CYBERJAYA – The deaths of numerous stray dogs in the district here have raised concerns of their suspected poisoning at the hands of catchers hired by local authorities.
A local animal rescue group has alleged that dog catchers acting for the Sepang Municipal Council (MPS) have been responsible for a string of animal disappearances and deaths, a claim the council has adamantly denied.
The member of the group, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said dozens of dogs have gone missing in Cyberjaya since July.
She also claimed the dog catchers have been using raw chicken laced with poison to lure and incapacitate stray dogs in the area.
Witnesses, she said, have also reported a pattern of seeing MPS trucks being present during these incidences.
The founder pointed to an incident on July 23, where a stray dog was found having seizures near “suspicious packets of (raw) chicken”, several hours after a witness spoke with the operators of a truck supposedly belonging to MPS.
The witness brought the dog to Gasing Veterinary Hospital in Petaling Jaya for treatment, but it was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The remains of the dog and chicken meat have been sent to the Veterinary Services Department (VSD) to be tested for poisoning, but the lab results are still pending.
The founder said a similar incident occurred on September 15, with an MPS truck spotted making rounds in residential areas at around midnight.
Dozens of strays in surrounding areas such as Raudhah City, Persiaran Sepang, and Tamarind Square, were noticeably missing the morning after.
She said residents also complained of a “strong, decomposing carcass smell” filling the air in these areas a few days later.
The group filed a report on the matter with the VSD following the spate of disappearances, but the department had pushed the case aside due to a lack of concrete evidence.
The founder also claimed that an MPS official, who manages the council’s animal control operation, has denied the allegations of unethical practices, based on an audio recording sent to her and also heard by The Vibes.
She alleged MPS told her that the council’s standard operating procedure on the matter entails sending captured stray dogs to shelters before they are sent to other places.
“We do not hire third parties (to control the strays)… and we do not poison these dogs or put them to sleep,” he added in the recording.
The Vibes has attempted to contact MPS on the matter but has yet to receive a response at press time.
Killing or poisoning animals is punishable under the Animal Welfare Act 2015, and those convicted face a fine of between RM20,000 and RM100,000, and imprisonment of no more than three years. – The Vibes, October 15, 2022
