Calls for justice grow for Kopi - the stray that won many hearts

A COALITION of animal rights groups will file a civil suit against the Besut district council in Terengganu for shooting dead a stray dog known as Kopi early this month.

Animal rights lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan said the group was seeking for the officers involved to be charged and will file a suit with the Terengganu High Court next week.

“We want all officers involved to be charged under the Animal Welfare Act 2015. We demand that the police take action against them. Stop murdering our stray dogs, he said.

Earlier, some 100 people gathered in solidarity with Kopi at the Sentul police station in Kuala Lumpur where a report was filed on the killing.

Sashi Kumar Shanmugam, a representative of the Global Human Rights Federation, who filed the report, condemned the act as both inhumane and a violation of the law.

Sashi also urged the police to investigate those responsible for the shooting, stating that the use of firearms against animals is heavily restricted and should only be permitted when human safety is at risk.

Kopi was not a stray

The Stray Animal Feeders of Malaysia (SAFM) meanwhile said Kopi was not a stray but was cared for by a regular feeder, raising new concerns over the council’s actions.

The group emphasised that under the Animal Welfare Act 2015, anyone who provides regular care and sustenance to an animal is legally considered its owner.

“We would like to emphasise that Kopi was not a stray dog. Kopi had a feeder, an individual who consistently provided him with food every day.

“According to the Animal Welfare Act 2015, any individual who feeds an animal is considered the owner of that animal,” the group said in a statement today.

SAFM and other NGOs are now calling for transparency and a full investigation into the handling of stray animals. Nearly 20,000 people have signed a petition seeking justice for Kopi, and over 65 complaints have been submitted to the Veterinary Services Department.

Kopi first went viral in March after she was caught playing with a stray kitten in a five-foot way by TikTok user AbbyRaz, which was viewed over 185,000 times.

Animal-lover social media account, My Forever Doggo (MFD), said that according to the witness, Kopi was known to be the ‘big sister’ for all the cats and puppies in the area.

An online petition demanding accountability from the council has also been launched. - October 14, 2024