SIBU: The Sibu Municipal Council’s effort to contain the stray dogs problem has met with little success.
Council chairman Clarence Ting today blamed this on owners who let loose their dogs.
“I have written many times about dogs being let loose on the residential roads and over the last few months SMC had handle a lot of feedback on dog nuisance in their neighbourhood,“ he said on his Facebook account.
He said SMC’s dog catching unit had caught 83 dogs in January and 96 dogs in February but strays remained a problem.
Ting was sharing the heartbreaking news on the death of a five-year-old girl, Abbiera Mia Alexson, at Sibu Hospital on Thursday. She is suspected to have been infected with rabies after she was bitten by a stray dog early this month at Jalan Sentosa.
He said it was a needless tragedy to occur for society to wake up to the dangers.
“I have given instructions to catch and put down all dogs within city limits. This will continue till residents appreciate their pets and the dangers it poses to others,“ he said.
Sibu divisional health officer Dr Teh Jo Hun was reported today to have said that the girl had been given the best possible treatment when she was brought to the hospital but her condition deteriorated and she began to develop symptoms.
SMC enforcement officers went to the area to investigate the case but the stray dog had died the day after it attacked the girl.
Dr Teh said it has yet to be confirmed whether or not the girl died from rabies as they had to wait for blood test results from Kuching and Kuala Lumpur.
The official cause of death will only be announced by the State Disaster Management Committee. — Bernama
