(MY) Seremban Council shoots man's dogs

[Guest guest]

Owner of 25 dogs tries to save pets from death

The Star

Friday June 30, 2006

R.S.N. Murali

 

SEREMBAN: In an attempt to save his 25 dogs from Seremban Municipal Council

enforcement officers, a dog owner packed 10 of them into his car and tried

to drive off.

 

While reversing his car, he allegedly hit the motorcycle of one of the

officers who had gone to his terrace house in Taman Desa Rasah early

yesterday to nab the animals.

 

Eng Her Sun, 66, said he was just trying to save his dogs when he drove out

with the animals.

 

However, he was unable to save 13 of his other pets from the dog shooters.

 

“They (the dogs) are my best friends. Is it wrong for me to keep them in my

own house? Now, I have lost all my happiness,” said Eng, who was near tears.

 

He claimed the officers had trespassed into his home and was contemplating

legal action against them.

 

Council president Abdul Halim Abdul Latif, however, said his officers were

acting on a court order. They were accompanied by four dog shooters from the

state Veterinary Services Department and two police officers.

 

The situation, he added, became chaotic when the dog owner turned

aggressive.

 

He said yesterday’s operation was carried out after the owner defied a

six-month grace period given to him to move the animals to another area. The

council had received a court order on Dec 20 last year to cull all 25

canines in the house.

 

Abdul Halim said the council had no choice but to act in view of the

mounting complaints received from nearby residents on the disturbance caused

by, and foul stench from, the canines.

 

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/6/30/nation/14700989 & sec=nation

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Opinion

The Star

Saturday July 1, 2006

 

What did those dogs do to get death?

 

ONCE again, the issue of cruelty towards dogs in this country rears its ugly

head, “Owner of 25 dogs tries to save pets from death” (The Star, June 30).

 

My sympathies go out to Eng Her Sun on the loss of his beloved “family”. To

lose one dog is heart-breaking enough, but to see 13 of them shot before

your eyes is traumatic.

 

Sadly enough, to many out there, this is no big deal. But to every dog

lover, this is another case of biased cruelty by the authorities towards

dogs.

 

There are many among us animal lovers who adopt strays and take them under

our shelter.

 

Like us, they are also God's creations, but they cannot speak for

themselves, so they rely on us humans to speak for them.

 

What wrong did these animals do to be given the “death penalty”? Their only

“crime” was to give solace and comfort to a wonderful man who gave them

shelter.

 

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/7/1/focus/14707934 & sec=focus

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Opinion

The Star

Saturday July 1, 2006

 

Better to tackle dog issue gently

 

I AM not a dog lover but I read with sadness your report “Owner of 25 dogs

tries to save pets from death” (The Star, June 30).

 

Without questioning the legality of the action of the Seremban Municipal

Council enforcement officers, I am just wondering if the whole situation

could be handled in a more humane manner.

 

I understand there were mounting complaints but the sensitivity of the issue

will also need to be addressed.

 

It is totally understandable that dog owner Eng Her Sun, who is apparently a

great pet lover, turned “aggressive”, as it could be just the mother

instinct in him to protect his “children”.

 

With four dog shooters, two police officers, and other enforcement officers

storming into the privacy of his home to take away the lives of his little

“babies”, one could imagine the trauma he had to go through.

 

In the first place, is it justifiable to resort to such high-handedness in

handling the matter?

 

Here, we were not dealing with a gang leader harbouring some criminals but a

66-year old pet lover.

 

Sometimes, it is just a matter of choosing between “doing the right thing”

and “doing things right” and an issue could be more amicably resolved.

 

The irony is, while dogs are universally accepted as loyal and useful

creatures to mankind, the canines are sometimes unfairly discriminated

against.

 

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/7/1/focus/14707603 & sec=focus