‘Lukewarm response to Dog Licensing and Control By-Law 2018’
SIBU: There has been lukewarm response towards the newlyenforced Dog Licensing and Control By-Law 2018, which requires pet owners to obtain licence for their dogs.
Assistant Minister of Local Government Datu Dr Penguang Manggil noted only a small number of pet owners had obtained licence for their dogs since the bylaw came into effect on Dec 1.
“Unfortunately, the response has been very slow and lukewarm. The Ministry of Local Government and Housing will heighten the campaign again, beginning midJanuary 2019,” he disclosed to The Borneo Post yesterday when asked on the level of compliance with the Dog Licensing and Control By-Law 2018 among pet owners in Sarawak.
It is reported that all the 26 dog licence by-laws in Sarawak have been consolidated into one law for the purpose of uniformity and consistency in licensing and in the manner how the dog population is controlled.
Penguang had, on Oct 22 this year, announced the new Local Authorities ( Dog Licensing and Control) By-laws 2018 to limit the number of dogs per property – three dogs for landed properties, or one small-breed dog for flat and apartment properties.
Tabled and approved by the Sarawak Cabinet on Oct 18, the by-laws came into force on Dec 1, 2018.
It is said that this move was a follow-up step taken by Sarawak following the rabies outbreak last year.
The local authorities under the Ministry of Local Government and Housing are offering a oneyear exemption on dog licence fees, from Dec 1 this year until Nov 30 next year, said the ministry’s permanent secretary Bakrie Zaini recently.
He said this was to encourage dog owners to get their pets licensed.
However, he added that this licence fee exemption would only be for dog- owners who had submitted or would be submitting their dog licence application, between Dec 3 this year and Feb 28 next year.
According to Bakrie, the annual fee is RM10 per sterilised dog and RM30 per non- sterilised dog. However, those having more than three dogs would have to pay annual subsequent fees of RM30 per sterilised dog and RM90 per non-sterilised dog.
By-Law 4 (1) provides for the licence to be valid for three years after issuance.
Unfortunately, the response has been very slow and lukewarm. The Ministry of Local Government and Housing will heighten the campaign again, beginning mid-January 2019. Datu Dr Penguang Manggil, Assistant Minister of Local Government