Press Statement: BRUTALITY, ATROCITIES, AND UNLAWFUL KILLING OF STRAY DOGS
Global Human Rights Federation (GHRF)
THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERINARY SERVICES MUST TAKE IMMEDIATE AND DECISIVE ACTION TO ADDRESS THE BRUTALITY, ATROCITIES, AND UNLAWFUL KILLINGS OF STRAY DOGS BY LOCAL MUNICIPAL COUNCILS ACROSS ALL STATES OF MALAYSIA
Introduction
1. For decades, alarming reports and media coverage have highlighted instances of abuse and cruelty towards dogs by local municipal councils. These actions represent not just isolated incidents, such as the tragic case of a dog named "KOPI," but a disturbing pattern of violence against animals.
2. The silence and inaction of the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) raise serious concerns about the effectiveness of the current Animal Welfare Act 2015 (Act 772). Charged with overseeing animal welfare and enforcing laws to protect animals from cruelty and neglect, the DVS’s lack of accountability for these heinous acts is deeply troubling.
Memorandum
3. The Global Human Rights Federation, alongside 12 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and concerned citizens, submits this memorandum to urgently implore the DVS to take action against municipal officers involved in the inhumane treatment and killing of stray dogs.
4. The recent tragic shooting of an innocent dog named KOPI by the Besut District Council has ignited outrage across the nation, uniting animal rights groups and concerned citizens alike in a call for justice.
5. Eyewitness accounts and video evidence of similar past incidents suggest that these actions are part of a troubling trend rather than isolated events. Such conduct undermines the integrity of local authorities and reflects poorly on our national commitment to humane treatment of dogs.
6. Reports from residents and animal welfare groups indicate that municipal officers, tasked with managing the stray dog population, are resorting to inhumane practices. These include excessive force, such as striking dogs with iron rods, shooting them, and dragging them by ropes tied around their necks, such actions that cause severe injuries or death during capture.
7. Despite the mounting backlash from the community, animal rights organizations, and the media, calls for accountability and reform have largely fallen on deaf ears. The public outcry demands urgent attention and action, yet it remains largely ignored.
8. If the DVS, the agency tasked with enforcing the laws and regulations set out in the Act, fails to take action against offenders, then who will ensure the protection and welfare of animals in Malaysia?
9. Under Animal Welfare Act 2015, Killing of animals, section 30(1) states “No person shall kill by way of shooting with firearms any dog, cat or any other animal which may be prescribed by the Minister by notification in the Gazette, unless it is authorized by the veterinary authority for the purpose of emergency or for the purposes of disease control”.
10. On the shooting of “KOPI”, Besut District Council president, Mohd Sukeri Ibrahim, defended the staff’s actions stating that they followed, “standard operating procedures (SOP) and local dog by-laws from 1990”. We know for sure the Besut municipal are going to defend themselves by invoking section 30(2) notwithstanding subsection (1), the killing of any animals is prohibited unless – (e) the killing is done for the purpose of animal population control by any authorized authority under any written law;
11. The shooting of “KOPI” raises several critical questions that warrant careful examination:
i) Increase in Dog Population? Was there a documented increase in the dog population in the Besut District? If so, what data or statistics support this claim?
ii) Authorization for the Action? Under whose authority did the Besut District Council decide to shoot and kill “KOPI”? Clarity on the specific legal or regulatory framework guiding this decision is essential, including any relevant local ordinances or directives from higher authorities.
iii) Assessment of Threat? Did “KOPI” pose a genuine threat to public safety? This evaluation should include reports of any aggressive behavior or incidents involving the dog, as well as assessments from animal control officers or local residents.
iv) Health Concerns? Was “KOPI” found to be carrying any diseases that could endanger public health? Was veterinary evaluations or health assessments done?
12. Killings of dogs in Malaysia has been happening rampantly for decades, as a “covert operation” or “happy trigger” where dogs have been brutally shot down where authorities prefer to use violent measures as to find an easy way out, just to clear them off the streets.
Conclusion
13. The Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) and Municipalities should forge strong collaborations with animal shelter rights group, recognizing them as key stakeholders and promote humane alternatives such as spaying and neutering, instead of resorting to brutal killings and punitive measures. Animal shelter rights group have dedicated significant effort to enhance and expand dog shelters, as to reduce the number of stray animals on the streets, ensuring that dogs are protected from torture and inhumane treatment.
14. Due to lack of communication and interaction by DVS and the Municipal with the animal shelter rights groups, has created more challenges. Have DVS or the Municipal put in any effort or initiative to liaise with these stakeholders? Was there been any efforts by DVS and Municipal to bridge this gap?
