KUALA LUMPUR – In an effort to seek justice, 12 animal rights groups filed a civil suit yesterday against the Kulim Municipal Council (MPKK) for allegedly brutally killing a stray dog.
In an online press conference today, lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan who represents the groups said the suit was filed at the Sg Petani High Court, and named MPKK and the Kedah government as defendants.
“The purpose of this suit is to get justice over the killing of a stray dog in Kulim, where in the video it can be seen that the dog was pinned down with pitchforks by officers wearing MPKK vests.”
He said there are existing standard operating procedures (SOPs) in place for the killing of stray animals, which the local council has breached.
“Section 31 of the Animal Welfare Act 2015 says the only person who can administer a lethal injection is a veterinarian.
“We are seeking a declaration that the intentional killing of the stray dog by the council was a breach of the laws.
“Even though a declaration by itself does not punish the wrongdoer, it will prevent such killings in the future.”
Meanwhile, Malaysian Animal Welfare Association founder Mukunnan Sugumaran said at the press conference that local councils need to make an effort to ensure stray animals are treated with care.
“We want to ensure that no more barbaric actions are carried out in the future in the name of population control.
“Councils should seek help and work with NGOs within their districts to find a humane solution.”
Last month, The Vibes reported that 12 animal rights groups nationwide banded together against a local council for failure to observe the SOPs in killing a stray animal. – The Vibes, August 1, 2021
