Whose authority led to shooting of 'Kopi', animal rights group asks

An animal rights NGO questioned whose authority led to stray dog Kopi being gunned down by the Besut District Council (MDB) in Terengganu.

Selangor Furry Future Association president S Shashi Kumar cited Section 30(1) of the Animal Welfare Act 2015, which says shooting an animal with firearms must be either prescribed by the overseeing minister or authorised by the veterinary authority, but only in emergencies or for disease control.

This provides a clear legal framework for the conditions under which any animal may be killed, he pointed out.

“The genocide of dogs in Malaysia has been escalating at an alarming rate, with recent reports and widespread coverage on social media shedding light on the horrific and brutal methods being used.

“The cruelty is becoming more rampant and more visible with each passing day of widespread animal abuse, the violent culling of stray dogs, and the inhumane methods,” he said in a statement.

According to procedure

Last month, a spat between a Pakatan Harapan MP and a Perikatan Nasional MP broke out over Kopi’s shooting.

Kampar MP Chong Zhemin referred to the Animal Welfare Act, saying animals cannot be culled in such a manner.

However, PN’s Besut MP Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh defended the shooting, saying it was justified and done according to procedures.

The 800 stray dogs in Besut had led to 130 complaints filed and posed various threats, from diseases to causing injuries, apart from the issue of excrement in the surrounding areas, he added.

Addressing systemic issue

In Shashi’s statement, he said that over 15 NGOs will be submitting a memorandum to Parliament over the matter on Tuesday (Nov 12) at 11am.

“We are turning to Parliament because it is the highest legislative body in the country and the only institution with the power to address this systemic issue once and for all.

“The time has come for the government to stop enabling these atrocities and instead take bold and decisive action.

“We are demanding that Parliament immediately examine and overhaul the Animal Welfare Act to ensure that no animal especially stray dogs suffer such inhumanity again,” he said.

The memorandum will also be submitted to the Housing and Local Government Ministry, which directly oversees local councils, and the Law and Institutional Reforms Department under the Prime Minister’s Department, he added.

On Oct 13, the New Straits Times reported the Terengganu Veterinary Services Department (DVS) as receiving multiple public inquiries about a viral video alleging that a local council representative had shot Kopi.

The department said the case was being investigated under the Animal Welfare Act.

Previously, the social media account My Forever Doggo, in a post on Instagram, claimed that residents saw a local council representative allegedly shooting Kopi during an operation on Oct 6.

The killing of Kopi sparked outrage after videos depicting the stray dog playing with kittens surfaced online.

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