Map stray dog ‘hotspots’ before more children are hurt, says Suhakam

Malaysian children's commissioners urge local authorities to identify and address "child-sensitive roaming-dog hotspots" to prevent attacks on youngsters, after a two-year-old girl was gravely injured by five stray dogs near her grandmother's home in Sungai Kelambu, Johor on September 5. The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) proposed mapping hotspots around schools, kindergartens, playgrounds, public private housing (PPR) and flat complexes, school routes, and areas with frequent complaints about roaming or aggressive dogs.

They urged the housing and local government ministry, state governments, local authorities, and the veterinary services department to implement risk-based measures, prioritizing complaints involving packs of aggressive dogs near homes and schools, and establishing standard procedures for escalation and follow-up. The commissioners emphasized that children have the right to a reasonably safe environment for play, walking, and travel to school, and stressed the importance of safety education for children, parents, schools, and childcare providers.

However, they stressed that safety education should not shift responsibility for managing the public safety risk from authorities to children.