of a veterinarian,” Razif (right) said.
He added that MPS allocated an annual budget RM70,000 to catch and kill stray dogs.
Asked how MPS can ensure the contractors do not repeatedly catch the same dogs and release them again, Razif say the contractors are asked to snap photos of the dog and the street in which the dog is caught.
“We audit the evidence everyday,” he said.
Meanwhile, the licensing program was well-received by more than 50 pet owners, who brought their dogs for a group license applications and vaccinations.
Taman Selayang Bahagia residents association chairman, Abdul Ghani Omar, who co-organised the event with MPS, said stray animals and rats are two major problems facing the local community.
Dog owner Heng Chai Kin said he once tried to apply licence for his dog but the attempt was futile.
“We submitted all the documents but did not get any response thereafter,” he (right) told Komunitikini.
Hence, he was glad an event was organised for pet owners to apply for licences collectively.
Razif said an owner who applies for a dog licence must be responsible for the pet.
He also warned that the welfare of registered pets must also be maintained as the local council is authorised to cite 2007 Dog Licensing By-law to fine those who ill-treat their pets.
CJMY
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