KUALA LUMPUR: The government is ready to consider a special federal budget fund and tax exemptions to boost the welfare of stray animals and ease the financial burden on pet owners.
Political secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office Datuk Azman Abidin said the lack of a special budget has forced most NGOs and animal shelters to operate voluntarily, using their own funds to manage and rescue stray animals.
“This issue is not only about assisting the government; it also involves ensuring that these pets become part of families, receiving adequate food and care.
“If there is special funding, we can request they follow the existing SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) to obtain the funds so that they learn how to manage these animals,” he told reporters after officiating the Dialogue Session with Agencies, NGOs and Pemain Industri Haiwan Peliharaan (Kucing dan Anjing) Malaysia held here yesterday.
Azman said the rapidly growing pet industry opens economic opportunities in supporting sectors like food and veterinary services, while reflecting changes in societal lifestyles.
“Issues involving pets cannot be resolved alone. It requires the involvement of all parties, including government agencies, local authorities, NGOs, veterinarians, industry players, academia and the community,” he said, Bernama reported.
Azman also assured that all the proposals and legal improvements resulting from the dialogue session would be compiled into an official proposal paper before being submitted to the government for further action.
