Guest guest Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 Buddhist rites for slain dogs Nuradzimmah Daim The Malay Mail July 11, 2006 THE ‘Unlucky 13’ were given their final rites yesterday. The 13 dogs, shot dead by the Seremban Municipal Council (MPS) last month after their owner refused to comply with the council’s order to relocate the canines, received prayers at a ceremony organised by animal lovers, last night. More than 200 members of Malaysia Fo Guang Shan, a Buddhist organisation, gathered at their branch in SS3, Petaling Jaya, to offer prayers for the dogs. One of its members, Ong Wan Kah, said the prayer, known as the Diamond Repentance Dharma ceremony, is to transfer merits to the dogs. " Although we usually have this prayer twice a month, tonight’s occasion is special. We want to let the public know that it is not right to just take away the lives of animals. " Also, apart from the dogs that were killed, we are also performing prayers for the chickens and birds that died of bird flu, and other animals, " said Ong, who works with the organisation’s publishing division. He stressed, however, that the prayer was not only meant for the deceased. " We also pray for others beings that are still alive, for fortune and good luck, " he said. Ong said 66-year-old Eng Her Sun, the owner of the 13 dogs, had stepped forward to relate the incident to the organisation’s abbot, Reverend Hui Xian, last Wednesday. The abbot advised him not to dwell on the matter and carry on with life. " The abbot also advised him not to bear any grudges and instead, think of ways to help relocate his remaining dogs. The owner must also shoulder his responsibility as the municipal council is the authority on the matter, " he said. Also present at the prayers was Malaysian Animal Welfare Foundation education officer, Sabrina Yeap. In the June 29 incident, MPS workers, armed with a court order, arrived at Eng’s terrace house in Taman Desa Rasah to cull his dogs. They claimed that Eng, who kept 26 dogs in his house, had repeatedly ignored the council’s notices over six months to relocate his dogs as their incessant barking and smell had become a nuisance to neighbours. The workers allege that Eng refused to co-operate and the dogs turned aggressive when they entered the compound. Eng allegedly put 13 dogs in his car and drove off. The workers then shot the remaining 13. The move by MPS was described by barbaric and cruel by animal welfare organisations. However, other groups have argued that the council had no choice as Eng did not comply with regulations despite being given time to do so. Several animal groups, including the Independent Pet Rescuers organisation, have since helped Eng relocate 11 of his dogs to a farm in Dengkil. http://www.mmail.com.my/Current_News/mm/Tuesday/Hotnews/20060711104724/Article/i\ ndex_html -------------------------------- -MALAYSIAN BAR COUNCIL RESPONSE RE KILLING: 'Doggycide': Bar Council's bureau ready to bite Malaysiakini Fauwaz Abdul Aziz The Bar Council's legal aid bureau is prepared to take on the Seremban municipal council (MPS) for the killing of 13 dogs in a house recently. Lawyer N Surendran (picture) said the violence with which MPS officers carried out their tasks - including having allegedly broken into Eng Her Sun’s house to shoot the terrified canines - was ‘totally illegal’. This contravened provisions of the Animal Ordinance Act 1953 against prohibiting unnecessary pain or suffering to animals, he added. " All the individuals (who committed or abetted in the incident) should be charged for the offence, " he told a press conference held in Kuala Lumpur yesterday with the six-member Coalition Against Dog Shooting and Other Inhumane Methods (Casim). Casim and other animal welfare groups have been up in arms over the incident last Friday in which MPS enforcement officers had allegedly sawed their way into Eng's house in Taman Desa Rasah before shooting 13 of the 26 stray dogs that he had adopted and given shelter. Court order MPS president Abdul Halim Abdul Latif was reported to have said his officers were acting on a court order following complaints from neighbors of the foul stench and disturbance caused by the dogs. Abdul Halim also claimed Eng, 57 and his dogs had turned aggressive, an allegation that Surendran dismissed. " That is a total lie.. Some of the dogs were found having squeezed between two cupboards, others were shot while hiding under a mattress, " he said. " The only ones acting aggressive that day were the council officers, " he added. Surendren also said he could only assume that they had gone into Eng’s house on the pretext of a local government by-law pertaining to the control of dogs. “They said they were acting on a court order following a notice issued six months earlier, but they never showed Eng that court order,” he said. Surendran's statements were met by murmurs of agreement from the crowd of animal lovers and animal welfare groups that had gathered in the compound of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), a member of Casim. 