SPCA chairman Christine Chin said effective stray control is possible and International Islamic University Malaysia’s (IIUM) Abu Hurairah Club is a good example for such efforts.
She said IIUM has zero reported cases of stray animals being killed on campus.
SPCA patron Lee Lam Thye said such clubs could help students learn why loving animals is important, nurturing compassion and humanity towards them.
“I agree with what is being done at IIUM – it’s a project that can educate the younger generation, especially students, on the importance of fostering a love for animals,” Lee told a press conference at SPCA’s headquarters in Ampang Jaya.
IIUM lecturer Zarinah Jan Yusof Khan said the club, officially established in 2019, looks after around 300 stray cats and 60 stray dogs living in and around the campus.
“IIUM has over 120 clubs but only one that deals with stray animals. We work 24 hours to take care of the animals,” she said, adding that the club has structured activities where students can get involved in rescues and adoption drives.
The club also invites veterinarians to provide training to students, including techniques for cleaning wounds and the aftercare required for animals after they have been spayed. In more serious cases, students bring the animals to veterinarians for treatment.
Zarinah, who is the club’s adviser, said the costs needed to carry out the activities were managed through crowdfunding.
The club also feeds the strays and has set up around 150 food stations across its campus for the animals.
She highlighted that monthly club activities involving the animals also benefitted students as it provided a form of therapy to help them cope with stress.
Zarinah also stressed the importance of the university top management’s support for the club’s efforts, saying that it was a collaborative effort.
“The club also prints out and pastes notices on the legal provisions prohibiting animal cruelty around student hostels. This (is a warning to) students that if they do something wrong, they will get caught,” she added.
Last Saturday, a cat was killed by a pack of stray dogs at a UM car park in the latest incident of cat-related deaths on the campus.
Police have previously said it was likely that the dead cats had been attacked by stray dogs.
An independent animal rescuer, however, challenged this claim after a post-mortem carried out by a private clinic on one of the carcasses found lesions that were highly likely to have been caused by sharp objects.