Wednesday September 12, 2007
MB supports dog-catching competition
By EDWARD RAJENDRA
SHAH ALAM: Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo has supported the move by the Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) to organise a dog-catching competition.
“Competitions like this are good, as the animals are not killed but caught and handed over to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).
"Dog-catching must be done as the strays could attack children or even adults. The animals could also spread diseases as the strays rummage through garbage and contract skin diseases," he told reporters after chairing the state executive council meeting here.
Dr Khir said, "All the animals caught will be given to SPCA and the dogs would be housed or even put to sleep based on their reasonable expertise in judging the state of the dogs."
“One thing, the prize money puts me off. MPS is offering RM15,000 to the top dog catcher with 150 dogs or more in six months and it is too high. We have to create a commitment among the public to control the number of strays but not with such exorbitant prize money," he said.
"On the ongoing protest and about the prize money, I want MPS to submit a detailed report but the competition can go on," he added.
However Dr Khir stressed that those involved in the dog catching competition should exercise humane methods and not be cruel to the animals with the intention of grabbing the prize money.
In response, SPCA chairperson Christine Chin said the association is not against the rounding up of strays.
Stray control has to be done but the management and the method of catching the dogs should be carried out in a humane manner, she said.
"We can’t propagate a fun and festive mood in dog catching as the whole idea is wrong. Having such a competition is ridiculous as it encourages cruelty and it is an unhealthy trade for Malaysians to pick up," she said.
She added that rounding up of strays is not the public’s responsibility but is the responsibility of the MPS animal squad to capture the strays as their men are trained to handle the animals in a humane manner.
“SPCA does not catch or destroy animals. In fact it is wrong to say that the dogs are handed to us. Our role is to prevent cruelty to animals, promote kindness to animals and encourage responsible pet ownership,” said Christine.
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