Early this year a sterilization project was done at KKB (Kuala Kubu Bahru) for abandoned and stray dogs in the vicinity.
The squalid conditions of the pound located at a corner of the Municipal Council’s workshop in town was horrible. The dogs were kept in metal cages that were exposed to the extremities of the weather conditions. The dogs were prone to heatstroke and dehydration. The cages were cramped with dogs of different sizes, age and conditions. The entire situation was dismal.
There was one particular dog which had a hole punched through its forehead and was obviously in extreme pain and suffering and that one dog made it our mission to do right for the animals there. Arrangements were made the next day to meet with the Majlis Daerah Hulu Selangor members (Hulu Selangor Council) for discussions on methods to humanely treat the incarcerated dogs whilst they are being kept at the pound. Many of the dogs had collars, were well kept and seemed well fed. However, these dogs were often found roaming in public areas where they were eventually caught and impounded. Most owners do not claim ownership of these dogs due to a myriad of reasons; one more often than not is that they are not aware that there is such a place where roaming dogs are impounded. So these dogs are locked up in the pound for 2 weeks or until due time when the owners retrieve them in which time if they are not claimed, will be ‘destroyed’.
The squalid conditions of the pound located at a corner of the Municipal Council’s workshop in town was horrible. The dogs were kept in metal cages that were exposed to the extremities of the weather conditions. The dogs were prone to heatstroke and dehydration. The cages were cramped with dogs of different sizes, age and conditions. The entire situation was dismal.
There was one particular dog which had a hole punched through its forehead and was obviously in extreme pain and suffering and that one dog made it our mission to do right for the animals there. Arrangements were made the next day to meet with the Majlis Daerah Hulu Selangor members (Hulu Selangor Council) for discussions on methods to humanely treat the incarcerated dogs whilst they are being kept at the pound. Many of the dogs had collars, were well kept and seemed well fed. However, these dogs were often found roaming in public areas where they were eventually caught and impounded. Most owners do not claim ownership of these dogs due to a myriad of reasons; one more often than not is that they are not aware that there is such a place where roaming dogs are impounded. So these dogs are locked up in the pound for 2 weeks or until due time when the owners retrieve them in which time if they are not claimed, will be ‘destroyed’.
The meeting with the council members, workers and dogcatchers at the pound was very promising. Raymund demonstrated that the sick and old dogs can be put down with euthanasia rather than battering them to death. The dogcatchers and the pound workers were very open to the ‘new’ method introduced to them by Raymund. The Council members present were empathetic to the situation and promised to provide a proper shelter and feeding facility for the incarcerated dogs.
Of all the 20 dogs at the pound, 5 were put down and the remaining 15 were taken back to Noah’s Ark and are happily coexisting with the other residents there. The pound at KKB has been cleaned up and the dogs are now being treated a lot better now. We realized that with a little bit of education, awareness and compassion can make a BIG different.
Of all the 20 dogs at the pound, 5 were put down and the remaining 15 were taken back to Noah’s Ark and are happily coexisting with the other residents there. The pound at KKB has been cleaned up and the dogs are now being treated a lot better now. We realized that with a little bit of education, awareness and compassion can make a BIG different.
Well done. A campaign to educate the public (and dogcatchers in particular) that animals have feelings,feel pain, and deserve better will not go wrong. All they need is a little bit of care.
ReplyDeleteI salute you for your good work.