barbarians in malaysia culling angels in the street?

Strays allegedly caught and shot in full view of children

By ZALINAH NOORDIN
zalinah@thestar.com.my
Photos by ZAINUDDIN AHAD and GOH GAIK LEE

RESIDENTS who witnessed an alleged open-shooting of stray dogs by the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) have expressed shock and disgust over the inhumane act.

Inhuman method: File photos of stray dogs being chased, trapped and shot during a local council operation to reduce the stray population in housing areas

The shooting was said to have been carried out in residential areas and in the midst of children who were walking to a nearby kindergarten.

The residents are now urging the council and the Penang government to review the method used to dispose off the strays because open-shooting could pose a danger to the public.

Inhuman method: File photos of stray dogs being chased, trapped and shot during a local council operation to reduce the stray population in housing areas

A witness to the incident who wants to be known only as Rowe, said that of late, there were many strays roaming at Sunway Mutiara in Batu Maung but the animals did not cause any harm to anyone.

She said that she saw a few council workers shooting the dogs in her neighbourhood a few days ago, leaving behind “a trail of blood.”

“When they arrived, the dogs were sleeping under cars parked outside the houses here. They lured one of the dogs out, wrestled it to the ground and shot it several times in its head despite the dog not behaving aggressively,” she said.

Inhuman method: File photos of stray dogs being chased, trapped and shot during a local council operation to reduce the stray population in housing areas

Another resident, who wished to be known as Shu, a homemaker, said her three young children had witnessed the brutal slaying and they were now traumatised by the incident.

“What if the bullets had gone astray? The children could have been harmed,” she said.

American Sarah Rinkenberger, 32, who resides in the same area, said she was not at home during the shooting but she learnt about it from neighbours.

“I’m surprised such a method is still being used in this country. Back in America, strays are caught and sent to the pound but they are never shot in the open,” she said.

Rinkenberger, who helps to manage a language centre here with her husband, said it was her personal belief that God created both humans and animals, therefore dogs must be treated in a good way.

Peace shattered: Rinkenberger watching over her children playing in front of her house in Sunway Mutiara, Batu Maung, where the shooting of stray dogs has allegedly taken place recently

A spokesperson from the MPPP’s Urban Services, Public Health and Licensing Department denied that the council had shot the stray dogs in such a manner.

However, the spokesperson said that shooting would be carried out if there was no other way.

“We are trying to use humane methods such as tranquillisers and we have applied for licensing from the police last year but we have yet to hear from them,” the spokesperson said, stressing that the department would only act based on complaints from the public.

A non-governmental organisation called Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better (MDDB) Penang coordinator Chuah Kok Han said the alleged shooting should not be justified by any party.

“It is wrong to use such a method to cull animals. MPPP must stop doing this and the state Veterinary Services Department must ensure that it is stopped immediately,” said Chuah.

He added that nowadays most people no longer tolerate cruelty towards dogs.

“We are a civilised society and we expect relevant authorities such as the local councils to behave in a civilised manner when it comes to handling animal-related issues,’’ said Chuah.

Chuah also said that MDDB Penang plans to meet Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng over the issue.

Children’s Protection Society Penang secretary Magdeline Ng-Leong said the safety of children should not be compromised under whatever circumstances.

“The council should use other methods instead of openly shooting the strays in the presence of children.”

Penang Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) administrator Lily Leng said that stray dogs should not be destroyed in full view of the public.

“We received endless complaints about dogs being shot in public and I think there should be other ways to handle stray dogs instead of shooting them openly.

“Not only is it dangerous, the whole ordeal is disturbing and heart-wrenching to watch. Strays should be put down in private and not in the open,” she said.

Please be honest upfront, do not overpromise. you become...

Please be honest up front, do not give empty promises, don't over promise, don't give promises or words on things which you have no control in, else you become a liar!

That's what I can't tolerate in many people these days. When you requested certain things from them, he/she promises quickly, "Sure can, no prob, no problem at all,I can do it for you, just leave it to me." Very well. It was not even an obligation, just a simple request, and he/she promised to do it for you.

However, when the time nears, he/she without any sense of guilt/remorse tells me, "You must understand.. this is not within my control.. I can't do it for you." Hey, if you have no control over this, in the first place, please do not promise anything. No one is indispensable. If you just tell me an honest no,I could have found enough time to find another person who could have done the job for me.

That's terrible sales. I'll never go backto the same person. I'll never go back and ask any kind of tiny weeny puny favour from this person anymore.
For example, today I went to a shop where my friend is the boss,I often get discounts of 10-20% from my friend. However today when I dropped by the shop, I found that my friend was not around. So I asked the staff, hey, do I still get discount coz your boss is not around?

The staff answered, "Yes, of course, you'll alwasy get discounts over here." I smiled, relieved that I don't have to come back another time.

I shopped for a while, and upon payment (few hundred ringgit) I realized that there is no discount at all. I dazed at the staff, and she quickly told me, "YOu must understand, I'm not the boss here, only the boss can give you discount."

