View: Time to relax no-pet ruling

Saturday August 22, 2009

I AGREE with Animal Lover that "Management of condos must get rid of this petty ruling," (The Star, Aug 15).

I think it is time the ruling is changed to keep up with the times.

Most people cannot afford landed property especially in places like Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Johor Baru and most old

folks live longer and alone with their children away earning a living.

Take my husband and I for example.

We are both retired, in our sixties and our children work overseas.

We are staying with two small dogs which have been with us for the last 10 years.

When we were in Alor Setar we lived in a landed property but since moving to Penang, we can only afford to stay in a condo. What does the condo management expect us to do with our dogs? Throw them away?

These pets have been with us for a long time; they are obedient and well behaved.

They love us unconditionally, understand us, sleep with us and are our companions.

In fact, if we do not take them out, no one would know that we have dogs.

Our neighbours love them and we are considerate owners, picking up and disposing of their faeces in the rubbish bins after they do their business.

We live under stress, feeling like criminals each time we "smuggle" our pets out to answer nature's call.

We feel guilty each time a resident asks "Are you allowed to keep dogs?"

Don't dogs have rights too? The right to have someone love them, the right to a good home and the right to have a place to exercise?

Of course the owners have to be sponsible too.

They must be responsible for the cleanliness of their

surrounding and make sure that their dogs do not harm anyone or make a nuisance of themselves.

Why is it that when people mention pets, they automatically mean dogs?

What about dogs in landed properties?

There is a dog staying in a landed property across the road which was barking and howling day and night yet nothing was done about it.

Is it okay for rich people staying in big houses to keep dogs which are a nuisance?

There was a big hue and cry when we heard of people dumping unwanted pets in Pulau Ketam.

The public were up in arms protesting and advising people not to throw away their pets.

Each day we hear radio announcements telling us to love our pets and not to discard them like old clothes.

So what happens to people like Animal Lover and we who love our pets and want to keep them but are bound by the no pet ruling?

ANIMAL LOVER 2,

Penang.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Opinion 22 August 2009