Malaysian Dog Pound Cruelty in the news

Star :

Dogs in misery

THE Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) is facing the heat over its dog pound.
News of the terrible condition of the pound and the dogs housed there has spread and many animal lovers are aghast. The pound is definitely not fit to house the animals. Fenced up: The Selayang dog pound. Caretakers have been neglecting their duties and have left the animals to suffer.

Since Monday, volunteers from various non-governmental organisations have visited the pound to do what they can for the dogs. They brought items like food, bowls and brooms.

A spokesman from canine welfare project Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better (MDDB) said some of the dogs had already starved to death. “They don’t feed the dogs properly or the right food. At some cells, plain rice is simply thrown in. “The drinking water is kept in big old pails but the puppies are too small to reach the top and drink,” she added.

The spokesman also added that MPS staff had even gone to the extent of catching a dog in the toilet of a shop owned by the storekeeper. "The staff said that according to the local authority’s by-laws, they can either compound the owner or seize the dog. They chose to seize the dog on the spot. “When asked the reason for taking the dog away, the staff said that it ws because the owner could not afford to pay the fine of RM1,000.”

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Selangor honorary chairman Christine Chin said the council had refused help extended by them. “The council has a heartless and arrogant attitude. We want to provide food and disinfectant for the dogs in their pound but we have been rejected many times. We are not even allowed to see the pound.”
“The pound should be deloused and the cages disinfected daily. No dog should die of tick fever while in the pound and if they do die, it shows how ignorant the staff at the pound are in taking care of the animals.” MDDB and the SPCA urged the authorities to adopt the stray catching methods from Singapore and Indonesia where the animals are vaccinated and spayed.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NST :

Cruel treatment unacceptable

SELAYANG: The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals (SPCA Selangor) is claiming that about a dozen dogs died last week because of gross mismanagement at the Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) dog pound in Rawang. The shocking revelation was published on the society's website and emailed to the media.

SPCA Selangor's public relations manager, Jacinta Johnson, said an animal rescuer had visited the pound in Taman Rawang Integrated on Feb 21, and reported that the dogs appeared not to have been given water. "She brought back five emaciated puppies, one of which was dying. The SPCA veterinarians had to euthanise the puppies because of their severe condition. The bodies were sent for a post-mortem at the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) the next day," she said.

Johnson said the SPCA then contacted the MPS director of health and licensing, Dr Razif Zainol Abidin, on Feb 22 with offers of dog food and help to improve conditions at the pound. "However, Dr Razif declined the offers, saying that the MPS had food and did not need help with the pound." She said SPCA inspectors and veterinarian also visited the pound but were denied entry.

"The caretaker refused to let them in as he did not want to get into any trouble with the management. After some coaxing, he allowed them in for a brief look around but warned them not to take any photos. SPCA Selangor veterinarian Dr Karen Koh, who was one of the visitors, said they observed that the floor had been washed but there was no evidence that the kennels were regularly disinfected to prevent the spread of diseases such as distemper, parvovirus, and tick-fever.

They also saw four dogs in one kennel which looked ill and emaciated. SPCA Selangor animal inspector Cunera Kimlon said since medical care for the dogs was beyond the means of the council, it should euthanise the severely injured and sick dogs instead of leaving them to suffer for days. Johnson said there were approximately 20 dogs and puppies in the kennels and only half appeared to be in reasonable health. She said the kennels and dogs were infested with ticks

"Volunteers from animal rescue groups Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better and AnimalCare had brought containers for food and water as well as bags of dog food earlier, and fed and watered the dogs." Johnson said the SPCA team made a second visit last Wednesday morning and inspected the kennels and took photographs. The sickly dogs spotted two days ago were no longer around. They found all the puppies placed together in one kennel, while the adults were housed two or three to a kennel. Food and water placed by animal rescuers were still there. Two dogs were found dead -- a brown mix-breed dog and a black Spitz-mix in a red collar.

