Responsible pet ownership

Filepic/The Star

RECENT media reports highlighted the problem of stray dogs and overcrowded animal shelters in Malaysia. I believe the situation could be improved by taking the following steps:

> Dogs should be recorded in a national database by microchipping every dog sold or adopted, and every dog for which a licence is applied. Every dog taken into a veterinary clinic should be checked and, if no microchip is found, one should be inserted and the procedure charged to the owner.