'Animal terrorism' " I have only one word to describe MPS' actions that day: Terrorism! It was an act of pure animal terrorism! " cried one dog-owner to a resounding applause. Eng, who was also present at the press conference, accused MPS of high-handedness and excessive violence. " I'm not the one who is mental. MPS officers are the mental ones! " he said A veterinarian from Seremban was also present to confirm that Eng (right) had properly cared for his dogs by ensuring their cleanliness, vaccination, spaying, and sterilisation. Surendran also questioned the legality of MPS officers, who were accompanied by four Veterinary Services Department officials and two police officers, having discharged their firearms in a house within a residential area. On this point, Casim member Malaysian Association for Responsible Pet Ownership's (Marpo) pro-tem president Dr Jon S Satyamoorthy said the Animal Ordinance Act providing for local officials to ‘put down’ on sight dogs was in the context of a by-gone problem. The law pertains to the problem many decades ago of rabid dogs which had to be shot immediately when identified because of the dangers that they posed to the public, he noted. " But this problem is no more relevant in 2006 as rabies has since been wiped out, " he said. Humane methods Casim, meanwhile, called for an immediate ban to shooting and other inhumane methods used in dog-catching, including the use of wires and nylon ropes whereby dogs are almost strangled to death while suffering from the deep cuts inflicted on their necks and bodies. " The whole shooting massacre, which looked like a bloody crime scene, was a horrendous, cruel and violent act and the Seremban municipal council should have never taken this merciless route, " said SPCA chairperson Christine Chin. Dog catchers should be trained to use humane methods, like nets and tranquillisers while the only acceptable and humane method of putting dogs to sleep is the administration of lethal injection by a veterinarian or other qualified person authorised by the former, she added. " In times of resistance, a mediator should be sought to diffuse the situation in a humane, effective and considerate manner. SPCA and the other participants of this coalition can assist in this area, " she pointed out. For the long-term, Chin said local municipalities should adopt more a effective and humane mindset and attitude to solve the problem of dog and cat over-population. Among the concrete steps that can be taken is the establishment of 'humane shelters and pounds' where animals can be kept and re-homed, she suggested. " This gives the residents a chance to bring in strays and abandoned animals instead of taking them into their own homes and thus creating neighborhood problems, " she said. Chin also urged the establishment of high volume, low-cost neutering clinics where dogs and cats are spayed at reduced rates. She also called for local governments to emulate the pro-active measures taken by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL)in cooperating with the SPCA to establish the Kembiri Clinic, which has over the past three years successfully prevented 2.7 million dog and cat births in the city. " The coalition is willing to embark on a working committee together with a number of municipalities to provide a wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise in solving this man-made problem, " she said. http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/content/view/3464/2/ -------------------------------- -COALITION AGAINST DOG SHOOTING AND OTHER INHUMANE METHODS(CASIM): MEDIA STATEMENT 6 July 2006 Endorsed by SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS (SPCA) MALAYSIAN ASSOCIATION FOR RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP (MARPO) BIVAI SPECIAL DOGS MALAYSIAN ANIMAL-ASSISTED THERAPHY FOR THE DISABLED & ELDERLY ASSOCIATION (PETSPOSITIVE) MALAYSIANS AGAINST DEATH PENALTY & TORTURE (MADPET) PAWS The Coalition believes that compliance with the city council’s by laws is paramount and that neighbours complaints should be taken into consideration. However we deplore the manner in which the operation was conducted . The tragic end to the 13 dogs lives, that were BRUTALLY shot in their homes, have angered many Malaysians and animal carers all over the world. The whole shooting massacre, which looks like a bloody crime scene, is a HORRENDOUS, CRUEL and VIOLENT act and the Seremban Municipal should have never taken this merciless route. What if children, the disabled or the elderly were shot as they stepped in to protect the dogs and their property? Is this the way Malaysia wants to be portrayed? Are there no other more humane and non-violent solutions that the Seremban Municipal could have resorted to? Kind and caring Malaysians have stepped forward to feed and give temporary shelter to many abandoned/stray dogs and cats in the hope of rehoming them. Cases like Mr Eng’s show that sometimes love can be misplaced and misguided.Most municipals lack the infrastructure and capacity to assist these animal carers and the problem is compounded. Municipalities should engage and assist the animal carers who regularly take these animals off their streets. It is indeed an irony that this tragedy occurred in the Year of the Dog. We hope they did not die in vain as this sad and unfortunate incident has propelled the plight of the SILENT CRIES THAT GO LITTLE HEARD by the majority of Malaysians. Excess dogs are considered garbage and any way to clear them off the streets by any contractor that vouches to do that is employed usually with a price tag of RM 35-50 per dog head. This coalition demands an END to this indifference and discrimination against dogs and the suffering the dogs endure and vigorously proposes the following reforms and humane options:- A) AN IMMEDIATE BAN TO SHOOTING AND OTHER INHUMANE METHODS USED IN DOG-CATCHING 1. Other inhumane methods used are wires - where animals have been severely cut in their necks and bodies, ropes- where the dogs are almost strangled to death. 