KUCHING: Special Assistant to MP Stampin, Michael Kong has called on the authorities to take urgent and decisive action after another resident at Lorong 22 in the Stampin Resettlement Scheme was bitten by a stray dog last Saturday.
He said this latest case was not an isolated incident, noting that a resident from Lorong 45 had died last year after being attacked by a stray dog.
He said residents in the area have for years reported repeated cases of being bitten or scratched by stray dogs, which shows that the stray population has reached a worrying level and the risks linked to rabies could no longer be taken lightly.
Kong said residents had continuously appealed to the authorities to capture stray dogs and carry out proper rabies testing, yet the community continued to face the same dangers. He added that the repeated incidents made it clear that the current response was inadequate and that more needed to be done to safeguard public safety.
He urged the authorities to capture stray dogs in the affected areas and ensure they are properly tested for rabies as an immediate priority.
Kong also stressed the need for authorities to adopt the TNRM approach, which refers to Trap Neuter Release Manage, as a long term measure. He said the approach, which involves humanely trapping, neutering, vaccinating and managing stray dogs, had been proven effective in controlling stray populations and reducing aggressive behaviour linked to uncontrolled breeding.
Without a structured approach like TNRM, he said the number of strays would continue to grow and put residents at ongoing risk.
Kong said the people of the Stampin Resettlement Scheme deserved a neighbourhood where they could feel safe when stepping out of their homes. He added that the authorities must act now rather than wait for another tragedy to occur.
By Connie Chieng