No more cruelty to animals, Penang vows
The Penang government has vowed to be firm on its "No cruelty to animals" policy by building a facility for strays along River Road on the island
It has also embarked on a trap, neuter and return programme to control the stray animal population in Penang...
The Penang government has vowed to be firm on its "No cruelty to animals" policy by building a facility for strays along River Road on the island
It has also embarked on a trap, neuter and return programme to control the stray animal population in Penang.
When contacted, Penang executive councillor Jagdeep Singh Deo said the state's original plan was to build a facility in Relau, which would cost about RM3 million.
However, the current premises on River Road, which was upgraded to cater for the strays, costs only about RM170, 000, he added.
Jagdeep also confirmed that there are 10 staff who are tasked with catching the strays and bringing them to the facility to be neutered.
Yesterday, Jagdeep said the state was working in collaboration with Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and NGO International Aid for the Protection and Welfare of Animals (IAPWA) Penang to control and reduce the numbers of stray and abandoned dogs on the island.
Currently, there are 10,000 to 15,000 strays and abandoned animals on the island, while in mainland, there are about 20,000, he said.
"We launched a new facility for the neutering programme for such stray and abandoned dogs, as opposed to putting them down," Jagdeep (photo) said when he visited the facility yesterday.
"This facility is able to house some 60 such dogs at any point in time and after the neutering programme, these animals will be released to their original environment and will also be available for adoption," he added.
Jagdeep congratulated MBPP mayor Yew Tung Seang and his team for their great effort in realising the facility.
Other elected representatives who visited the facility were Jelutong MP RSN Rayer and assemblyperson Lim Siew Khim (DAP-Sungai Pinang).
Penang's policy is a great departure from Perak's where, on May 22, a video showing a city council worker shooting and killing a stray dog at Pengkalan Gate went viral.
The incident courted protest from the public and several animal welfare groups.
In 2015, Penang faced a rabbies scare, and the state government under then chief minister Lim Guan Eng, culled 1,711 animals, compared with 1,693 in Kedah and 299 in Perlis.
The move raised an outcry from animal lovers, who condemned the state government as being "cruel".
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