Council teams up with Ipoh SPCA in no-kill policy to manage strays

Rozali (with white cap) and Soong showing the MoU documentation that they both signed at the MBSP headquarters in Bukit Mertajam, Penang.

THE Seberang Prai City Council (MBSP) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ipoh Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) in an effort to reduce the population of stray dogs in Seberang Prai.

MBSP mayor Datuk Rozali Mohamud said the collaboration with ISPCA was in line with the city council’s effort to make the mainland a ‘Zero Stray Dog City’ by 2030.

“Among the initiatives taken in this effort is to reduce the population of stray dogs through the implementation of the trap, neuter, release and manage programme with the cooperation of ISPCA, ” he said during a press conference after chairing a full council meeting at the MBSP headquarters in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, on Monday.

Rozali said MBSP had chosen ISPCA as its strategic partner in the programme based on the success of similar projects run by ISPCA and Ipoh City Council over the years.

He said the collaboration would be for two years beginning Jan 1,2021 until Jan 1,2023, and is expected to be conducted monthly.

“The city council is targeting about 5,000 stray dogs, including cats to be neutered in two years.

“During the collaboration, ISPCA will work together with MBSP to implement the trap, neuter, release and manage programme in Seberang Prai.

“Besides the project, ISPCA will also offer its services by providing awareness and education to the public about pet care, ” he said.

Rozali said to date, there are about 30,000 stray dogs in Seberang Prai, with the highest complaint coming from central Seberang Prai with 548 complaints, followed by north Seberang Prai (389) and south Seberang Prai (343).

“MBSP practices a no-killing policy and to control the population of stray dogs with the practice is something that is challenging to the city council.

“We can only manage to neuter 200 stray dogs per year but the dogs’ reproduction is more than the total neutered in a year, ” he said.

Present during the signing ceremony was ISPCA president Soong Wai Chiew, who said he was looking forward to the collaboration between ISPCA and MBSP.

He said the collaboration was a good initiative by the city council in an effort to reduce the population of stray dogs in the city.

“However, this collaboration needs help from all stakeholders such as private veterinary clinics, animal shelter operators and pet owners so that it can reap success, ” he said.

Since 2017 until now, ISPCA has neutered more than 4,000 stray dogs in Ipoh in the trap, neuter, release and manage programme with the Ipoh City Council.