IPOH: The Perak state government will be organising a large scale "Trap-Neuter-Release" (TNR) programme next year, says Sandrea Ng Shy Ching.
The state housing and local government committee chairman said the programme would be a cooperation between the state government with several animal welfare organisations.
She said the programme was mainly aimed to enhance awareness among the public, and dog owners.
"The state government will provide subsidies to ensure everyone plays a role, and takes the responsibility to ensure dogs are neutered. There are also several non-governmental organisations that hope to set-up shelters, so that dogs without owners who have undergone TNR have a temporary place to stay," she told reporters today (Dec 31) at the site where several strays were caught at the Tasek Industrial area near here for the TNR programme under the Ipoh Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA).
The initiative was a joint-effort by ISPCA, the Ipoh City Council and volunteers from the industrial area who bore the cost for the TNR.
Present were ISPCA president Ricky Soong and the City Council’s Enforcement ( Dog Control Unit) assistant officer Muhammad Nadzir Rosli.
Ng said on the application to set-up shelters, they had received several applications.
She said the state government via the council were carefully looking through the applications.
"We are taking steps to ensure that the land allocated would be reserved specifically for dog shelters.
"These are among the few ways to help reduce, and resolve the population issue of strays.
"But I am really hoping that the private sectors will also be able to help play their role, maybe through their corporate social responsibility," she added.
Ng also urged people to adopt dogs instead of buying pets from shops.
She said this year alone (Jan-Nov), the council received a total of 1536 complaints in regards to nuisance caused by strays.
"A total of 1,300 strays were caught, and from that number, only 161 were retrieved back by owners. What is sad is that there were zero adoptions," she added.
