PETALING JAYA: Dog catchers should be properly trained to handle animals in a humane and compassionate way, says chairman of the Canine Advisory Team for Petaling Jaya city council (MBPJ) Anthony S. Thanasayan.
Thanasayan says that the method of catching stray dogs allegedly used by Kajang city council (MPKJ) dog catchers was “totally wrong” and “gives a very bad image of the council”.
“They looped its neck and leg and dragged it all the way to the van. They’re not supposed to loop the leg because how is the dog supposed to walk like that,” asked Thanasayan.
Thanasayan adds that he intends to meet with his colleagues in MPKJ to discuss the incident.
The video of a stray dog being treated cruelly while rounded up by MPKJ dog catchers in Bandar Sri Rinching, Kajang has gone viral on social media.
The video which was uploaded onto Youtube on September 21 by Malaysia Independent Animal Rescue (MIAR), a non-governmental organisation aimed at helping stray dogs in Malaysia, has since garnered close to 72,000 views in just five days.
The recording appears to show dog catchers dragging a stray dog by its neck and hind leg, causing the animal to choke and bleed profusely from its mouth. The dog is then shoved into an MPKJ van along with other dogs.
Thanasayan said that it is not uncommon for a dog to bleed from its mouth. He explained that in its panic, the dog will sometimes bite the metal pole which may cause some bleeding.
“But in this case, the dog was bleeding excessively,” said Thanasayan.
“They had no compassion for the animal. They did not need to put stress on the animal,” he said.
Thanasayan adds that it was obvious that the dog catchers did not know how to use the tools that are supposed to help them.
Thanasayan opined that the dog catchers in questions should be “immediately removed and retrained”.
“From a council point of view, they should immediately have an investigation. They should suspend them and apologize to the community and assure that their dog catchers are properly trained,” he said.
“They should also be trained on how to handle the public, they shouldn’t be shouting in a public street with people watching them. The people that approached them looked like civilized people; they were just concerned about the dogs,” he added.
“MBPJ is now more aware on the humane treatment for animals. We celebrate World Animal Day annually and we have a Canine Advisory Team (CAT) which meets every month and invites the local councils in Selangor to share our problems,” said Thanasayan.
He says that in CAT’s monthly meetings, they discuss the problems councils have faced with catching strays and what should and should not be done to them.
Thanasayan stresses the importance of humane treatment to animals: “We always talk to our dog catchers about the importance of being kind to animals and catching them the right way.”
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