KUALA LUMPUR – The Cameron Highlands District Council (MDCH) campaign offering the public RM40 for every stray dog caught may be unlawful, said an NGO.
Lawyers for Animal Rights said that the council’s Facebook advertisement may contravene Section 29(1)(u) of the Animal Welfare Act 2015 prohibiting the catching of stray animals for economic gain.
“Such actions would no doubt see stray animals being subjected to cruelty as those looking out for the strays will think of the reward money instead of the animals’ welfare,” said the NGO in a statement.
MDCH posted the advertisement on Facebook on January 27.
The next day, Lawyers for Animal Rights sent a letter to MDCH demanding the withdrawal of the campaign, the release of captured strays to animal welfare societies for safekeeping, and an undertaking by the council to refrain from relaunching the campaign.
While the NGO did not receive any reply, MDCH later announced that the programme had been postponed.
“As MDCH had merely postponed the vicious campaign and refused to call it off, Lawyers for Animal Rights, which had been engaged by an animal lover, filed an application in the high court at Temerloh for leave to initiate a judicial review application against MDCH.
“The hearing for the leave to initiate the application is now fixed for August 11.” – The Vibes, August 10, 2021
