KUALA LUMPUR: Tengku Permaisuri Selangor Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin has voiced her disagreement with the Shah Alam City Council's (MBSA) planned task force exercise to capture and eliminate 500 stray dogs in the township.
She wants all local authorities to look into newer, more holistic approaches towards handling strays, and called for a review of the Local Government Development Ministry's standard operating procedures on managing stray animals.
"I was dismayed and disappointed upon learning of the stray-catching operation, especially in Selangor.
"I had repeatedly stressed that I disagree with the 'catch-and-kill' approach by any local authorities, including the one by the MBSA which recently went viral.
"I believe there are many more methods which can be used to curb the problem, including by neutering.
"As the patron for Stray Free Selangor campaign under the Selangor SPCA, I want all local councils to study new, more holistic approaches to manage stray dogs," she said in a statement.
Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin said she had previously suggested that efforts to protect the welfare and reduce the number of stray animals be intensified, via the Create Caring and Compassionate Communities (CCC) campaign.
The campaign had, among others, underscored several key initiatives involving cooperation between local councils and the SPCA in conducting Responsible Pet Ownerships (RPO) campaigns with residents.
This, she said, involved, seeking advice from the SPCA and non-governmental organisations if there is a need to euthanise the neglected animals based on medical reasons or otherwise.
Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin also suggested that apart from expanding neutering programmes, local councils can also create shelters for stray animals in each neighbourhood, with the cooperation of animal-loving residents.
"Local councils should also make it mandatory for housing developers to construct or prepare such shelters," she said.
She said at present, Selangor SPCA together with Universiti Putra Malaysia's Veterinary Medicine Faculty, Malaysian Veterinary Medical Association (Mavma) and Malaysian Small Animal Veterinary Association (Msava) are actively conducting the 'Potong Royong' neutering programme for cats and dogs.
She said since it began on March 2023, a total of 1,626 animals have been neutered under the programme to control the stray population.
"I believe it is also time for the authorities to review the Local Government Development Ministry's circular (Bilangan 5 Tahun 2014) on the Standard Operating Procedures Governing the Capture and Elimination of Stray Dogs under Local Councils so that it is more relevant with the current situation.
"I truly hope that efforts to manage these strays will continue and not be a case of 'sekadar melepas batuk di tangga' (doing a half-baked job)."