IPOH, Jan 10 — A week into its formation, a newly set up animal welfare non-governmental organisation in Manjung is facing an uphill battle to re-home all strays caught by the Manjung Municipal Council.
Persatuan Kebajikan dan Suara Haiwan Jalanan Manjung Perak have been given until the end of January to rehome the 300 strays that the council released at a dumpsite in Sungai Wangi, Sitiawan.
Feeder Thomas David said they were informed by the council on January 6 to vacate the area as they needed the space for their organic fertilizer project.
“We are racing against time to rehome all the dogs there before the dogs get evicted,” he said.
Speaking to Malay Mail, Thomas said all the dogs were caught from the Manjung district.
“The council started releasing the dogs at the dumpsite in 2020 after it suspended the shooting of strays,” he added.
The council was in the news after it issued a circular on a stray dog-shooting exercise before the Perak state government put a stop to the exercise.
Appealing for more time before the council evicts the dogs, Thomas said the organisation was actively looking for land to place the dogs
“Before a new place is found, the dogs will not have a place to go,” he added, noting that there were some 50 puppies looking for homes.
The organisation’s vice-president Joanne Low said they held their first adoption drive on Sunday, January 9, to rehome the dogs.
“We managed to get eight puppies rehomed,” she said, adding that the number of dogs at the dumpsite could increase as nabbing the animals by the council was an ongoing process.
“For now, the immediate concern is the welfare of the dogs. We need to rehome all of them as we have no shelter yet,” she said.
In the long term, the organisation is appealing to any landowners in Sitiawan who can lease their land to them.
“We do not need a huge piece of land, preferably about one hectare. Just enough to shelter stray dogs caught by the council,” she added.
Those who can help the organisation can contact Low at 012-6392297 or Thomas at 012-5075463.
Whoever wants to adopt the dogs can also contact Low or Thomas.
