Animal rights lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan proposed the creation of a specialised animal welfare enforcement unit, following examples from Sweden and the Netherlands.
In Sweden, trained officers work closely with veterinarians and inspectors to handle cruelty cases, while the Netherlands has a dedicated “animal police” unit that investigates complaints, rescues animals, and ensures that offenders are prosecuted, he said.
“Malaysia could adopt a similar model to professionalise enforcement and ensure that animal welfare laws are not treated as secondary offences,” he told FMT. “These steps would make enforcement more robust and signal zero tolerance for cruelty.”
Rajesh, who is the Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam (Peka) president, said the 2026 budget should include reforms to close enforcement gaps, citing the rising frequency of animal cruelty cases.
He proposed fast-track courts, training for enforcement agencies, a national animal offender registry, and funding for shelters to care for seized animals.
He also called for animal cruelty offences to be accorded the same level of seriousness as crimes against people.
“Stronger penalties, real reform of the Animal Welfare Act, and a dedicated animal enforcement unit are essential, but the real problem is not just the law, but the failure of enforcement.
“If the veterinary services department cannot bring cases to court despite its resources, then enforcement must be restructured,” he said.
Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia (SAFM) called for the establishment of an animal disaster response unit, fully equipped with 4×4 rescue vehicles, boats, cages, and trained personnel to save animals during floods and fires.
SAFM president R Kalaivanan pointed out that in previous disasters, animals have often been left behind, highlighting the urgent need for such a unit to complement human rescue operations.
He also called for subsidies for veterinary treatment when strays are sick, injured, or abused. “At present, all treatment costs fall on NGOs and volunteers, which limits how many animals can be helped,” he said.
Kalaivanan suggested that the government introduce affordable licensing and microchipping for pets to reduce abandonment and improve owner accountability, saying this would help tackle the root cause of stray overpopulation.
He urged the government to support community feeding by establishing officially recognised and regulated feeding stations with proper hygiene standards, to reduce stray-human conflict in residential areas and improve public health.
He also said allocations to registered NGOs running shelters to cover operational costs such as food, rental, and salaries are much needed.
Kalaivanan reiterated a call for a structured sterilisation and vaccination programme to reduce stray populations humanely.
“Currently, this is underfunded and carried out in an ad hoc manner by NGOs. Federal funding would allow a coordinated and large-scale rollout,” he said.