Man files police report over shooting of stray dog in Malaysia, says council officers misused firearms

A man in Malaysia has filed a police report against officers from a local district council who fatally shot a stray dog on Oct 6.

The killing of the "sweet, homeless" canine, named Kopi, made waves online after Instagram account My Forever Doggo broke the news in a post last Friday (Oct 11).

The account said that a Terengganu resident had heard "loud gunshots" and found Kopi laying on her side, covered in blood and crying in pain after being shot by officers from the Besut district council (MDB).

"Kopi was known to be the 'big sister' for all the cats and puppies in the area. She was known for her gentle nature and was completely harmless to anyone," read the post.

"There are more humane ways of treating them. Killing these homeless doggos does not change the situation, helping them does."

The incident sparked outrage among netizens and animal rights groups, who called for an investigation to be started against MDB.

In response, MDB president Mohd Sukeri Ibrahim said the shooting exercise was carried out in accordance with standard operating procedures and and complied with the Animal Welfare Act, reported The Star.

He said that the council had received complaints about a pack of aggressive stray dogs harassing pedestrians and conducted the operation in line with dog licensing by-laws, which allows the use of firearms in specific cases to manage or remove dangerous or wild animals.

However, the by-laws states that a stray may be caught to be destroyed and has no mention of shooting, The Star reported.

On Tuesday, Malay Mail reported that a police report calling for an investigation into Kopi's death had been filed by Sashi Kumar Shanmugam, a representative of the Global Human Rights Federation.

"Kopi's killing is an act of cruelty and is illegal under the Animal Welfare Act 2015," he said in the police report.

The law states that animals may not be killed using firearms unless authorised by the Veterinary Services Department in cases of emergency or for disease control purposes.

On the same day, a group of animal rights activists declared that they will soon file a civil suit against MDB, reported New Straits Times.

An online petition demanding justice for Kopi said the stray was "gentle and friendly" and known to the local community. It has collected nearly 28,000 signatures as of Thursday afternoon.

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lim.kewei@asiaone.com