(MY) pet ownership

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Dogs: Scrap 'neighbours views' rule, MBSA

Responsible Pet Ownership

Mar 16, 06 4:31pm - Malaysiakini

 

 

 

Congratulations are in order for the mayor of Shah Alam for announcing

last week that most of MBSA's new regulations on dog ruling which

local dog owners had vehemently objected to as harsh and unreasonable

will be modified or scrapped with immediate effect.

 

However, there is still one more issue that needs a serious rethink:

the requirement of views of immediate neighbours on the right and left

before a new pet owner is allowed to have a dog. The MBSA may have

well-intentioned reasons for their decision in wanting to prevent an

unpleasant situation before it happens.

 

However, the negatives for such a move far outweighs the positive.

They are as extreme as banning all bikers in the city in order to

prevent snatch thefts on motorcycles. Checking with neighbours first

before deciding to grant a wannabe dog owner a licence not only goes

against the grain of his basic right as a Malaysian citizen to be able

to own a pet of his liking but it also grants his neighbours an unfair

advantage and privilege over him in being able to dictate the kind of

pets the owner should or should not possess.

 

This leaves potential new dog owners in Shah Alam feeling vulnerable

and discriminated against when it comes to them wanting to have a dog.

Such an exercise will only invite prejudiced remarks by neighbours who

might have stereotyped thinking or personal phobias about dogs.

 

Besides, obtaining neighbours' views about dogs - especially about a

dog they have never seen or an owner who has never had the chance to

prove himself - will not be able to say anything about responsible pet

ownership. Imagine forcing new cat owners to do this also!

 

Non-feline owners are likely to also say no to their neighbours

because they wouldn't want cats jumping over walls and defecating in

their garden or making love cries all night long. Thus the MBSA should

totally scrap the 'neighbours views requirement' at once and

concentrate more on the root causes of irresponsible pet ownership

which can be best done through long-term education.

 

As a progressive and forward-thinking city that Shah Alam aspires to

be, the council should be seen as trying to encourage more people to

have pets for healthy living and a better life - not appear as if they

are trying to deprive or curb its constituents from having a right to

own dogs.