KUCHING: Kuching Member of Parliament Dr Kevin Yii has appealed to enforcement personnel to strictly adhere to the instruction by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas not to remove dogs inside the compounds of houses.
He urged them to at least verify with the dog owners that their pets were free from rabies before taking further action.
“A dog may aggressively bark whenever it responds to threats of danger but are not necessarily rabid. Perhaps, if need be, the enforcement personnel may ask the owner to show proof or documents of vaccination before they proceed to catch the dog,” he added.
Last Sunday, Uggah said that while the state was currently combating the spread of rabies, dogs inside house compounds were not the targets.
Dr Yii hoped that the enforcement personnel would be more considerate and not trespass into people’s homes.
He admitted that the Veterinary Public Health Ordinance, 1999 might give certain powers for the authorities to catch suspected rabid dogs even in the compounds of houses.
“But there should not be any unnecessary or unreasonable trespassing into people’s homes, causing worries and even security concerns.
“Members of public are now not only concerned with the safety of their pet dogs but also the safety of their properties and homes,” he added.
In a statement issued yesterday, Dr Yii added he had received several complaints from members of the public on alleged trespassing by the authorities.
The MP said he was all for the urgent need to control the rabies outbreak.
“We also acknowledge that the anti-rabies operation may be very challenging but then proper Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) that had been agreed to must be followed and adhered to,” he added.
Dr Yii also appealed to dog owners to always cooperate with the authorities.
“I also encourage pet owners to play their part including getting all their pets vaccinated to help curb the disease and keep them within their compounds so that they will not mix around and risk catching the deadly virus, especially during this time,” he added.
