SHAH ALAM, Aug 17 — A proposal on a neutering initiative is in the works between the Klang Royal City Council (MBDK) and a non-governmental organisation (NGO), including a trap-neuter-release (TNR) programme that will manage the district’s estimated 11,000 stray dogs.
Klang Mayor Datuk Abd Hamid Hussain said the NGO would fund the neutering procedures, while MBDK would provide temporary shelter for captured dogs during the process.
“MBDK aims to gradually reduce the city’s stray dog population through the implementation of the TNR programme.
“Dogs removed from the streets will be neutered and we hope the NGO will be able to rehome the animals instead of returning them to the streets,” he said during a cat adoption programme at Taman Kucing Klang in Bandar Bukit Raja.
Hamid added that trained staff from the council’s Health Department will be responsible for capturing the stray dogs and placing them at its shelter, where they would also be vaccinated.
“We want these animals put up for adoption so that they can find new homes,” he said.
Hamid also shared that 430 dogs and 18 cats were vaccinated between January and June this year.
On licensing, 2,125 dog licences were issued from January to July, when compared with 2,298 for last year.
Meanwhile, MBDK is in the final stage of constructing a shelter for stray dogs in Pulau Indah, Port Klang, as part of its animal management efforts.
“MBDK’s plan is to have an area for dogs that can be adopted. We want to encourage people to visit the kennels and adopt neutered animals,” he said.
The Canine Housing and Neutering Centre, which is estimated to cost RM1 million, will be built on a 2.5-hectare triangular plot in Taman Perindustrian Pulau Indah and will house stray or abandoned dogs.
Hamid noted that the centre will neuter dogs to control the population while addressing complaints involving unlicensed canines.
Elsewhere, MBDK assistant senior environmental health officer Nurbaiti Harom said the council has promoted the cat adoption programme to nearby residents through leaflets.
“The turnout was good. There were 20 health department staff attending to residents,” she said.
The next cat adoption event at Taman Kucing Klang is scheduled for the first week of October.
