IPOH, July 23 — Approximately 100 members from various animal rights groups gathered today to protest the Ipoh City Council’s policy of euthanising stray dogs.
The group staged a protest outside the council’s enforcement department office, voicing outrage over the recent euthanasia and burial of several dogs at a pound in Lahat, which they claim was done inhumanely and in violation of previous agreements.
Jesse Morrias, president of Persatuan Pencinta Anjing Jalanan Ipoh Perak, said the NGOs were not informed about the council’s decision to implement the “put to sleep” (PTS) policy.
“When the council introduced this PTS policy, they should have informed all the NGOs. They claimed to have sent letters, but that’s not true,” she told reporters.
“If we had known, there wouldn’t be such a viral public outcry. Only after the video went viral did they hold a meeting — and most NGOs weren’t even invited.”
Jesse also questioned the necessity of the policy, pointing out that the city council had previously agreed with NGOs to carry out a Trap-Neuter-Release and Manage (TNRM) programme, under which neutered stray dogs were released and managed, not euthanised.
“Some of the dogs shown in the video with cropped ears were part of the TNRM programme. This is not the way to handle things. The programme was funded by public donations.
“Killing these dogs defeats the purpose of TNRM and wastes public resources,” she said.
Ricky Soong, the president of the Ipoh Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA), urged the authorities to be transparent about their procedures for euthanising strays.
“We haven’t been given any clear explanation — why the dogs were caught, or why they were euthanised. That’s why we are here today: to demand answers,” he said.
Soong also disputed the city council’s claim that no one came forward to claim the captured dogs, saying that some NGO members who visited the enforcement department were told the dogs had already been sent to the Papan landfill.
He added that the state government should allocate land for NGOs to continue the TNRM programme, as many shelters are currently operating beyond capacity.
During the protest, Perak MCA information chief Chung Kuk Heung announced that the party had submitted a memorandum signed by over 100 individuals to the Ipoh Mayor and Perak Menteri Besar.
The memorandum, supported by several NGOs, calls for a full, independent investigation into the incident, disciplinary action against any responsible parties, and full disclosure and auditing of the council’s SOPs for managing strays.
This protest came after a press conference earlier today where the council’s enforcement and safety director, Ahmad Zaiyadi Sudin, denied claims that the dogs were buried alive.
He insisted that the euthanasia was carried out in accordance with SOP after a mandatory three-day holding period for dogs caught following public complaints.
