In response to ACC's post, I would like to open some issues for debate
ANIMAL WELFARE: ARE POLICE OR LOCAL ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES DOING THEIR JOB?
Lost or Stolen Dogs (Or cats)
ACC Wrote
A Home being trespass, a dog being stolen, and local enforcement agency being condemned!
1) How do you expect to make a citizen arrest without any legal or proper documentation?
2) How many cases do you know that dog/puppy being stolen from home?
3) How are you going to claim or to sue a person knowing he/she keeping a stolen dog/puppy intentionally or unintentionally?
4) How are you going to get back your dog/puppy if found overseas?
5) Would be a long list to go on……
1) Firstly, how do you make a citizens arrest?
Response: We don't. Thats not generally done or accepted in Malaysia. We should instead provide a microchip number registered to our name, and photographic evidence of you and your dog.
HOWEVER!
If you do know/accuse someone of having your dog, which is microchipped to your name, and/or have photographic evidence of you and your dog, do police actually take action by even checking the dog's microchip number? Haven't heard of any cases of that, unless its some Show dog worth thousands (Haven't heard any cases either).
2) How many cases do you know that dog/puppy being stolen from home?
Response: Pls read Lost and Found Forums, forums.lowyat.net/PetsWonderland, Petfinder.my...
No doubt a lot of people have lost their dog when it runs out of their house. Others have also lost their dog right from their compound in the early mornings, or returned home to find their gates compromised.
It seems in Subang/KL, these cases are quite frequent, and there are professional dognappers running around. Even you agree to this suggestion in your post www.puppy.com.my/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=337503;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread
3) How are you going to claim or to sue a person knowing he/she keeping a stolen dog/puppy intentionally or unintentionally?
Response: How indeed? Even if you have a microchip embedded in the dog, with photographic evidence, will making a report to the police do much? If its a valuable dog, maybe, but one thats worth 1k max, that looks like every other dog of its breed? (Eg Min Pin, Schnauzer, Poodle, Shih Tzu....)
4) How are you going to get back your dog/puppy if found overseas?
Response: Firstly I doubt your dog would be sent overseas, doing a BYB in Malaysia is easy and profitable enough, or just reselling it in some petshop. If for some reason it DID go to Thailand or something, and you DID track it down, and you DO have proof, I think the dog means enough to you that you dont even need to ask that question..
ANYWAY, some further issues/questions
1) What ARE our local enforcement agencies doing about animal welfare, or lost/stolen dogs?
I say NOTHING MUCH! Remember the DBKL case where dogs and cats were being cruelly put to death? The mayor appeared on TV very happily, promised an
inquiry because we must
investigate these accusations properly (not quoted verbatim, I can't remember his exact words in BM) but the only result that has been made public from that entire fiasco is that theres now a solid fencing around DBKL's compound.
2) What are Local Enforcement Agencies doing about overly aggressive dogs which are a risk to people?
Remember some years back when 2 rottweilers mauled an old lady to death? There was a big hoo-haa about it, they wanted to include Dobbies, Rotties and other big dogs into the banned dog list, and I believe some areas actually have banned those 'fierce dogs' so you can't get a license for them? People had actually made complaints about the 2 dogs before the incident, but no action was taken until it was too late. The dogs were put to sleep (naturally!) and the owners were fined and I believe sent to jail (can't confirm that). What happened after? Has the council taken any steps with regards to these type of dogs? GoldenAddicts mom is still waiting.
3) Animal Cruelty and Neglect.
Who do we report cases of cruelty to? Can and has action been taken? Some people say SPCA, some say police, but police don't care, others say Jabatan Perkhidmatan Haiwan. You hear of cats, dogs, rabbits being neglected and abused.
Who should we report to, and back up our claim, and actually get action taken?
In summary, I still think our Local Enforcement Agencies have a long way to go in these regards. Are they doing their job? No. Are they trying? Individually, maybe, as an agency? No.
What do you guys think?
P.S: This is not meant to be confrontational, but instead, an open debate to state your opinions.