Johor Baru council to spay and neuter strays

JOHOR BARU: The Johor Baru Central Municipal Council (MPJBT) are hoping to lessen aggressive stray animals on the streets by working with a non-governmental organisation (NGO) to pick up and neuter dogs and cats.

MPJBT president Md Fuzi Ahmad Shahimi admitted that the stray dogs and cats problems has been ongoing for quite some time based on the number of complaints received from the public.

He hoped that there would be a positive impact after collaborating with Homeless and Orphan Pets Exist (Hope) Shelter to spay and neuter the strays and release them back to the streets.

“We have taken measures to curb the matter before this but they have proved to be ineffective including shooting the animals, which was ceased in 2010 after protest from animal lovers,” he said.

A volunteer from the shelter Shirley Lam, said on an average, a female dog gives birth up to 16 puppies a year while cats give birth to 12 kittens a year.

“Imagine the number of stray puppies and kittens that are born per year. So neutering before releasing them back to the streets can lessen the overpopulation of strays in those areas.

“Studies have also showed that neutered animals are less aggressive as they are usually more calm and will not go after people,” she said.

She added that the neutered animals would be marked by nipping the tip of their ear to show that they have been neutered.

Lam added that it costs between RM100 and RM250 to spay dogs and about RM20 cheaper to neuter cats.

Meanwhile, MPJBT councillor Jason Teoh said the measure was a more feasible measure compared to shooting or killing them.

“We received about 3,000 complaints from residents under the council’s jurisdiction in their housing areas and near schools since 2009,” he said, adding that areas with high population of strays are Skudai, Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, Taman Universiti.

He added that the council aimed to spay or neuter 500 stray dogs and 200 stray cats within its area this year.

Besides that, Teoh, who is also Gelang Patah MCA division chief, also said for a start, the party would sponsor the spaying of 100 stray cats and dogs.