Former Klang MP Charles Santiago has called for an independent investigation into Rocky’s death, saying attention should remain on how the dog died during a capture operation instead of placing blame on its owner.
‘Focus on how Rocky died’
According to Free Malaysia Today, he said portraying the owner as “aggressive” distracted from the central issue surrounding the incident. Santiago criticised the Klang Royal City Council (MBDK) for allegedly attempting to justify Rocky’s death by highlighting the owner’s behaviour during the operation.
He said the owner’s reaction should be understood in the context of someone witnessing their dog in distress and trying to intervene.
Santiago called for the circumstances surrounding Rocky’s death to be examined independently, rather than allowing any party directly connected to the operation to determine what happened.
MBDK says operation followed procedure
MBDK previously said the operation was conducted at Taman Teluk Gedung Indah following residents’ complaints about an increasing number of stray dogs and related safety concerns.
The council said the operation, which involved its personnel and local residents, resulted in 12 dogs being captured using loop equipment that complied with standards set by the Housing and Local Government Ministry.
According to MBDK, an individual allegedly attempted to cut the equipment and acted aggressively during the incident, causing a commotion that prevented its personnel from safely releasing it from the dog.
Calls for accountability
The council said it later lodged a police report over the alleged obstruction of public servants carrying out their duties and would leave the matter to the police for investigation.
Meanwhile, animal welfare group Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia has called on the police, the Selangor Veterinary Services Department and MBDK to investigate the incident and determine who should be held responsible.
The group also said Rocky’s body had been preserved as evidence and would be handed over for a veterinary examination to establish the cause of death and document any injuries.
READ MORE:
