Councils to act against owners of unlicensed dogs from Dec 1
Councils can impound nonlicensed dogs. Licensed dogs will have metal tagging as proof of having a licence.
SIBU: Local councils in Sarawak will act against pet owners who cannot produce licence for their dogs once the new Local Authorities ( Dog Licensing and Control) By-laws 2018 is enforced on Dec 1.
Assistant Minister of Local Government Datu Dr Penguang Manggil said this, however, will be done in phases according to the strength of each council.
He told The Borneo Post this yesterday when asked if councils can take action against pet owners who do not obtain licence for their dogs.
“Councils can impound nonlicensed dogs. Licensed dogs will have metal tagging as proof of having a licence,” he said.
He also reminded pet owners to ensure their dogs are kept in the house compound even if they are licensed, as the councils’ dog unit can still round them up if they are found roaming the street.
Datu Dr Penguang Manggil, Assistant Minister of Local Government
The new by-law – approved by the Sarawak Cabinet on Oct 18 – is a consolidation of the individual dog-licensing by-law of all 26 local councils in Sarawak.
Penguang was earlier reported as saying that there was an urgent need to enhance dog licensing and control by-laws due to the rabies outbreak in the state, and that the new single by-law would enable the local authorities to have more effective control over the dog population, including those bred for sale.
The new by-law limits the number of dogs per property to three dogs for landed properties, or one small breed dog for flats and apartments.
The licensing fee is RM30 for each sterilised dog and RM90 for each unsterilised dog. For additional dogs, the fee is RM90 for each sterilised dog and RM270 for each non-sterilised dog.
By-Law 4 (1) provides for the licence to be valid for three years upon being issued.