Chris's Sharebook 

Kota Kinabalu authorities are required to take stray dogs to an animal shelter, where they will receive care for at least 48 hours. Unfortunately, this regulation is not being respected. In response to recent complaints about strays, authorities approached a citizen and requested that he kill stray dogs with a blowpipe and poison darts. The shooter claims to have killed 5,000 dogs with his blowpipe since 2010.

Compared to euthanasia, blowpipes and poison darts are an extremely painful and terrifying way to kill an animal. The poison can take eight minutes to put a dog down, and dogs begin to vomit four minutes after being poisoned. This means that the animal is in excruciating pain before it dies. Stray dogs often belong to someone, and killing them on-sight prevents owners from claiming their lost pet at a shelter.

Dogs deserve the opportunity to be reunited with their owners. If they must be put down, it should be by gentle euthanasia, and only after 48 hours in a shelter. Please sign the petition to enforce a ban on killing stray dogs in Kota Kinabalu by any other method, except in self-defense cases.