Pamphlet of MBKS on how to be responsible pet owners.
Street dogs are now a concern due to the rabies outbreak in Serian.
KUCHING: Stray animals, especially dogs, are a common sight in
Sarawak towns. These stray dogs sometimes even go near customers sitting
in open air coffee shops. They will look at the customers with longing
and pleading eyes, as if begging for some food or leftovers.
While coffee shop patrons may try to be kind to these canines by
sharing some food with them, others may find them a nuisance and
appetite-spoiling, especially when they are suffering from skin
diseases. Whether we like it or not, stray dogs are a problem in all our
towns and other urban areas.
Now with the outbreak of rabies virus in Serian, which has taken the
life of two young children, the problem of stray dogs has become
apparent.
One thus starts to ask: “Who is to be responsible for the strays?”
The local councils? The Sarawak Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals (SSPCA)? The pet owners?
In handling this issue, both Kuching South City Council (MBKS) mayor
Datuk James Chan and Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) chairman Lo Khere
Chiang strongly urged for a message to be sent to the public – ‘Be a
responsible pet owner!’
Lo, who is also Batu Kitang assemblyman, said managing stray animals has been one of the responsibilities of MPP.
“We have been receiving requests from the public to catch strays
which are all over the place from Matang, MJC, 7th Mile to Arang Road
and all other places where population concentrates.
“Under Public Health Division, MPP has been catching stray dogs. We
have even established a routine that when there is a complaint of a
stray, we take action. However, due to the recent rabies outbreak, we
have intensified the effort,” Lo told The Borneo Post recently.
After catching the stray dogs, MPP will send these strays to SSPCA
which will help neuter the dogs and later release them back to the
community or find new owners for the dogs.
“We must realise that it is the fault of the dog owners that we have
the problem of stray dogs now. It is obvious. We don’t see this kind of
problem in other developed countries.
“If we want to keep a dog, we look after it. It is not right that we
want a dog but not accept the responsibilities that come with it,”
stressed Lo.
There are many reasons for dog owners to abandon their pets. The
problems come when the abandoned dogs are not neutered. The strays will
continue to breed, making the problem worse.
“If a dog has a choice, it would not want to loiter, to be badly
treated or to contract diseases. They don’t have a choice because they
don’t know how to take care of themselves.
“As pet owners, you have a choice to keep or not to keep a pet. And
if you have decided to keep one, be a responsible owner. Please neuter
your dog,” said Lo, who held pet owners who abandon their dogs to be
responsible for those loitering on the streets.
Meanwhile, Chan said MBKS has a programme on catching strays which is an on-going activity.
“Even if there is no rabies outbreak reported, we are working closely
with SSPCA and the Department of Veterinary Services. However, without
the public, especially pets owners, support and cooperation, whatever
programme that is implemented can never achieve 100 per cent success
rate.
“So our message here is be a responsible pet owner,” said Chan. With
the high profile news and public awareness of the latest rabies outbreak
in Serian, MBKS is focusing more on education for all dog owners.
“MBKS leaflets have been updated with rabies precautionary measures
and all dog licence applicants will be given the leaflets besides those
who come to MBKS counters in the office or those people and residents on
site during dog complaint investigation.
“Whatever initiatives and pro-activeness on taking good care of dogs
done by MBKS all this while will come to nothing if pet owners and the
public do not act with responsibility and understanding, and to work and
cooperate with the council on such matters,” he said. Like Lo, Chan
also reminded pet owners to neuter their pets.
