The surrendered animals will be disposed off in accordance with the standard requirement from DVS, said Richard.
SIBU (Sept 29): The Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) will carry out a one-month campaign in November for the public to surrender their unwanted dogs and cats, said the council’s Public Health, Environment and Municipal Services chairman Richard Ting.
He said the campaign will be carried out at the council’s depo at Jalan Teng Chin Hua during office hours – between 9am till 11am, and 2pm to 4pm.
“Unwanted dogs and cats owned by the residents, they can hand them over to SMC depo during the campaign period to be dispose. This disposal will be done in accordance with the standard requirement from DVS (Department of Veterinary Services).
“We hope the residents will comply, instead of delivering these unwanted dogs or cats to any other NGOs (non-governmental organisations), whereby under the law, nobody can keep and receive the unwanted animals. This is not permitted under the law.
“So, anybody who adopts dogs or cats, they will have to have proper identification from source,” he told reporters after the council meeting chaired by SMC chairman Clarence Ting today.
Adding on, Richard stressed that strays cannot be caught or donated by any party and delivered to any pet shops or NGOs for further sale or transfer or through adoption programmes to any public.
“Because all these dogs and cats do not have any vaccination certificate.
“So, there will be risk for any residents who adopted these strays from an NGO or a pet shop to be infected by rabies,” he said.
“We want the public if they have puppies or adult dogs that they don’t want – send them to SMC depo for proper disposal instead of giving them out.
“We also advise public not to adopt any dogs or cats without proper certification,” he added.
Richard said pet owners will be paid RM10 per puppy and RM50 per adult dog for delivery expenses in return, provided that the animals are alive and well.
He, however, was quick to point out that this monetary sum is not the payment to residents.
“Those are delivery expenses given to residents to deliver the dogs to the SMC dog pound for disposal.”
“All parties concerned are advised to be fully responsible for their own safety, preferable to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) while bringing their unwanted pets to the depo,” he said.
Richard also warned the public not to intrude into other people’s houses or property to catch dogs or cats just to get the disbursement.
“Owners must fill a declaration form with their personal particulars and indicate where is the dog or cat habitually kept or caught. It must be within the SMC jurisdiction area.
“All dogs and cats surrendered by owners and public shall be dealt with accordingly by council, following council’s SOP (standard operating procedure) and will be advised by DVS Sibu. No claim shall be entertained after surrender,” he added.
