PETALING JAYA: Large-scale spay and neuter programmes, vaccination and microchipping are among the long-term measures local councils should adopt to curb the stray animal population, say animal welfare groups.
They came up with these proposed alternatives after Seremban City Council’s “cash for capture” scheme drew public backlash.
Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia (SAFM) president R. Kalaivanan said local councils should look into large-scale spay and neuter programmes, vaccination, proper registration and identification, adoption and rehoming.
He said SAFM does not believe in financial incentives as it poses risks if catchers are untrained.
“Local councils should also keep records of captured animals to create accountability and measure whether the stray population is actually reducing,” he added.
Malaysian National Animal Welfare Foundation secretary Shrilan Sivagurunathan suggested local councils and animal welfare groups to co-manage pounds where councils provide facilities and enforcement while NGOs handle shelter care.
“For the trap-neuter-vaccinate-return approach, council enforcement officers should work with registered rescuers to trap strays in high‑complaint areas while veterinary carry out sterilisation and vaccination before the animals are released into monitored feeder colonies or rehomed.
“Cost-sharing models can be adopted where councils subsidise sterilisation fees, microchipping and vaccinations while rescuers source donations for long-term shelter upkeep and stray care,” he said when contacted.
Shrilan also suggested that local councils co‑host adoption drives and education events with NGOs to boost adoptions and promote responsible pet ownership.
He said one of the challenges hindering some of these alternatives are current budgets for animal control that do not match the real costs of sterilisation and long‑term veterinary care.
“Dog catchers are unnecessary when NGOs can humanely capture strays for trap-neuter-return as they have done a lot of feeding and bonding with the strays.
Sarawak Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals president Datin Dona Drury Wee said local councils should invest in robust, government-supported sterilisation programmes and work with private veterinary clinics to make neutering more accessible to pet owners.
Wee cited a subsidised neutering programme in Kuching where eligible pet owners pay a RM70 registration fee per female dog and receive a RM150 neutering voucher to be used at participating veterinary clinics.
She said such partnerships could make sterilisation more affordable while encouraging responsible pet ownership.
“Shelters can’t take in all the strays. That is never the solution. Capture, neuter, vaccinate and return. Stop the population growth,” she said, adding that such programmes have shown results in Penang island.
Wee also said wider use of microchipping could help reduce the number of lost and abandoned animals on the streets.
“The system allows councils to keep records of the animals and can help reunite lost pets with their owners.
Wee said strays exist largely because many were once pets abandoned by their owners while unwanted puppies and kittens continue to swell as owners avoid the cost of sterilisation.
According to reports, Seremban City Council planned to introduce a bounty programme to encourage the voluntary surrender of stray dogs as a way to manage the population.
Under the scheme, Malaysian citizens living within the council’s jurisdiction could claim RM50 for each adult stray dog and RM25 for a puppy under six months.
