Just days after a man in Kuala Lumpur was found guilty of leading his pet cats to their death by starving them, now there is a suspected dog killer on the loose in Penang after 29 strays were found dead in the Island Glades area over the past month.
Animal lover, Yim told The Star that four of the dogs were discovered deceased on Sunday, and another one was found on Tuesday, with plastic bags of poisoned food found near their carcasses.
Yim said not only dogs were affected as birds had also died after eating the poisoned food.
Yim said that several dog feeders had lodged reports with the police and state veterinary services department and hoped for an investigation into the dog killer.
“The killing started in March when a house owner found his pet dog dead in the compound, but he did not think much of it until he heard from his neighbours, who feed strays, about the numerous dead dogs in the area,” he added.
Yim said not only dogs were affected. Birds also died after eating the poisoned food.
He also emphasized that the Animal Welfare Act of 2015 has specific provisions for animal cruelty, killing, and administration of poisons.
“Any person found guilty (of an offence under the Act) can be fined not less than RM20,000 (S$6,000), with the maximum fine being RM100,000, or face a maximum three years’ jail, or both,” he said.
Yim expressed his confusion as to why anyone would commit such a cruel act, as the dogs had not caused harm to anyone.
“The dead dogs have been neutered or spayed under the Penang Island City Council’s ‘Trap, Neuter and Release’ programme, where all captured dogs are neutered and vaccinated against rabies before being released.”
Yim added that dogs are not only companions to humans but are also essential in search and rescue operations.
Less than two months after their high-profile search and rescue mission during the landslide at Batang Kali near Genting Highlands that resulted in the death of 31 campers, Denti and Frankie, Malaysian tracker dogs, were sent on their inaugural mission abroad in February.
They were flown to Istanbul on an 11-hour flight before being deployed to southern Turkey for 12-hour shifts to locate earthquake casualties and survivors.
During their mission, they successfully rescued five members of a family who had been trapped under the rubble of their residential building for six days.
On March 31, an 18-year-old, who was seen hitting dogs and even setting one on fire in viral videos in Johor, came forward to make a public apology.
In a 45-second video posted under Facebook username Braden Yap, the youth admitted what he had done was wrong and hoped that the public could give him a second chance.
“I understand no matter how I explain, I should not have done that. I admit that it was my mistake and regret it.
“I am very sorry and promise not to make a similar mistake in the future. I hope that everyone could give me another chance.
“I will also pay for the medical expenses (of the injured dogs),” he said in the video.
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