Peka vice-president Dr Kartini Farah Rahim said it received multiple reports from students of the university regarding dogs that were found dead within the campus grounds.

“They reported hearing gunshots between midnight and 2am at the end of 2024 and early 2025. After the gunshots, they heard the loud cries of dogs,” she said at a press conference at the Lawyers for Liberty’s office here today.

Kartini also said Peka received reports of university staff poisoning puppies, and believes the carcasses were buried on campus after that.

“We want to know who is responsible. Who gave the orders to shoot and poison these animals?” she said.

She claimed that the university outsourced the operations to a third-party contractor, citing an alleged invoice between the company and the university for the culling of between 20 and 30 stray dogs.

Kartini said Peka could only confirm that 18 dogs and five puppies were killed, based on photographic evidence obtained.

She said the contractor was paid RM6,000 to RM7000 for each operation, which is about RM400 a dog.

Peka president Rajesh Nagarajan questioned how the university could allow the use of firearms for the culling. He referred to Section 30(1) of the Animal Welfare Act 2015, which makes shooting illegal unless permitted by the authorities.

“So, how can the university pay for such services? If no permission was obtained, the university would be involved in an illegal act,” he said.

Rajesh also questioned how the contractor obtained a firearm licence as Malaysia has strict weapons regulation.

He said Peka will file a police report later today, and hoped police would act against the perpetrators.

FMT has reached out to the university and the higher education ministry for comment.