SPCA Selangor chairman Christine Chin claimed that the society was invited for a meeting with MPS to discuss ways to improve the pound's conditions but the invitation was revoked after their visits to the pound. Chin said SPCA Selangor was pressing for the closure of pounds that do not have proper and humane management, and condemned the ones that reject aid from animal welfare groups.

"This withholding of food, water, and medical attention causing unnecessary pain, suffering and death is tantamount to cruelty to animals. MPS officials managing the pound must be charged for cruelty to animals under Section 43 of The Animal Act 1953 (revised 2006).
"The Department of Veterinary Services must take strong action against the perpetrators as the offence is widespread.

"We are shocked at the conditions at the Selayang pound, and we are sending out a strong message that SPCA Selangor and Malaysians find the inhumane treatment of those dogs completely unacceptable," said Chin. This is not the first time MPS has come under fire. In 2007, the council was criticised for organising a dog-catching competition, which was later cancelled. Over the years, SPCA Selangor had also lobbied the department on its dog-catching activities and management of council pounds.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MALAY MAIL

Animal rights abused at council's dog shelter, says NGO


PETALING JAYA: If hell exists on earth, then it must be the Selayang dog pound. A non-governmental organisation called Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better (MDDB) has slammed the mistreatment of canines at the pound run by the Selayang Municipal Council. An MDDB spokesperson alleged that the dogs were not taken care of properly and some had even starved to death.

"They don't feed the dogs with proper food. In one or two of the cells, they are given only chunks of white rice thrown into the cage," she said. "They also provide water in big old pails and puppies can't reachthe top to drink." The horror is not limited to the pound as it is alleged that the staff goes around catching strays, going as far as entering the toilet of a coffee shop to seize a dog owned by the shopkeeper. "That staff said that under the local authority by-laws, they can either compound the owner or seize the dog. They chose to seize the dog on-the-spot instead," said the spokesperson.

She said the reason the staff gave for taking away the dog was because the owner could not afford the compound fee of RM1,000. "Instead of compounding owners, they seize their pets and throw them into the pound," she said, adding that some of the dog have died of tick fever as the pound is infested with the parasite. Meanwhile, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Selangor is upset with the council for repeatedly rejecting their offer to care and provide for the animals at the pound.

MDDB is calling on the Federal government to adopt Indonesia's and Singapore's methods in handling stray dogs. "Although Malaysia is getting closer to being a developed country, our management of strays is actually taking a step backwards," said SPCA honorary chairperson Cristine Chin. "In Indonesia, stray dogs are sterilised and then put back on the streets. This is working well so we should adopt the same techniques too."


SPCA slams Selayang council

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Selangor honorary chairperson Christine Chin has lambasted the Selayang Municipal Council for rejecting the association's help to care and provide for the animals in the council's dog pound.
"The council has a heartless and arrogant attitude. We want to providefood and disinfectant for the dogs in their pound but time and time again, we have been rejected. We are not even allowed to see the pound," she said, adding that they have been repeatedly rebuffed over the years. "Their pound should follow simple procedures like de-lousing the cages and disinfecting the dogs from ticks daily. No dog should have to die of tick fever while in the pound and if they do die, it shows how ignorant the pound is in taking care of the animals." She said SPCA will continue to offer help to improve the dogs' welfare. "Our officers can educate the pound workers on how to disinfect the dogs."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

M'sia Today

Two dogs lie dead in the MPS Pound on Wednesday morning

25 FEBRUARY 2010, SELAYANG – Visits by the Society For The Prevention of Cruelty To Animals (SPCA Selangor) and animal rescuers to the Majlis Perbandaran Selayang (MPS) dog pound in Rawang in the last few days have revealed that the pound is grossly mismanaged, and that almost a dozen dogs have died in the pound since Sunday. On Sunday, an animal rescuer visited the pound and reported that it appeared the dogs were not being fed or watered. She brought back 5 emaciated puppies, one of which was dying already. The SPCA vets had to euthanise the puppies due to their severe condition, and sent them for a post-mortem at the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) on Monday morning.

