An environmental NGO has criticised Universiti Putra Malaysia’s (UPM) move to establish an “internal investigation committee” to probe allegations that its employees had engaged a private contractor to kill stray dogs in the education institute’s vicinity.

Labelling the initiative as “illogical”, the Organisation for the Preservation of National Heritage Malaysia (Peka) pointed out that “crimes cannot be investigated internally by the offender itself”.

“As the offence is criminal in nature, it is incumbent upon UPM to immediately lodge a police report against the officers and contractors involved in the killings, and to fully cooperate with enforcement authorities,” Peka president Rajesh Nagarajan said in a statement today.

Accusing the university of attempting to downplay criminal offences, Rajesh (above) stressed that as a leading academic institution, UPM should uphold the law, not breach it.

As such, he also called for the suspension of implicated UPM staffers pending independent investigations while urging the university to fully cooperate with the Veterinary Services Department and the police to ensure criminal prosecution.

He cautioned that UPM risks being complicit in covering up serious crimes against animals if it fails to enact such measures.

Yesterday, UPM expressed regret over Peka’s allegation that the university had participated in unlawful dog killings by paying a pest control company to kill the animals.

“UPM also takes seriously every feedback and allegation directed at the university regarding the handling of stray animals,” the university said in a statement in which it also announced the launching of an investigation into the matter.

‘Regret’ does not absolve liability

Commenting on UPM’s statement, Rajesh slammed the university for claiming to take note of public concern while supposedly failing to admit its own responsibility in authorising or permitting the shooting and poisoning of dogs within its campus.

“Such omission misleads the public into believing this was an unfortunate occurrence, rather than a direct breach of law,” he said, asserting that UPM’s “regret” does not absolve it of liability.

Peka had earlier alleged that UPM had engaged a Sentul-based service company to “kill” dogs at a rate of RM400 per animal.

The company is named in a purported November 2024 invoice sent to UPM for the “catching and disposal of stray dogs”, with the document not detailing the manner in which the dogs were disposed of.

However, the invoice featured several stamps seemingly from UPM authorities.

Rajesh had stressed that the said killings constitute a clear violation of Section 29 of the Animal Welfare Act 2015, which prohibits causing unnecessary pain, suffering, or death to animals.

He added that the killings go against Section 30(1) of the legislation, which bars the killing of dogs, cats, or other designated animals by shooting with firearms, except when authorised by the veterinary authority for emergency situations or disease control.

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Peka accuses UPM of contracting firm to kill stray dogs

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