Animal lovers up in arms after shooting of stray dog caught on video by Ipoh council officer
IPOH, MAY 25 — A 1:39-minute recording showing an Ipoh City Council enforcement personnel gunning down a stray dog had non-governmental organisations and animal lovers up in arms over the inhumane act.
The video that was shot on Wednesday and gone viral yesterday, showed the brown dog being shot twice while a neighbour who witnessed the incident could be heard pleading with the personnel to stop the shooting.
Perak MCA Public Services and Complaints Bureau chief Low Guo Nan said the incident had occurred at the back lane of Country Valentine here.
Questioning if the council personnel was even licensed to hold a gun, Low said under the Animal Welfare Act 2015, no animals are allowed to be put down by shooting.
“From the recording, it clearly shows the council had contravened the Act,” he said.
Speaking at a news conference held at Perak MCA today, Low encouraged the people enraged over the incident to lodge a report with the police.
Ipoh Society for the Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals (ISPCA) president Ricky Soong, who was also present, said he contacted the council enforcement unit yesterday and was informed that they had to take the drastic step due to complaints of strays from the people staying in the area.
“The strays were said to have chased passing motorcycles and bitten goats,” he said.
Soong said on the day of the incident, the enforcement unit had tried to trap the dogs using net but it managed to escape.
“The unit resorted to shooting the dog after it failed to trap the dog,” he said.
The society, said Soong, hopes to meet the exco in charge of local councils Paul Yong soon to solve the problem of strays in the state.
Animal lover Kevin Ong, who stays near Country Valentine, admitted there were strays in the area.
“But its population had gradually decreased after the implementation of Trap Neuter Release and Manage method,” said the 31-year-old, adding that the strays are managed by volunteers.
He said the people should understand why dogs chased after people.
“It only chased pedestrians and motorists if it felt it was in danger,” he said.
Meanwhile, in a statement posted on its official Facebook page, the Ipoh City Council said it had followed its standard operating procedures before putting down the dog.
The council said it had received recurring complaints of strays in the area.
“The strays had attacked a goat and a senior army officer,” it said.
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