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SHAH ALAM: The Royal City Council of Klang (MBDK) has reaffirmed that no Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) violations occurred during the stray dog capture operation at Taman Teluk Gedung Indah, Klang, which resulted in the death of a dog recently. Klang Mayor Datuk Abd Hamid Hussain said the operation was carried out in accordance with the SOP set by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT), including the use of capture loops and nets as the approved methods for handling the animals. He explained that the incident involving the dog’s death occurred after an individual claiming to be the owner of the animal interfered with the operation, resulting in a struggle. “During that night’s operation, we successfully captured 12 dogs with the cooperation of residents. The incident occurred when we attempted to capture the 13th dog,” he said when met at the Selangor State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Wisma lobby on Monday. Previously, media reports stated that the MBDK stray dog capture operation turned chaotic when an individual allegedly acted aggressively, including threatening enforcement personnel with a knife and obstructing them from carrying out their duties. South Klang District Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Lim Jit Huey was reported to have confirmed that the case was being investigated under Section 428 of the Penal Code for alleged mischief resulting in the death of an animal. Abd Hamid further explained that the struggle with the individual claiming ownership of the dog caused the animal to become entangled before it died. He said any individual claiming ownership of a captured animal should submit a claim through the proper procedures after the capture process. However, he added that the individual later claimed that the dog did not belong to him. “Based on the initial statement, the individual claimed that the dog belonged to him, but later denied ownership. We have handed the matter over to the police for further investigation and appropriate action. “So far, two MBDK officers involved have been called to provide statements at the police station,” he said. Abd Hamid also explained that stray dog capture methods must consider the safety of enforcement officers and residents, as the animals may behave aggressively. “If we were capturing a dog the same way we catch a butterfly, it would be different. Dogs are aggressive animals, and we cannot handle them too gently as it may endanger officers and create a risk of the animal escaping,” he said. He added that prior notification of the operation was issued through the Neighbourhood Watch (KRT), while the operation involved 11 MBDK personnel together with approximately 50 residents. According to him, the action was taken following numerous complaints regarding stray dogs roaming freely and posing safety risks to residents. “We receive approximately 50 complaints related to stray dogs every month. The issue is critical in the area, and action was taken based on the complaints received,” he said. Abd Hamid said MBDK also faces challenges in addressing the stray dog issue due to limited manpower and difficulties in engaging private companies to carry out capture operations. “We attempted to appoint private companies to conduct the capture operations, but none were willing to undertake the task, so the work is being carried out by council personnel. “Our workforce is fewer than 20 personnel, while the number of complaints is high and Klang covers a very large area. “Most stray dogs are found around industrial and residential areas and usually appear at night, making immediate capture operations more challenging,” he said. |
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