15. In conclusion, the DVS's silence and inaction on animal cruelty and neglect raise significant concerns about the effectiveness and proper enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act 2015. The brutal treatment and killing of dogs by municipal officers are an unacceptable violation of animal rights. It is essential for DVS to be totally responsible for the unlawful killing of “KOPI” and other stray dogs. Instead, DVS must adopt a more proactive approach in enforcing these laws and to seek improvements that enhance protection and welfare for the stray dogs. The current regulations are outdated and must evolve; under no circumstances should stray dogs be shot, and horrific acts of cruelty must cease. Otherwise, Malaysia will be known to be committing GENOCIDE against stray dogs in the eyes of the world at large.
16. Last but not least, UN CONVENTION ON Animal Health and Protection (UNCAHP) confirms that scientific research and evidence have proved dogs’ psychology and emotions. This affirms that dogs are SENTIENT beings deserving of respect, ethical treatment and protection, emphasizing that their feelings truly matter.
On behalf of the Coalition of NGO’s & Concerned Citizens of Malaysia
S. SHASHI KUMAR
(President)
Global Human Rights Federation (GHRF)
ANNEXURE A
"Brutal Abuse and Killing of Dogs in Malaysia: A Disturbing Sequence of Events"
1. Alarming rise over 7,600 animal abuse cases reported in Malaysia
2. Kampar District Council claims enforcers shot 20 stray dogs in self-defense
3. Minister: Strays may only be shot with permission, in self-defense as a last resort
4. Malaysian animal activists unleash fury towards dogcatchers’ ‘repulsive’ methods
5. Dog shooting cases by local councils – SOP or easy way out? _May 26 2019 https://twentytwo13.my/dog-shooting-cases-by-local-councils-sop-or-easy-way-out/
6. Video footage shows Malaysia’s city council officers using force against elderly man and his dogs
7. The action of the Seremban Municipal Council (MPS) in shooting dead in cold blood 13 harmless dogs can only be described as barbaric.
https://m.malaysiakini.com/letters/53397
8. Brutal killing of five dog’s highlights needs for Trap, Neuter and Release
9. Cruelty unleashed on dogs following the deaths of some 25 dogs
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/07/18/cruelty-unleashed-on-dogs
10. Malaysian Authorities Massacre Dogs Amid Public Outcry
https://www.vice.com/en/article/malaysian-authorities-massacre-dogs-amid-public-outcry/
11. Stray Shot Dead at T2
https://www.dailyexpress.com.my/read/3976/stray-shot-dead-at-t2/
12. Animals rights group slams local council for injuring stray dogs
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2022/08/15/animal-rights-group-slams-local-council-for-injuring-stray-dog/
13. Haul municipal council to court for “inhumane” treatment of dogs
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2023/01/12/haul-municipal-council-to-court-for-inhumane-treatment-of-dogs-says-ngo/
14. SPCA says dogs beaten to death, but council denies it
15. Stop this anti-dog madness, oh Malaysia! – Aliran
https://m.aliran.com/thinking-allowed-online/stop-this-anti-dog-madness-oh-malaysia
16. Kulai Municipal Council Staff Condemned for Cruel Treatment of stray dogs during Capture
https://worldofbuzz.com/kulai-municipal-council-staff-condemned-for-cruel-treatment-of-stray-dog-during-capture/
17. Dog owner lodges report against Penang council over dog’s death
18. Sg Petani council accused of cruelly culling 35 stray dogs at the council warehouse with iron rods
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2024/01/31/sg-petani-council-accused-of-cruelly-culling-strays/
ANNEXURfE B
List of Non- Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) whom has given their acknowledgement and support of the Memorandum
1. Global Human Rights Federation (GHRF)
2. Lawyers for Animal Rights (LAR)
3. Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia (SAFM)
4. Malaysia Animal Welfare Association (MAWA)
5. Selangor Furry Future Association@ Meefah (SFFA)
6. Malaysia Independent Animal Rescue (MIAR)
7. Jovi Cares Association (JCA)
8. SPCA Selangor
9. Stray Free Foundation (SFF)
10. Pertubuhan Kebajikan Intergriti Persahabatan Nasional (PKIPN)
11. Lost Animal Souls Shelter Society (LASS)
12.Persatuan Penyelamat Anjing Terbiar Hulu Langat (PATH)
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Any reaction from the Chinese is inherently racist. The strong unnecessary anti Malay rants by the Chinese on these pages and many others like this page is evidence of a Chinese racist push to break up Malaysia so that the Kuomintang can devour Sabah and Sarawak what thy call the 5th Hakka republic. They are despicable in every way and need to be hammered word for word for their unsubtle racist anti Muslim bigotry. Did you know that the Malaysian Chinese now constitute some of the largest components of illegal immigrants in the UK, Australia and Canada? runners burning their homes behind them.
A trend importe from the West. Yet after the gathering in the picture in yuor article, most Chinese would go home to lament the real problem: The are not allowed to kill dogs by boiling them alive to eat it the traditional way a they still do in China.