MIRI: The police are urged to investigate the disposal of dog carcasses found dumped into a drain at the Miri Kuala Baram Waste Disposal site.
“I would like the police to investigate into the cause and its lawfulness with respect to the disposal of diseased or dead animals, especially with the rabies outbreak in Miri now,” said Pujut Assemblyman Dr Ting Tiong Choon when met at the compound of Miri Central Police station (CPS) yesterday after he lodged a police report on the shocking discovery.
The alleged discovery was made on Wednesday when Dr Ting visited the site around 3pm.
During the surprise visit, Dr Ting claimed that they found at least six dog carcasses at the site.
“I was informed by a member of the public around 2pm on Tuesday that dog carcasses were dumped into a drain at the Miri (Kuala Baram) Waste Disposal site and that many dogs in the pound were given inadequate food and water.
“During my visit to the site near the Truck Weighing Station, we found 32 dogs being kept in a pound,” he said, adding that the pound is near the Truck Weighing Station where two women there claimed they are Miri City Council (MCC) workers.
During an inspection of the area, we also found a few dog carcasses were thrown into a drain across the pound.
“Following a conversation with residents near the area and two staffers on site, I suspected that the dog carcasses were disposed by MCC staffers into the drain. From the various stages of decomposition of the dog carcasses, I believe that the dog carcasses were disposed here since a few weeks ago to as recent as one day ago,” he said.
Dr Ting felt that the disposal of the dead dogs was inappropriate and unlawful for any person or authority to cast dead or infected animal into any drain, stream, river, street or open space (Laws of Sarawak, Chapter 32, Veterinary Public Health Ordinance, 1999).
“Following a press statement yesterday by Miri Mayor where he said that 1,470 dogs have been caught since July 2017 by the Miri City Council, I would like the police to investigate whether the 1,470 dogs have been disposed in accordance with the law and whether any appropriate documentation was done,” Dr Ting said.
He added that the investigation was crucial to know whether animal cruelty offences have been committed by MCC or its representatives.
