NST Streets - August 23rd, 2010 : Animal Welfare Organisation Seeks Higher Penalty For Cruelty To Animals
KUALA LUMPUR: In conjunction with World Animal Day 2010 on Oct 4, animal sanctuary Furry Friends Farm (FFF) is rallying the country to urge the government to revise the Animals Act 1953.
The revision, FFF said in a press statement, should include a higher penalty for cruelty towards animals and the prohibition of cat and dog consumption. "Unfortunately, the abused dog no longer has the use of her lower jaw and has to accustom herself to eating and drinking without it. The culprits were not identified and no proper law enforcement was carried out by the authorities.
In the past five years, animal cruelty cases are said to have increased substantially. FFF recalled an example of of maltreatment in the case of Joy, a stray mongrel found brutally beaten by foreign workers at a construction site in 2006.
"At the point of rescue, FFF founder Sabrina Yeap discovered that Joy suffered from a broken, dangling lower jaw, which had to be permanently removed. After many months of surgery and recuperation, Joy is finally well again.
"Even if the culprit had been convicted, he or she would only be charged a maximum fine of RM200," said FFF.
Another example was the dog which was found chained and infested with ticks. Its owner was sentenced by the court to a maximum fine of RM200.
More recently, over 300 stray adult dogs and puppies were dumped on a remote mangrove island by the villagers of Pulau Ketam, FFF added.
The animal sanctuary said the uninhabitable condition on the island and negligence resulted in the deaths of more than half of the animals.
"The amount RM200 may have meant a lot in the 1950s, but today, this amount has little or no impact on offenders, and it certainly does not inspire a caring society or promote animal welfare.
"Despite its revision in 2006, the current Act (Part IV, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) still states that any person found guilty of abusing, abandoning or neglecting an animal is liable to a fine of RM200 or to imprisonment for a term of six months or to both" FFF added.
FFF said it had recently received an eye-opening post in its Facebook account. Someone narrated her experience at a wet market in Ipoh, where she found a man openly selling frogs, chickens, squirrels, tortoises and even puppies.
She offered the vendor a handsome price but was refused and threatened when he found out that she wanted to rescue the puppy. The woman reported the incident to various authorities but to no avail.
There is no law in Malaysia that forbids the act of eating dogs and cats, FFF said.
It added that neighbouring Asian countries such as the Philippines and Indonesia have made it illegal to consume cats and dogs.
"It's a shame to know that such a cruel act is being practised widely in Korea, China, Vietnam and Malaysia - an atrocity which other developed countries has condemned as 'the mentality of a third world country'," FFF added.
It proposes the following:
1. The ban of pet animal consumption.
2. The increase of the penalty from RM200 and six months of jail term to a minimum fine of RM10,000 and a minimum jail term of two years.
3. Compulsory community service to be carried out at an animal shelter for a minimum of four hours a day during jail term.
From now until Oct 4, FFF hopes to gather signatures as a sign of the people's collective outcry for justice and a heavier penalty for abusers.
Road shows will be carried out until Sept 30 to collect signatures from the public.
Individuals are also welcome to give their support by signing the online petition at www.furryfriendsfarm.org.my.
They can further help by downloading the petition form from the website and circulating it among family and friends.
The form should be returned to FFF at 79, Jalan Sri Cemara 3/7, Bandar Sri Damansara before Oct 4.
"Our goal is to achieve over 10,000 valid signatories for the appeal to push through," FFF said.
