KUCHING: The Sarawak Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) has called on the State government and the local councils across Sarawak to compound stray dogs rather than culling them. While culling may become necessary, there must be a broad acceptance of the fact that culling by itself would not solve the problem.
In a press statement issued here yesterday, SSPCA said that much of the problem of stray dogs stemmed from irresponsible dog owners who do not follow the local council by-laws and allow their own dogs to roam freely. SSPCA strongly urges the local councils across Sarawak to strictly enforce their by-laws and fine the dog owners, at an increasing rate each time, until they learn that their dogs must not be allowed to roam freely, and must be on a leash if they are walking their dogs outside their own compounds.
“Additionally, we suggest that if the dog is sitting outside the gate waiting to go in, don’t catch the dog, ‘catch the owner’,” said Datin Dona Wee, President of the SSPCA.
She added that only dogs with unknown status should be caught.
During a recent House-to-House vaccination programme, SSPCA found that more than half the owned dogs had not been vaccinated against rabies. Much of this stemmed from the dog owner’s attitude; they fail to understand or choose to ignore the fact that, an unvaccinated dog can be a real threat to their family members. This is a large part of the problem.
V. Ramakumar, founder-secretary of the Veterinary Council of India and former president of the Indian Society for Veterinary Surgery said, “The problem of stray dog populations and the resultant human-animal conflict in urban settings need to be seen not just as a social question, but as a developmental challenge as well.”
