I would like to highlight an unhygienic activity which seems to have gone unnoticed by local urban planners – dog owners letting their pets do their stuff on public roads.

Dog’s poo is a dirty subject but someone has to deal with it. Unfortunately, the people who should deal with it seem to have no idea how, in this case, the local authorities.

There are no strict laws in Malaysia to make sure that owners clean up after their dogs. We see people in residential neighbourhoods, posh and otherwise, walking their dogs (both ordinary and expensive breeds). Most are not on a leash.

The dogs are allowed to urinate and defecate on roads or grass pavements, often in front of other people’s houses. When confronted, they try to act the legal eagle, arguing that they are on a public road, to justify their actions!

Dog poo is poisonous, esp-ecially to children, filthy and offensive. One does not have to smell it to conclude that it is no different from human waste, which we manage professionally! Some people may not like the idea of keeping dogs for religious or health reasons, but no matter which religion or race you belong to, you will not want to be stepping on dog’s poo when out on an evening stroll.

In the West, where proportionately, more people own dogs compared to Malaysia, local authorities have strict rules on dog ownership as well as how owners should walk their dogs in public.

There are also laws allowing an acceptable level of barking of a neighbour’s dog. In some cases, continuous barking for 10 minutes will mean noise pollution.

Here, we see more dog waste in residential neighbourhoods and public places and parks than in the West. There, a dog owner will have to bring the appropriate tools, namely a scoop and a plastic bag, when walking his dog to pick up waste. We don’t have to go far – Singapore has strict laws on dog walking for safety and hygiene purposes.

Recently, I saw posters about a workshop on “livable cities” at the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ). How we manage animals within the city in which we

live is an important part of achieving the goal of making a city livable.

It is time the authorities draw up a serious plan on controlling the uncivilised manner in which dog owners walk their dogs.

They give a bad name to responsible owners who do not regard public places as their dogs’ toilet.

MBPJ and its counterparts can study how the law is enforced in developed countries without having to spend taxpayers money on a study trip. A simple internet search of laws on dog’s poo will show how this is done. Cleanliness, after all, is always a win-win solution.

Dog’s best friend
Petaling Jaya

Source: The Sun – August 4, 2008