IPOH: Ipoh City Council is intensifying efforts to capture stray dogs in the Silibin 1 Business Center following the death of an elderly woman on Monday who was trying to avoid them.
Ipoh Mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin acknowledged the heavy presence of stray dogs in the industrial area, which has become a dumping ground for unwanted pets.
"For this case, we do not deny that there are a number of stray dogs in the area, and we are intensifying our efforts to capture them.
"The stray dogs there pose a significant danger to passers-by, especially motorcyclists. This morning, we caught two dogs.
"We will keep these dogs to see if their owners come forward. If no claim is made, we will send them to the Veterinary Department for further action," he added.
Rumaizi said this in a press conference after attending the 'Jasamu Dikenang' event at Hotel Casuarina@Meru today.
Earlier, it was reported that an elderly woman was killed when the motorcycle she was riding crashed after she swerved to avoid a stray dog crossing the road at the Silibin 1 Business Centre.
Rohani Nek, 69, was killed on the spot in the 7.15am incident on Monday. She succumbed to head injuries.
When asked about the operation to capture the stray dogs, Rumaizi said that it began on the day of the incident (Monday), but it was initially unsuccessful.
"We tried again this morning and managed to catch two stray dogs. We will conduct similar operations in the area," he said.
Regarding whether the dogs belong to residents in the area, Rumaizi said the council did not have information on this and needs to conduct an investigation.
"That is basically an assumption. We need to investigate. The dogs might belong to local residents, but based on the information we have, most of the stray dogs were dumped by their owners.
"These irresponsible owners could no longer care for their pets and decided to abandon them here. They should be more responsible," he added.
When asked about the challenges in capturing the stray dogs, Rumaizi said that there are conflicting views, with some people demanding strict action while others want to protect the dogs.
"There are some who want us to take stern enforcement action, while others want us to protect the dogs, citing various reasons.
"That is why some actions take time, as we need to balance these demands. We will assess the situation and act accordingly," he said.
With pics by Muhammad Zulsyamini Sufian Suri