2. Dog Catchers be trained to use humane methods like nets and tranquilizers. 3. The only acceptable and humane method is lethal injection administered by a veterinarian or an authorized person supervised by him. 4. In times of resistance, a mediator be sought to diffuse the situation in a humane, effective and considerate manner. SPCA can assist in this area. B) THE MUNICIPALITIES ADOPT A MORE EFFECTIVE AND HUMANE ORIENTED MINDSET AND ATTITUDE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF DOG AND CAT OVERPOPULATION 1. Establish a Humane Shelter and Pound where animals can be kept and rehomed. This gives the residents a chance to bring in strays and abandoned animals instead of taking them into their own homes and thus creating neighbourhood problems. SPCA is able to assist in developing humane procedures and guidelines. 2. Establish a high-volume, low-cost spay neuter clinic like DBKL-SPCA Klinik Kembiri (KK) where dogs and cats are spayed at largely reduced rates of RM90 and RM50 respectively. This has been a huge success as the number of prevented dog and cat births in KL reached an unbelievable 2.7m in the 3 years since KK was established!!! (attached is the statistical evidence).This is the cheapest, smartest and most effective pro-active way to prevent over population of unwanted dogs and cats. The Coalition is willing to embark on a working committee together with a sizable number of Municipalities to provide a wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise in solving this MAN MADE problem. The Coalition urges all animal carers to be Responsible Pet Owners and spay and neuter their pets to prevent pet overpopulation and to be considerate neighbours as well. -------------------------------- -ARTICLES RE SEREMBAN DOG KILLING: Killing of 13 dogs barbaric Malaysiakini Joseph Paul Jul 4, 06 The action of the Seremban Municipal Council (MPS) in shooting dead in cold blood 13 harmless dogs can only be described as barbaric. Such an action has no place in a civilised society which we aspire to be and should be roundly condemned. What did the dogs do that they deserved to die? Was it wrong for them to exist, albeit in poor and cramped conditions? Is it a crime for them to bark, which is their only means of communicating their deplorable plight? The MPS president said that the dogs were a nuisance. But think again. Was it the dogs or the owner of the dogs who is the real culprit? So now the dogs are dead while the owner lives to continue creating a nuisance to his or her neighbours. Mr President, are you still proud of what you have done? On further reflection, this brutal episode is but a reflection of the more general attitude towards the weak, the poor and the marginalised in our society who are viewed as ‘nuisances’. Perhaps that is why we frequently find the authorities victimising women, victims of human trafficking syndicates, migrant workers, the poor, refugees and other such helpless persons. As we move towards being a more caring society, we should strive to cultivate more humane ways of dealing with problems. Dogs are universally known for their unconditional love and loyalty to their masters. If we condone the cool and calculated killing of such innocent animals, simply because of the irresponsibility of their master, we stand guilty of failing to confront a brutal and dastardly action by our fellow men. The writer represent the Malaysian Association For Responsible Pet Ownership (Marpo). http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/53397 ................... Nation The Star Friday July 7, 2006 Humane way to catch strays sought KUALA LUMPUR: A new coalition vowing to fight for a humane way to catch dogs and cats has been formed following the recent shooting of 13 dogs by the Seremban Municipal Council. The Coalition Against Dog Shooting and Other Inhumane Methods (Casim) is endorsed by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), Malaysian Association for Responsible Pet Ownership (Marpo) and Bivai Special Dogs Selangor. Other organisations include Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association, Malaysian Interfaith Network, Pure Life Society, Malaysia Against Death Penalty and Torture (Madpat) and PAWS. Marpo pro tem president Dr Jon Satyamoorthy told a press conference that the coalition wanted all municipalities to adopt a more effective and humane mindset to solve the overpopulation of dogs and cats. