Kenal pasti ‘hotspot’ anjing liar elak kanak-kanak jadi mangsa, kata Suhakam

The Suhakam Children's Advisor urges local authorities to identify 'hotspots' of frequently roaming stray dogs that often target children in order to prevent attacks against them. Such hotspots include schools, kindergartens, playgrounds, public housing projects, residential areas, walking and cycling routes leading to schools, bus stops and locations frequently receiving reports of stray or aggressive dogs.

They also urge the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, state governments and the Veterinary Services Department to establish clearer risk-based response standards, operational procedures, a clear action mechanism and to strengthen national data collection on dog attacks involving children. This comes after a two-year-old girl suffered severe head and face injuries after being allegedly attacked by five stray dogs near her home in Sungai Kelambu, Johor on September 5th.

The Children's Advisor noted that such incidents should not be dismissed as isolated cases, as there have been several reports of children being attacked or bitten by roaming stray dogs since 2023. They also referenced a young boy almost being run over by a car while being chased by a stray dog in Sitiawan in 2024. Children have a right to live, play, walk and go to school in a safe environment free from predictable and preventable risks, she emphasized, adding that young children are especially vulnerable due to their physical size and limited self-protection abilities.

The advisor stressed the importance of safety education for children, parents, school authorities and childcare center managers, including guidelines on avoiding aggressive animals and seeking prompt medical care after being bitten. However, she stressed that safety education cannot take the responsibility for managing known public safety risks away from authorities.

Small children should not have to avoid outdoor play, playgrounds or school just because of a known risk from roaming dogs. When a danger to children is known and preventable, we cannot wait for another tragedy before acting. Managing stray and aggressive dogs is not just a veterinary issue, when children are at predictable risk of harm, it is a child safety and welfare issue.

They said effective management of stray and aggressive dogs is not only a pet management issue, when children are at predictable risk of harm, it is a child safety and welfare issue. They said enforcement must be humane and must comply with the 2015 Animal Welfare Act as protecting children and animal welfare can and must be done together.