Besut Council Says Shooting of Stray Dog Kopi was in Accordance with SOPs Despite Public Backlash

Facebook page ‘My Forever Doggo,’ which focuses on canine-related content, posted a heartbreaking video of the death of a homeless dog, Kopi, being covered in blood and later succumbing to her severe injuries after being shot. The dog had previously won the hearts of netizens due to its adorable antics.

Kopi was found by a resident in a nearby housing area after the sound of gunshots was heard in Besut, Terengganu.

The video explained that Kopi was known to be a harmless and gentle dog.

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Netizens were indignant over the incident, with comments tagging Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim saying, “Dear PM, please do something about this. Killing is not a permanent solution to combat the population. We need to know what is the government initiative to control the stray population.”

Another said, “Do we know any animal rights lawyer who could fight for this cause and for the rest the other animals who receive the same fate? Broke my heart.”

However, as reported by Malay Mail, Besut District Council (MDB) president Mohd Sukeri Ibrahim said that the shooting was carried out following standard operating procedures (SOPs).

“The handling of the stray dog adhered to the SOP established by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) and complied with Section 30 of the Animal Welfare Act 2015.”

The president emphasised that the operation aligned with the Dog Licencing By-Laws (Besut District Council) 1990. He also said that the law allows using firearms in specific cases during operations to manage or remove dangerous or wild animals.

“The regulation allows for any licenced or unlicensed dog, whose owner cannot be found, to be removed or handled as instructed by the council president or an authorised officer,” he said.

Image Credit: facebook.com/myforeverdoggo

Mohd Sukeri also refuted claims that the council staff had abandoned the dog after it was shot. “Unfortunately, when our team attempted to retrieve the dog’s remains, they were prevented from doing so by certain individuals,” he said.

On September 6, 2024, a joint operation involving 25 personnel from MDB, the district veterinary office, and the Kota Putera state legislative assembly office was conducted in the town of Jerteh to address the issue of stray dogs.

Mohd Sukeri added that this action was taken following public complaints about a pack of stray dogs near the Jerteh branch of Bank Simpanan Nasional. The dogs had grown aggressive and were harassing pedestrians.