KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 4 ― Strays may be frowned upon by some but two dogs have been taken in by the Manjung Municipal Council to rid its mangrove park of the monkey menace.
According to Malay portal Utusan Online, the council had taken in two dogs, now named Johnny and Puppy, to guard the Seri Manjung Mangrove Park and chase wild monkeys that wander in the area.
Council president Syamsul Hazeman Md Salleh said the dogs, that are licensed under the council, had been trained to look after the park and also to protect visitors from being disturbed by monkeys or other animals.
“Wild monkeys had previously stolen visitors' food or women's handbags.”
“After this, the problem will cease to exist as Johnny and Puppy will chase the monkeys away besides protecting visitors from other venomous animals,” he said, adding that the dogs used to be strays before it was taken in by the council and trained for the job.
The council is believed to be the first council in Malaysia to use dogs to guard its properties.
The park's security guard Khairol Nizam Mohd Zaki, 37, said Puppy first appeared at the area in April and had been staying there since October while Johnny came in December adding that it took him about a week to train the dogs.
Khairol said to date the dogs had not disturbed visitors and also understood their task which is to protect visitors.
He added that he wore gloves when he needed to touch Johnny and Puppy.
The council had previously raised the ire of animal lovers when it issued a written circular stating that they will be carrying out a stray dog eradication or destruction process by way of shooting.
The move was later receded with state Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Nolee Ashilin Mohd Radzi reportedly said the municipal council would look for other means to address the issue of stray dogs in the municipality.
