Thanks to The Star Online for this article.
I wonder who, if anyone, is going to oversee the catching of dogs to make sure none are harmed. I can’t even imagine how you could recruit untrained people to catch dogs and not expect some of them to use any means necessary to catch them.
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 cant 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.
