Over 100 rally in Putrajaya, urging halt to stray animal culling

Summary

• Over 100 protesters, led by the Global Human Rights Federation, rallied in Putrajaya to demand an end to stray dog culling and called for reforms to animal welfare policies.

• Memoranda submitted to two ministries called for humane population control, lower adoption fees, free neutering services, and amendments to the Animal Welfare Act.

Over 100 protesters descended on Putrajaya today to urge the government to stop the culling of stray dogs and institute reforms.

The protesters, led by the Global Human Rights Federation (GHRF), gathered outside the headquarters of the Agriculture and Food as well as Housing and Local Government ministries in the afternoon to hand over memorandums listing their demands.

GHRF president S Shashi Kumar told Malaysiakini that about 120 people participated in the protest.

The memorandum to the Housing and Local Government Ministry criticised local governments for failing to handle stray animals humanely and imposing high animal adoption fees ranging from RM300 to RM2,000.

“Such charges are extremely burdensome, especially for NGO and individuals who sincerely want to rescue and raise these animals.

“More worryingly, it creates the perception that animals’ lives are being traded for profit, not protected with compassion.

“We urge these policies to be reviewed immediately, and that local governments implement a more transparent, reasonable adoption process in line with the original goal of encouraging the rescue and rehoming of stray animals in need,” the memo stated.

The memorandum to the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry criticised the Veterinary Services Department for allegedly failing to protect animal welfare, including by failing to monitor the actions by local governments and by not instituting an effective policy to control stray animal populations humanely.

Apart from calling for a stop to the culling, they urged a reform of the Animal Welfare Act 2015 and for comprehensive training to local governments.

They also asked the government to provide free neutering services to support NGOs’ contribution to animal control efforts, and to set aside an annual allocation for managing stray animals.

Both memoranda also contain proposals to amend the Animal Welfare Act, including establishing an Independent Animal Welfare Board, humane treatment standards, and a shift towards non-lethal methods to manage stray animals.

The memoranda were endorsed by a list of 40 NGOs, most of which are animal welfare groups and animal shelters throughout the country.

Last week, over 300 animal welfare campaigners gathered outside the Negeri Sembilan government’s administrative building for a similar protest, after the state’s assemblypersons unanimously voted to cull stray dogs in Malay-majority areas.

Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun has defended the plan and assured that the culling with be done according to standard operating procedures and legal guidelines.

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