THE Ipoh City Council should treat stray animals they catch with more dignity, Noah’s Ark Ipoh (NAI) founder Dr Ranjit Kaur Mendhir said.
Dr Ranjit said while it was good that the city council has stopped shooting stray dogs and were catching them instead, they should be more humane when treating the animals.
“We have seen animals caught kept in a lorry while they continue the exercise from one end of the city to the other.
“The animals are cooped up in stuffy cages in the lorry,” she told journalists during the opening of the World Animal Day public awareness programme by Ipoh Veterinary Research Institute deputy director Dr P. Chandrawathani at the Ipoh Garden South field recently
“There are regulations when slaughtering an animal, so there should be regulations for animals that are captured,” she added.
Dr Ranjit also stressed on the need for a dog pound where stray animals can be given temporary shelter and food.
“Even if an animal is to be put down, it must be done with dignity.
“Stray animals should not be released in areas where they cannot find food either,” she said, adding that it was a cruel act.
“If they cannot find food, they become scared and aggressive,” she added.
Dr Ranjit also said NAI rescues an average of 50 animals a month.
“We have also saved kittens, with their eyes still not open and smaller in size than our palm, found unwanted and dumped at our clinics,” she said.
“We try to nurse these animals, spay and neuter them before finding them a home,” she added.
NAI secretary Malika Ramiah Oates said creating awareness among the public on stray animals was important.
“I recently came back from Cape Town, South Africa and did not see stray animals there.
“If they can do that, I wonder why we can’t?” she asked.
“There are still many stray animals around because many people are uncaring,” she said.
“In Gunung Rapat alone, we have received reports that there are at least 250 animals in the area,” she added.
Malika said she hopes to raise between RM25,000 and RM30,000 from the event.
“The money will be used primarily for neutering and spaying stray animals and in animal rescuing efforts.
“We need a minimum of RM5,000 every month to conduct our activities and programmes and our funds are from generous donors,” she said.
“The money raised will also be used for education and awareness programmes in our effort to reduce the stray population in Ipoh,” she added.
At the event, stalls selling a range of foodstuff, clothing and ornaments were set up to raise funds for NAI.
Visitors at the event, together with their pets, also mingled while getting information about controlling the stray population in the city.
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