???!!!

LIAR! If shewere to tell me upfront that she can't give me any discount coz she's not the boss, I would have returned another day when my friend's around. I was not disappointed coz of the few ringgit that I could have saved.

I was very disappointed, because this staff had overpromised, knowing very well beforehand that she will not be able to deliver what she says, yet, she still promises. Just to close the sales.
And that's bad.
It makes her a liar.
A bad sales person.
There is no integrity at work.
I lose trust in her.
I'll never deal with her again in future.

I know there are many salesman/woman out there who do the same thing (esp. in direct sales marketing, insurance etc.), but that doesn't make it right, just because the entire world is doing it.

What is wrong remains wrong no matter what the democracy decision is.

Grievous dog's leg neck tied tightly to grill and wood shoved down inside its throat in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.(Ghastly animal abuse at Kepong)

M Nisha
Mar 17, 104:43pm
http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/126798

Grievous dog's leg neck tied tightly to grill and wood shoved down inside its throat in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Ghastly animal abuse at Kepong KTM station

I am writing because of a grievous incident that took place on Monday, March 15 at about 3pm at Kepong Central KTM Station. My friends and I (six of us) were there to take the train to the Bank Negara station.

After parking our cars, we heard a dog howling, more like a painful cry. Then, we noticed a dog being tied to the grill (steel fence) of the KTM station. As we approached the dog, we stood aghast at the sight.

The stray dog's leg and neck was tied very tightly to the grill and a piece of wood had been shoved down inside its throat! The dog was bleeding and its feces were all around it. The string was attached to a pole in the KTM station.

Immediately, we confronted the KTM workers. They said that it was done by Kuala Lumpur City Hall workers because a minister was to be visiting the station next week. They failed to explain further.

At once, we called the SPCA and the Paws animal welfare society. The SPCA responded efficiently by informing us that an animal control officer would be there soon. We made a slight commotion in front of the KTM station but the KTM workers were not concerned at all.

After about an hour, as we were returning to the KTM Kepong Central Station, we received a call from the SPCA officer stating that the dog was now not tied up and was moving around. When we arrived, the dog was limping. The same KTM workers avoided us as we tried to confront them. A passer-by told us that the dog has been that way for quite some time.

The SPCA officer could not capture the dog as it walked away for quite a distance. He advised us to write to the media and to the SPCA as well.

Doesn't our country's animal rights support the idea that an animal has the right to live its life without being harmed and hurt by humans? We realize that people define the meaning of animal rights and abuse in different ways but aren't the citizens of our country merciful?

This dog could have been just put to sleep if it had been harming the public or causing a nuisance. Why stick a wooden stick down its throat?

What happened? How can a commoner / snatch thief have a pistol? Where did he source it from??

I thank God for the American's gut, and I truly thank God for preserving his life.
---

American who helped snatch theft victim shot
PETALING JAYA: An American engineer was shot in the chest when he went to the aid of an elderly woman who was struggling to prevent a thief from getting away with her handbag at Plaza Mount Kiara.
The 42-year-old engineer had spotted the 70-year-old woman struggling to hold on to her handbag which was being pulled by a man on a motorcycle at a car park at around 12.30pm yesterday.
He ran to help her and fought with the thief. During the scuffle, the snatch thief took out a pistol and fired at the engineer before fleeing.
The engineer was rushed to the Hospital Kuala Lumpur and is said to be in stable condition.
Brickfields OCPD Asst Comm Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid confirmed the incident and said police found 9mm bullet casings at the scene.
He added that police are currently studying the CCTV footage of the car park in an attempt to identify the snatch thief.

source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/9/27/nation/4794533&sec=nation

Dog Massacre in China: 30,000 Dead and Counting

You can help us end bloodbaths like this and protect dogs in China from future culls
A death squad pursues a terrified dog.

Please help stop the slaughter.


A massive cull in the Chinese city of Hanzhong has claimed the lives of more than 30,000 dogs - and now we need your help to make sure that it never happens again.

The local government ordered the mass slaughter of all dogs as the result of a few cases of rabies deaths. Dog killing squads are stalking the streets, mercilessly beating dogs to death with sticks and rocks.

Friendly dogs - even healthy family pets - are being slaughtered right in front of their owners. Can you even begin to imagine how you'd feel if that happened to your dog?

IFAW has pleaded with government officials to stop the killing - and now we turn to you.

Please help us stop these cruel and massive slaughters once and for all.

Horrifying scenes of cruelty

Some of the pictures from culls like these are so horrifying that I can't even show them to you. And I hate having to describe this, but I think you need to know the truth about what's happening.

In one series of pictures, several small and fluffy white dogs - you can just tell they're used to snuggling on the laps of their loving owners - are trapped in a makeshift cage. One by one, the dogs are pulled out with a pair of long metal tongs, and brutally beaten with a stick. And then - even though it appears that some of the dogs may still be alive - they're tossed into a pit to be burned.

