KUALA NERUS: The Veterinary Services Department has received a total of 37,043 complaints related to animal welfare from across the country from January 2020 to September 2026.
Its deputy director-general (veterinary health) Dr Aida Muhid said that out of that number, 6,749 complaints were appropriately addressed under the Animal Welfare Act 2015.
She said that among the offences include the failure to provide sufficient basic needs for animals, health care and unsuitable environments, as well as treatment that causes injury or suffering to livestock and pets.
"Animal health and welfare in this country are driven by various international instruments. Malaysia is also a strong supporter of the Regional Animal Welfare Strategy (RAWS) initiative for Asia and the Pacific to build an advanced, comprehensive and globally aligned animal management landscape.
"This is why the certification of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) or Good Animal Husbandry Practices (GAHP) is given great importance. Whether implemented at the national level through MyGAP certification, compliance with regional standards such as Asean GAHP, everything is designed to ensure the safety of the food chain from farm to table, protect the health of farm workers, care for the environment and uphold the highest standards of animal welfare," he said while speaking at the 2026 Animal Welfare Day Programme here on Saturday (Oct 3).
Also present were the Terengganu agriculture, agro-based industry, food security and commodities committee chairman Datuk Dr Azman Ibrahim and Terengganu Veterinary Services Department deputy director Dr Anun Man.
Aida said that 1,907 out of 3,314 licensed applications under the Act were approved from March 2021 to September 2026.
He said there are 13 activities set to be licensed, including animal accommodation, riding and herding, performing animals, research/testing/teaching, rescue and rehabilitation, shelters and confinement, quarantine, training, live animal holding for sale, slaughter, disposal and stray animal control.
Licensing under the Act is a regulatory mechanism to ensure that activities involving animals are conducted responsibly and comply with animal welfare requirements.
"This licensing is not just an administrative requirement, but a regulatory instrument to ensure that parties conducting animal-related activities meet the established standards and animal welfare requirements," he added. – Bernama
