The Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) has made a New Year resolution that will have a profound effect on Shah Alam residents. Come Jan 1, the council will be enforcing new regulations which actively discourage animal lovers residing in Shah Alam from sharing their homes with their pet dogs.

The new regulations will effectively make it difficult, if not impossible, for the majority of Shah Alam households to get an annual dog licence. As residents of Shah Alam who are affected by the new regulations, we, the undersigned, are of the opinion that the conditions to be imposed are most unreasonable and unacceptable.

For a start, dog licences will be issued only to corner link and semi-detached houses and bungalows. Dogs will be banned from intermediate link houses. Just think how many of us can afford a corner or semi-detached house or bungalow?

MBSA also requires all dog licence applicants to have the written consent of neighbours who shall agree to bear all the risks of any problems caused by the dog. Why should the neighbours

be held responsible for something beyond their control? This is most illogical.

In addition, MBSA will also enforce other control measures such as banning certain breeds perceived to be a threat to public safety, including the Rottweiler and having a cage to house the dog which must now be leashed and muzzled when taken out of the owner's premises.

At the same time, MBSA will not allow dogs to be brought to public places. The city council seems to ignore the fact that it is quite common for owners to keep their pets indoors and therefore won't have any use for a cage. Even when kept outdoors, there are normally many areas in the house which will provide suitable shelters for them.

On the contrary, when in the hands of an irresponsible owner, a dog cage can lead to animal cruelty and abuse. Such an owner has a tendency to keep his dog in the cage for long periods, depriving it of exercise and sometimes even denying the animal access to fresh water. Also, it is likely that the cage will be dirty, smelly and unhygienic due to the owner's neglect.

The new regulations, we believe, are totally inconsistent with PM Pak Lah's efforts to create a harmonious and caring society that is respectful of each others needs, and this has seen positive response from most Malaysians. Indeed, MBSA should respect our basic human right to own

a pet be it a cat, rabbit or dog.

The new MBSA regulations appear to be based on the assumption that dogs are dangerous to the public and a nuisance. Just like in any group, there are always the rotten apples among them, but then what about the numerous documented cases of dogs enriching the lives of people, including the lonely, the old and the physically and mentally challenged?

Surely all of us can recall how rescue dogs searched for people trapped in rubble in the aftermath of the recent earthquake that devastated Pakistan. How quickly the victims were found and rescued determined whether they would live or die. Recent research discovered that dogs even have the ability to detect cancer and other medical conditions.

With the new regulations, it would appear that the majority of dog owners will become unwitting victims on account of the misdeeds of a few irresponsible owners. Indeed, MBSA should come down hard on these offenders instead of making things difficult for responsible owners which

indirectly penalise the innocent animals. Like they say, if a child has bad manners, it is the fault of his parents.

Indeed, as the city's administrators, MBSA has the responsibility to issue clear guidelines on the dos and don'ts aimed at educating the residents on how to be responsible dog owners. Stiff penalties and other punitive actions will then be justified when dog owners are still found to be indifferent.

In the spirit of giving associated with the Christmas season and New Year, it is ironic that MBSA has chosen such a "gift" to residents of Shah Alam. We sincerely urge MBSA to immediately postpone the enforcement until such time when a new set of regulations is formulated with due input from the Veterinary Services Department and the various animal interest groups, so that it will be fair and acceptable to the majority of Shah Alam residents.

The above letter came with 34 signatures attached.