I can't even imagine the pain and terror these poor dogs endure when the fire is set.

So many dogs will suffer slow and painful deaths...we must stop this cruelty now!

What we're doing and how you can help

We have received so many messages in the past few days from animal lovers like you inside and outside China - pleading with us to step in and stop the slaughters like the one in Hanzhong City.

I assure you, IFAW is working to end these culls:

We've already contacted local authorities in Hanzhong City to urge them to end the slaughter. Now you can help by contacting the Chinese Ambassador in your country.

IFAW is creating an emergency rabies vaccination fund so that we can offer rural communities in China an alternative to mass slaughters like the one in Hanzhong. Please give generously to our emergency rabies vaccination fund.
We're working with the central government to pass animal welfare legislation in China that will ensure the humane treatment of all animals. IFAW has already helped major cities like Beijing establish dog regulations that mandate humane vaccination and population control.

We CAN stop culls like this

We recently joined with concerned animal lovers in China to stop a similar mass slaughter in the city of Heihe by pointing out that the killing of dogs that have rightful owners is a violation of the basic rights of a citizen - owned dogs and cats are considered the "personal property" of Chinese citizens, and should be protected under China's Constitution.

Plus, it has been proven that rabies can be effectively controlled by a well-managed vaccination program. In fact, a humane vaccination and neuter program in Chennai, India, has dramatically reduced rabies cases there by over 95%.

So we must act now to stop the killing! Please click here to contact the Chinese Ambassador in your country to call for an end to mass slaughters like this and to encourage China to pass legislation that protects all animals, including companion animals.

And then please donate what you can today to help us set up an emergency vaccination fund to help cities in China establish rabies prevention programs, help eliminate these mass dog culls once and for all, and to continue our mission to protect animals around the world from cruelty.

The slaughtered dogs of Hanzhong City deserved a better fate. Please help us ensure that dogs in other communities in China are protected from similar mass killings.

Thank you so much for your help,


Fred O'Regan
IFAW President

Malaysia gets serious on animal cruelty - FINALLY (sighs of relief..)

Malaysia, Malaysia.. finally.. I see that you’re beginning to have some sense of maturity in animal and pet welfare issues. I regret that it took so long for the officers-in-charge to realize it, but nevertheless I’m utmost elated for Dr Abd Aziz’s statement, “Gone are the days when people can do whatever they like against animals because the department is taking a more proactive role.”

For Malaysian pet lovers, we’re beginning to see some glimmer at the end of the dark path we’ve been walking. We hope to see one of our dreams come true very soon. Real soon.
---
PUTRAJAYA: The Government will conduct surprise checks on pet shops, animal pounds and clinics. In addition Veterinary Services Department director-general Datuk Dr Abd Aziz Jamaluddin urged local councils to re-negotiate their contracts with dog catchers to ensure that animals caught were treated humanely.

“Most of the time, the dog catchers are only interested in the number of animals caught because they are paid by each dog, and the way these animals are then transported to the pound in a small van is inhumane.

“Sometimes, the dogs may have licences, or their collars can’t be seen clearly. The dogs are also put to sleep unsupervised by the department and it is done by people unqualified to handle the dangerous drug.

“We will call the problematic local councils to discuss this matter as well as have a dialogue with animal welfare groups. We will also make it a ruling that all euthanasia of stray animals must be under our supervision,” he told reporters at his office here on Wednesday.

Dr Abd Aziz said in the case of the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) UNIFORMED MEN beating a dog and forcing it out through the railings of a locked gate, which was higlighted by The Star newspaper recently….Other news on animal welfare and cruelty by dog catchers in the Klang Valley had also been reported…….

The department, said Dr Abd Aziz, had already issued guidelines on catching stray dogs for local councils in May this year, which should be adhered to by all.

He said the department also hoped to table a proposal in Parliament next year to amend provisions under the Animals Act, seeking heavier penalties of up to RM10,000 or six years’ jail or both for animal cruelty, and a FINE FOR PEOPLE WHO ABANDONED THEIR PETS. (Bravo, bravo dr aziz for this beautiful, so-long-waited statement of yours. A wise and rational government will surely approve such a proposal.. unless…)

“Previously, the fine was only RM200 (the small figure is so downgrading, and denies the poor pets any justice!) and there was no jail term. The proposed fine for abandonment will look into the intentions of pet owners to see if their animals got loose by themselves or ran away. Abandonment of pets is the main reason behind the huge number of strays,” he said. (he’s darn right about this, my hats off for him for bringing this issue to the eyes of the public)

The department received 57 complaints of animal cruelty and had taken enforcement action against 207 cases last year.

Dr Abd Aziz said it was time that Malaysians treated animals more humanely because “WE ARE A MATURING COUNTRY.” (Amen to that! Bravo Dr Aziz, bravo for your wisdom!)

“Gone are the days when people can do whatever they like against animals because the department is taking a more proactive role,” he promised. AMEN!

Source: www.thestar.com.my