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/7/7/nation/14766648 & sec=nation -------- -READER'S LETTERS RE SEREMBAN DOG KILLING: SPEAK UP! :: Letters Sun2Surf 06 Jul 2006 Dogs should have been humanely captured The recent incident involving the shooting of 13 dogs in the owner's house left me astounded. The manner in which the shooting was carried out does not show that we are a loving and caring society. For some of us our dogs and cats are friends and companions. They are much loved members of our families. I can understand the owner when he said that the dogs were like his children. To have his " children " shot in his house is merciless. To justify the killing by saying that the dogs were fierce is ridiculous. If the authorities were expecting a grand welcome and the dogs to be camera friendly to gun-totting strangers then it clearly shows that they are not dog-sensitive. Obviously, you can't expect a dog to co-operate and be friendly with a stranger who is trying to shoot them. In fact dogs can sense their enemies. Here the dogs who are territorial in nature would have reacted instinctively to protect their territory. On the same day, it was reported in the Daily Mail, Charleston, West Virginia, that 86 dogs were seized in Roane and a 71-year-old Roane County woman faced six counts of animal cruelty after officials seized 86 dogs over the course of a week from her farm. The lady is scheduled for a hearing in Roane Magistrate Court today. Some dogs were found infested with fleas, lice, licks and worms, and were kept at the livestock barn at Roane County and at the animal shelter. Ammonia was used to get out the animals as the officials felt " it was all that they could do to get in and get the animals out " . Australia has the highest rates of pet ownership in the world. In fact they even have a Companion Animals Act which came into effect in September 1998 and is designed to benefit pets, their owners and the wider community. In Malaysia we only have the Animal Ordinance 1953. Now, do we have any idea what sort of impact animals have on people? Most importantly, do we realise that animal have rights too? It has been proven that animals are therapeutic and dogs are useful companions for the handicapped. Having pets teaches a child to love and care and be less violent. A child can learn not to inflict pain and learns responsibility. All these are qualities that even parents cannot harness by just telling the children. Animals should have the right to equal consideration of their interest. We are, therefore obliged to take interest into consideration and respect the dog's right not to have pain unnecessarily inflicted upon him or her. However, animals don't always have the same rights as human because their interests are not always the same as ours, and some rights would be irrelevant to animals. For instance, a dog doesn't have an interest in voting and therefore, doesn't have the right to vote because that right would be as meaningless to a dog as it is to a child. Is that why the dogs were shot in that manner and a bloody scar left on the owners of the dogs. In conclusion I wish to state what Peter Singer said in The Philosophy of Animal Rights by Dr Tom Regan, " We are not saying that humans and other animals are equal in every way. For example, we are not saying that dogs and cat can do calculus, or that pigs and cows enjoy poetry. What we are saying is that, like humans, many other animals are psychological beings, with an experiental welfare of their own. In this sense, we and they are the same. In this sense, therefore, despite our many differences, we and they are equal. All the arguments to prove man's superiority cannot shatter this hard fact: in suffering, the animals are our equals. Why couldn't we be more civilised and tranquilise the dogs and remove them. We have heard of tigers and elephants being tranquilised. These were mere dogs. It would have been easier and less brutal. http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=14691 ................... Eng may be an ‘animal hoarder’ Malaysiakini Jason Baker Jul 10, 06 I refer to your report Animal welfare groups outraged over dog slaughter. It is tragic that 13 of Eng Her Sun’s dogs were shot when officials went to his home to investigate complaints about the noise and smell. While the SPCA is right to encourage the government to properly train city officers in handling animals, this horrible occurrence may have been prevented if Eng had not kept so many animals. It appears that Eng may be an ‘animal hoarder’ - someone who compulsively accumulates animals and fails to realise when the situation becomes abusive and a threat to human and animal health. Hoarders are often well-intentioned people who, faced with the tragic dog and cat overpopulation problem, try to ‘rescue’ homeless animals, but inevitably get in way over their heads and wind up abusing the animals instead. We can help prevent abuses like hoarding in our own communities by spaying and neutering our animals and encouraging others to do the same. For information on ways you can help animals, please visit this website. The writer is director of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta), Asia-Pacific. http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/53645 ................... Stop hounding, killing of dogs malaysiakini C Hassan Jul 11, 06 I refer to your report Animal welfare groups outraged over dog slaughter. This utterly cruel, inhumane and barbaric response by ‘killers’ entering someone’s compound to kill is outrageous and senseless. Surely this primitive barbarism is not within the law, rabies having been well under control for some time now? A feeling of sadness washed over me and I felt empty as if my insides had fallen out. So unnecessary, such hatred and indifference for life. Malaysia is in the 21st century in many aspects - IT, fancy glass and metal buildings. But mentally, Malaysia is still in the Dark Ages. All that was needed was for a few caring and compassionate people to extend a hand of friendship, to adopt and give a life to a dog. One could have hoped that such people existed in Seremban. There are many rewards to be gained from keeping a dog, be it for security, friendship for the elderly and disabled or a pet to adorn the home. A dog is capable of so much love, its vibrations are good for our health. We get a happy feeling and in many cases provides a reason for living. Stop the hounding and killing of dogs, we need them. There are alternative methods and the Malaysian Association for Responsible Pet Ownership (Marpo) is willing to work on a joint basis with the various councils to come up with something more ideal and humane. http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/53703 ................... Focus The Star July 11, 2006 How heartless THE pictures in the newspaper recently of dead dogs in the blood-spluttered house of Eng Her Sun, 66, gnawed relentlessly at my heart. Have we Malaysians who profess to be a caring society come to a stage where we resort to violence when solutions to problems are not in sight and all measures taken have failed? There were elements of contradiction in the statements of the Seremban Municipal Council and Eng’s neighbours. One thing was very clear, though. The enforcement officers went to Eng’s house with an agenda – to kill all the dogs. The dogs had no way of escape. They were cornered and physically crippled. When the devastating guns exploded, they were so frightened that some of them hid under the furniture. Their bid to escape was futile. Mercilessly, the dog shooters shot them, one by one. The dog shooters were not sharp shooters so the 13 dogs would have died lingering, painful deaths. The officers claimed their action was justified. They were ordered to cull the dogs. For what reasons? Did the dogs have rabies? Was the situation life-threatening? Are responsible dog owners, dog rescuers and care-givers no longer safe in their own homes? Will they be the next victims? Forgive me for being presumptuous but if Eng was a man of social standing and wealth, would the actions of the authorities have taken a different turn and the problem solved in an amicable manner? This carnage gives the message and implication of blatant bullying. Each of us has the right to enjoy every right granted to us as enshrined in our Constitution. May the powers-that-be give dog lovers, dog rescuers and care-givers renewed hope and energy, by doing things that will help to make their work with these animals and their lives more pleasant. A caring Malaysian Klang ................... Opinion The Star July 12, 2006 Do work with SPCA to help stray dogs KUDOS to Eng Her Sun for his heart of compassion towards stray dogs, “Owner moves out to be with his dogs” (The Star, July 4). His story highlights once again that the many pleas for the authorities not to shoot stray dogs have fallen on deaf ears. It is evident that the authorities prefer to take the easy way out by killing the dogs than working with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to find homes for these strays. Every dog wants a home and to be loved. Dogs do not become strays by choice. The root cause of their situation is humans. Sadly, strays receive the death sentence while the culprits go unpunished. Shooting stray dogs is not a community service. It is cruelty to animals. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/7/12/focus/14803303 & sec=focus ................... Opinion The Star Thursday July 6, 2006 SMS your views >Shooting of dogs THANK you Anthony Thanasayan 4 speaking up 4 the defenceless dogs. Pity u could not have saved them from such a terrible fate. – Tan I THINK the one who says either shoot the mangy dogs or shoot the owners must shoot himself first. We don't need another inhumane person in this world. MORAL values and ‘kasih sayang’ for our elders, friends & animals is meaningless if local councils continue shooting defenceless dogs. I HEAR lots of noise in back alleys caused by cats. I call upon the council 2 shoot them as they’re a nuisance esp at night making eerie sounds. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/7/6/focus/14753094 & sec=focus -------------------------------- -EMAIL ADDRESS OF SEREMBAN TOWN COUNCIL: aduan Seremban Council president: Abdul Halim Abdul Latif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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