Dog's death during canine-catching operation renews scrutiny of how Malaysia manages strays
Activists say that the ultimate goal should be preventing strays from ever being born or abandoned on the streets.
A police investigation into the death of a dog during a municipal dog-catching operation in Selangor, Malaysia, has reignited debate over the country's approach to stray animal management. S Roghini Devi and Muhammad Shah Idham were each charged with animal cruelty in the death of Rocky, a dog owned by Devi. The incident occurred in July 2023 when a 12-dog catch prompted public outrage after a video was released showing the dog being shot dead by Besut District Council.
In 2023, Kuala Langat faced similar backlash following images of 100 emaciated dogs found at its pound. Animal welfare advocates argue that the root cause of stray dog issues is the continuous influx of new dogs onto the streets, and that a multi-year national programme focused on spaying/neutering, vaccination, and proper community management is needed to address the problem at its source.
Written by urgent.news from Channel News Asia's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
