(MY) ruling on pets

[Guest guest]

Thursday June 7, 2007-The Star

 

Sungai Petani to enforce ruling on pets from July 1 after complaints

 

By TUNKU SHAHARIAH and R. SURENDRAN

 

SUNGAI PETANI: Three's the limit.

 

Effective July 1, animal lovers staying in landed property here can

only keep three pets per house – regardless of whether they are dogs,

cats, ducks or chicken.

 

Those who exceed the number must be prepared to pay a fine of up to

RM1,000 or face six months' jail if caught by the Sungai Petani

Municipal Council's enforcement team.

 

Council public relations officer Zubaidah Hanoom Mohd Yusof said

keeping more than three pets was an offence under Section 81 of the

Local Government Act 1976. The council would fully enforce the ruling

together with several other bylaws next month.

 

" These are existing bylaws which the public often claim they are

unaware of. Our Ops Awareness campaign is to create awareness on

council bylaws so that people will not have excuses when we book them

for various offences under the Act, " she told The Star yesterday.

 

The council is believed to be the first in the country to enforce the

three pets ruling for residents staying in landed property. Those

staying in flats or apartments are not allowed to keep pets at all.

 

Zubaidah said they decided to be strict following a number of

complaints about pets that were becoming a nuisance in residential

areas.

 

She added that under Ops Awareness, the council would distribute

copies of the bylaws to some 100 developers in Kuala Muda for

distribution to house and building owners when they hand over the keys

for new projects.

 

A teacher, who has 16 cats, said she was worried about the fate of her pets.

 

" I can't bear to part with my cats. They are strays I rescued from the

streets. Furthermore, there is not even an SPCA in Sungai Petani. I

hope the council will be more charitable, " said the teacher who

declined to be named.