on 13 dogs shot

[Guest guest]

Owners seek 'justice' for dogs-New Straits Times*23 Aug 2006*

Ridzwan Abdullah <news

 

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*SEREMBAN: " They may be dead, but that won't stop us from seeking justice. "

*

Ng Her Sun and his sister, Choon Mong, whose 13 dogs were shot dead by the

Seremban Municipal Council (MPS) two months ago, said this after filing

their suit against the Government at the High Court yesterday.

 

They are claiming that the shootings were unlawful, and are seeking an

unspecified amount in damages from MPS, the State Veterinary director and

the Government.

 

Her Sun, 57, and his 56-year-old sister are claiming general, punitive and

exemplary compensations, interest, costs and any other relief deemed fit by

the court.

 

The Bar Council has volunteered to bear the costs of the legal action.

 

In their statement of claim, the duo alleged that on June 26 at 9am, a group

of MPS workers unlawfully entered their home in Taman Desa Rasah here and

shot dead 13 of their pet dogs.

 

They claimed that workers from the Veterinary Services Department, who were

present in the raiding group, had failed to protect the dogs, which they

were obliged to, by not stopping the workers from carrying out the

shootings.

 

They also alleged that MPS workers had dragged Choon Mong out from their

home so that they (MPS workers) could carry on with the shootings.

 

Her Sun and Choon Mong claimed that the shootings were unlawful and had

resulted in the death of their pet dogs, which caused them emotional and

mental distress, and loss of peace.

 

They are also seeking an unspecified amount for property damage.

 

Her Sun said the council took the " most barbaric " approach in settling the

dispute.

 

" I do not think we can find this sort of senseless killing anywhere else in

the world. "

 

Present to lend their support were representatives from SPCA Selangor and

Malaysian Association for Responsible Pet Ownership (Marpo).

 

SPCA public relations and marketing manager Lilei Chow said the authorities

should embrace more humane dog-catching techniques rather than shoot them

dead or use loops which caused injuries.

 

MPS president Abd Halim Latiff declined to comment when contacted.

 

In the June 29 incident, MPS workers, armed with a court order, arrived at

Her Sun's terrace house to cull his dogs.

 

They claimed that Her Sun, 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 alleged that Her Sun refused to co-operate and the dogs turned

aggressive when they entered the compound. Her Sun drove off with 13 dogs in

his car. The workers shot the remaining 13.

 

Several animal activist groups, including the Independent Pet Rescuers, have

helped Her Sun relocate 11 of his dogs to a farm in Dengkil.