JB can spearhead stray animal welfare issue

Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) has of late come under intense scrutiny about the way its enforcement officers catch and house stray dogs.

Dog lovers and non-governmental organisations (NGO) raised an array of issues, including the intensified catching of the animals, overcrowding in the MBJB dog pound and private contractors engaged by the city council catching strays at night.

Inhumane conditions at the pound also resulted in many dogs falling sick and dying.

So why has MBJB suddenly started an aggressive move to rid the city of strays?

Our checks show that each day, the local council receives one to two calls on strays, with one complainant being Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi who called about strays entering his official residence, Saujana, in the city.

The recording of dogs roaming around his compound was captured on closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera.

Since then, MBJB has been forced to triple the number of private contractors, from one previously, to catch and transfer strays to the MBJB pound in Jalan Tahana, Larkin.

The problem started when the pound, comprising four containers – three for dogs and one for cats – became overcrowded due to the sudden increase in dog-catching operations.

In the past, MBJB would keep a dog for seven days before putting it down via lethal injection.

However, due to the overcrowding and huge number of dogs being caught daily, the animals were being put to sleep faster.

Basically, the city council’s ability to house strays in its RM300,000 shelter, built five years ago, has been over-stretched, resulting in it receiving brickbats from dog lovers.

Johor Baru mayor Datuk Mohd Noorazam Osman, in an exclusive interview, said MBJB’s core business was not catching dogs.

However, he reiterated that they were doing their best to address the issue including using a RM6mil budget, approved in the past, for a new pound that would not only house dogs and cats, but also cows, goats and birds.

The mayor placed some blame on irresponsible developers and factory operators, claiming that they kept dogs to guard their premises but abandoned them upon completion of a project.

Mohd Noorazam has also engaged with non-governmental organisations (NGOs)on the possibility of having an agreement to carry out a trap, neuter and release (TNR) programme on a 1.6ha site in Seelong.

(from left) Star Media Group News Editor Nelson Benjamin, Johor Baru mayor Datuk Mohd Noorazam Osman, Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) Health Department director Dr. Aslinda Salikin and MBJB Health Department senior assistant director Dr. Khairi Sulaiman during a discussion at a hotel in Johor Baru.

Apart from MBJB, three other local councils – Pasir Gudang, Kulai and Iskandar Puteri – will send stray dogs to the site for NGOs to carry out the TNR programme.

Mohd Noorazam also directed the pound to improve its operating procedures and keep a close watch on the job done by private contractors.

It is good that the mayor is proactive and taking on the issue head-on with ideas and plans.

However, are his directives and instructions reaching the dog catchers and those managing the pound?

After The Star highlighted the plight of dogs at the pound, many readers expressed concerns and hoped Mohd Noorazam would carry out spotchecks.

They hoped MBJB would immediately slow down its operations until a new pound was built to house more dogs.

Companion Animal Rescue Effort Society (Cares) president Joseph Chia said it was an emotional moment for him seeing the dogs and puppies at the pound looking at him, longing to be adopted.

“If I had the space and money, I would adopt all the animals at the pound. But my shelter is already full with 300 animals,” said Chia whose organisation is based in Gelang Patah.

So what can MBJB do now to avoid continued criticism while balancing its role in attending to the 479 complaints it received related to stray dogs since January?

One short-term solution is to increase the number of containers at the pound to 10 and limiting the number of dogs in each container to a maximum of 20 to 30.

Volunteers from Fauziah Paws Care from Sg Buluh In Selangor helping to take puppies from the MBJB pound in Johor Baru

The council can then work with NGOs to provide medication to injured animals.

Though some may say this is futile effort if the dogs are to be put down anyway, at least they’re not suffering before that.

MBJB should also employ more staff to care for the dogs at the pound and review its decade-old by-law on approving dog licences, which now requires at least six neighbours to consent.

I am sure that with a simplified licensing scheme, MBJB will be able to increase the number of licence holders from the current 536 people.

The public should also play a part and neuter their dogs, and not dump the animals when no longer needed.

As for dog lovers, why not adopt an animal from the MBJB pound if you have the space in your home?

While change usually requires time, I am sure MBJB can be at the forefront to come up with good plans to control the stray dog population in Johor Baru.

These plans and ideas need adequate political will along with proper funding to be realised.

It is time for everyone to play a part in addressing this issue, as mass culling alone will not solve the problem.