The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) has been following the recent allegations against Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) on their methods for culling unwanted dogs and cats, by drowning cats in water and strangling dogs to death.

WSPA believes that the strangling or drowning of dogs and cats is unacceptable, since these cruel killing methods cause intense and unnecessary suffering to the animals.

WSPA condones only humane methods of euthanasia, such as those outlined in our reference guidelines that have already been distributed to DBKL.

In an earlier statement to the media, the mayor of Kuala Lumpur, Ahmad Fuad Ismail, has said, ‘The right procedure was to euthanise stray cats and dogs intravenously as opposed to wringing or breaking their necks’.

WSPA is heartened by the clear direction provided by the mayor, especially since it is in keeping with WSPA’s guidelines on humane methods of euthanasia of dogs and cats.

In a conscious animal, the most humane method is to handle the animal carefully, and give it an intravenous injection of a barbiturate such as pentobarbitone, in sufficient dosages to assure a rapid, calm and painless death.

It must be noted that the intracardiac route (injecting directly into the heart) is painful for conscious animals and only suitable for animals that are already fully anaesthetized.

Furthermore, it is vital that staff handling these cases verify that the animals are indeed dead before disposing of the carcasses.

The writer is Veterinary Programmes Officer of WSPA Asia.