S'gor govt to meet local councils to seek better ways to manage stray dogs

KLANG: The Selangor government will meet with its local authorities to seek better ways to handle stray dogs in the state.

State local government and tourism committee chairman Datuk Ng Suee Lim said discussions will be held be to seek a win-win solution that will appease both complainants and animal lovers.

“Right now, the state government and local authorities are caught between complainants and animal lovers who have contradictory views regarding stray management methods,’’ said Ng.

He said the matter will be discussed at the next Local Government Development Standing Committee (Stanco) meeting which all local authorities will take part in.

Ng said the local councils must relook at the current methods and practices and come up with better measures that will not raise the people’s ire or create controversy.

Ng added that he personally liked the method suggested by Tengku Permaisuri Selangor Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin for street dogs to be neutered to counter population growth.

“This method will effectively counter the population growth and keep the numbers down,’’ he said.

As for Tengku Permaisuri Noorashikin’s suggestion for mini shelters to be set-up at housing areas to be managed by residents who are animal lovers, Ng said that this would be a good move.

“It will also be very easy for the local authorities to manage the complaints as well as grouses that come from complainants and animal lovers,’’ he said.

When asked if the local councils should consider having townhall sessions to explain to residents about methods such as trap-neuter-return-manage, Ng said it would be a good move as well.

“It will be a platform for the local councils to engage both residents and animal lovers to seek out a win-win solution,’’ he said.

The Shah Alam City Hall (MBSA) recently created controversy when it organised a stray dog hunt scheduled to be held from April 22 to 24.

MBSA has since called off its dog hunt indefinitely.

The local authority had earlier announced that it would pay volunteers a bounty of RM30 for each dog caught and the council’s target was to capture 500 street dogs in the exercise.