chrisong
Doggyman
Aug 18, 2005, 6:49 PM
Views: 1471
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PJ dog owners won’t be spared
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By K.W. MAK
Change is in the air for dog owners in Petaling Jaya. They had cringed when the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) and other local authorities in the country started imposing strict rulings on ownership of dogs. Now it looks like the Petaling Jaya Municipal Council (MPPJ) will soon follow suit.
DOG owners in Petaling Jaya have so far remained unaffected by the changes in bylaws taking place in many other municipalities that restrict dog ownership.
But the Petaling Jaya Municipal Council (MPPJ) is seriously mulling imposing similar restrictions starting next year.
The proposed amendments to the bylaw includes the restriction of one dog to a terrace house, two to a bungalow and none for high-rise apartments.
Also being considered are mandatory microchip implants and neutering of female dogs.
Presently, the bylaws on dog ownership date back to the 1976 Local Governance Act, where the fee for a dog licence is set at RM10.
Restricting the number of dogs per home will affect many dog owners who currently have two or more dogs. However, it is difficult for the council to ignore as a responsible body that is in charge of the welfare of its residents.
MPPJ public relations officer Zainon Zakaria said the council was studying the proposal because complaints against dog owners were not unfounded.
“The complaints are usually against owners who keep more than one dog, and some of the offenders have been warned and fined many times for the same offence,” said Zainon.
“What is important is inculcating in dog owners a sense of responsibility towards their pets and civic consciousness towards their fellow citizens.”
Zainon agreed that the new law would affect pet owners who already keep two or more dogs in their premises.
“The proposal is still being drafted to ensure that it is reasonable to all.
“We know that there are dog owners who love their pets and who are responsible for them, which is why we are studying this carefully before we implement it,” said Zainon.
Strays, which are the result of irresponsible dog owners, are also a burden on the council’s vector control task force, which rounds up strays and doubles up as inspectors for pet offences.
In response to dog owners who complain about the absence of regulations for cat owners, Zainon said it did not mean that action could not be taken against irresponsible cat owners.
“That comes under general nuisance and public disturbance, and residents can call us up to take action,” said Zainon.
(This post was edited by chrisong on Aug 18, 2005, 6:51 PM)
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