SPCA’s help declined

SPCA contacted MPS Director of Health and Licensing Dr. Razif Zainol Abidin on Monday morning, offering a supply of dog food and assistance with improving conditions at the pound. However, Dr Razif declined the offers, saying that the MPS had food and did not need help with the pound.

Later on Monday, the SPCA Selangor Inspectors and vet went to the pound, but were denied access to the pound. The caretaker refused to let them in, as he did not want to get into any trouble with the management. However, after some coaxing he allowed them to go in briefly to look around – but warned them not to take any photos. There were approximately 20 dogs and puppies in the kennels, only half of which appeared to be in reasonable health. The kennels and dogs were heavily infested with ticks. Volunteers from animal rescue groups Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better and AnimalCare had brought food and water containers, and bags of dog food earlier and had fed and watered the dogs.

“Though the floor had been washed down, there was no evidence that the kennels were disinfected regularly to prevent the spread of prevailing diseases in the pound like distemper, parvovirus, and tick-fever,” says SPCA Selangor Veterinarian Dr Karen Koh. There were four dogs in one kennel that looked very ill and emaciated. “Since providing medical care for the dogs is beyond the means of the council, they must ensure that dogs that are severely injured or ill are euthanized by a vet promptly, and not left suffering in these enclosures for days,” says SPCA Selangor Animal Inspector Cunera Kimlon.

A second visit was made early Wednesday morning. The gate to the pound was open, and the SPCA team began inspecting the kennels again and taking photographs. The sickly dogs that were seen two days earlier were no longer around. All the puppies had been placed together in one kennel, while the neighbouring kennels housed 2-3 adult dogs each. Food and water placed by animal rescuers was still there. Two dogs were found dead, a brown mix-breed dog and a black Spitz-mix wearing a red collar.

“We were invited to a meeting with Majlis Perbandaran Selayang, to discuss how to immediately improve this miserable situation the pound dogs are facing, but this invitation was immediately revoked upon them learning of our pound visit on Wednesday morning,” says SPCA Selangor Chairman Christine Chin. “However, we are still keen on teaching them how to manage their pound better in the short-term and long-term – if they are willing to accept our help. Municipals should be encouraging animal loving constituents to help at the pound, not chasing them out,” she continues.

Council in the spotlight again
In 2007, MPS incurred the wrath of dog-lovers all over the world when they decided to initiate a financially rewarding dog-catching competition inviting the public to participate in what looked like ‘fun-filled festivity’ to reduce the stray population. The competition was quickly scrapped after protests from animal welfare NGOs and the public. Animal welfare NGOs have always highlighted that reducing the stray population requires a long-term strategy - low-cost spay/neuter programs, public awareness campaigns, proper licensing and effective legislation discouraging abandonment of pets or allowing them to stray in their neighbourhood.

SPCA pressures for prosecution
SPCA Selangor has over the years lobbied the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) to regulate and monitor dog-catching activities and the management of council pounds. Last year, the DVS issued the ‘Guidelines for Humane Stray Management for Local Councils’ to all Malaysian municipal councils, but few improvements have been made by the councils – with even basic needs such as food, water and a clean environment often not provided for the dogs.

“SPCA Selangor is pressing for a closure of all pounds that are not managed humanely, and strongly condemns those that reject help from animal welfare groups. This withholding of food, water, and medical attention causing unnecessary pain, suffering and death to the impounded dogs is tantamount to cruelty to animals. MPS officials in charge of the pound management must be charged for cruelty to animals under Section 43 of The Animal Act 1953(revised 2006). The DVS must take strong action against these perpetrators as this offense is so widespread – municipal councils feel the law will never catch them as they have been getting away with it for years,” Chin urges.