Photo: Twitter (Faizal Hassan)
Dogs are man’s best friend, they said. But that doesn’t seem to be the case at all in a video that went viral just a few days ago.
In the video, MPSJ contractors can be seen forcefully handling an unlicensed dog. Its owner tried to fend off the men, with an argument ensuing during and after the fight. The woman behind the camera can be heard crying above the sound of the dog’s whimpering.
Photo: Facebook
Netizens were divided over the incident, with some saying this may not have been a full picture of what happened and that the MPSJ staff were merely doing their jobs. There are also others who pointed out that there are many owners in Malaysia who are simply incapable of responsible ownership. Some owners do not spay or train their pets, get licences for them, or simply neglect them, all of which makes the pet the true victim.
At the same time, another netizen suggested that they could have given warning and allowed the owner ample time to apply for a license as animals are living creatures capable of feeling pain and despair. Some even commented on the fact that they needed 8 burly men to catch one dog when kindness and persuasion could have worked better.
This morning, a man went to the Parliament building to protest the incident and tried to jump off the overpass. Dressed in red with a big neon sign that read “Malaysia local council abused dogs cruelly over the years”, this one man army managed to get some attention. Some officers can be seen trying to stop him, and while it’s fortunate nothing happened to the man, he got his message across clearly - animals, too, deserve love and respect.
By: Celestine Foo
