Inhumane cruelty to stray dogs

NST - Alarm in Shah Alam as dogs are being poisoned to death, deliberately maimed (extracts):

KUALA LUMPUR: The serene residential area of Elmina Garden in U16, Shah Alam has been jolted by the discovery of 11 dead stray dogs over the past week in and around the neighbourhood’s picturesque central garden.

According to World of Buzz, seven plastic bowls which had been filled with animal food, thought to have been laced with poison, were found in the vicinity of the dogs’ remains.

The canine carcasses appeared uninjured – and further inspection found the remains of other animals, including birds, which are suspected to have partaken in the food which had been laid out around the park.

[...]

But that’s not the end of the horror.

Doda has discovered at least four dogs in Denai Alam, U16 whose limbs had been deliberately lopped off.

Kevin said they are treating one dog whose right foreleg was only recently maimed, and was in a bad state.

He said all the maimed dogs are limping pitifully and show an acute fear towards humans.

According to World of Buzz, Doda said that several new townships in Shah Alam are facing a moderate stray dog problem – but stressed that killing and maiming the animals, vigilante-style, is not only immoral but illegal.

Kevin added that Doda is working with the Denai Alam Residents’ Association, the Shah Alam City Council, the SPCA and PAWs to capture the dogs humanely and re-home them, if possible.

It infuriates me that someone has been cruelly lopping off the limbs of dogs. That act was unnaturally vicious, savage and barbaric. In fact, it's the very epitome of evil.

Yes, I do understand some have viewed the stray-dogs problem as annoying and even unbearable as it's true that stray dogs can be dangerous to children and senior citizens. But striking out at those animals in such sadistic and inhumane way would be way over the top and smacked of unbelievable brutality.

The suffering of those stray canines would have been horrendously unthinkable and quite heart breaking.

I admit I am a dog lover but I am also predisposed towards humane euthanasia of most of them, except those which can find a home.

Leaving strays to roam around residential areas is not a good civil act, as the animals may become ferocious and threaten human beings, especially children and senior citizens. Dogs are pack animals and there is nothing more frightening than to be accosted by a pack of hostile feral stray dogs.

Already in Sarawak, several of its divisions have encountered the health hazard of rabies which is mainly spread by dogs (bites) though other animals (cats, musang, bats, bears, etc) may also be involved.

Dog lovers, especially those in Penang, have been unreasonable, not allowing strays to be culled nor finding a safe and confined shelter for the animals. Worse they feed strays thus keeping those unwanted animals close to residential areas.

They have also proposed neutering those strays (which by itself is a good proposal but should not be confined to only strays but also their kept dogs) but then re-releasing them back into society - what a stupid suggestion. We don't want such strays, neutered or not, roaming around to threaten people.

In Penang, some strays on beaches have bitten tourists with virtual impunity - it appears that the authorities dare not cull or round them off for fear of political repercussions.

Dog lovers who refuse to cull strays should show an example by adopting those strays and keeping them safely confined within their residential compounds. Otherwise any strays should be rounded up and kept in a shelter for a short while to allow for their adoption by keen dog lovers. Those not adopted after, say two weeks, should be humanely euthanized and sent to doggie heaven.