Maimunah says DBKL contractors are only authorised to act on official instructions.
KUALA Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) contractors are not involved in the alleged seizure and holding of pet dogs for ransom, says mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif.
She denied the claims highlighted on social media, and blamed unscrupulous individuals impersonating DBKL officers for the alleged incidents.
An angry Maimunah said a company had falsely claimed that it was appointed by DBKL to round up dogs.
“There is no such thing. DBKL has only appointed one company to assist in capturing stray dogs, and they are only authorised to act upon official instructions from us,” she told StarMetro.
She said DBKL’s authorised contractor must first engage with owners, advise them and attempt to negotiate before taking any action.
“We do not seize pets or demand money to return them; we do not do that,” she stressed.
Maimunah was responding to a report in The Star titled “Dognapping claims in Klang Valley spark fear and anger on social media,” which alleged that a group of people claiming to be from a company appointed as dogcatchers by DBKL had demanded money for the release of captured dogs.
The article cited several social media posts by dog owners who claimed their pets were taken by individuals posing as DBKL officers.
Some said the impostors demanded between RM300 and RM500 for the dogs’ release, while others alleged that the men were aggressive and even trespassed onto private property.
The new DBKL dog licence has all the information of the pet and its owner.
In one widely shared account, user Thomas Bernthaler claimed that his dog, which was wearing a visible DBKL licence, was nearly taken by a group of men who claimed to be authorised dogcatchers.
When he objected, one of them allegedly demanded payment and threatened him.
Other users, including @kisstin3004 and @jordanlimtalk, also alleged that the same group had been operating in Gombak, Kepong and other parts of the Klang Valley.
Maimunah clarified that DBKL’s appointed company does not have the authority to conduct captures independently or without written instructions from City Hall.
She said that as of Oct 28, DBKL had received 975 complaints related to disturbances caused by stray dogs and 34 cases of dog attacks on the public in Kuala Lumpur.
“If anyone encounters individuals claiming to be from DBKL, who make threats or demand money, please lodge a complaint together with video or photographic evidence for further investigation,” she said.
DBKL also reminded dog owners to apply for pet dog licences and ensure their animals were not left roaming unsupervised, as this could cause public nuisance or pose safety risks to others.
