FMT was yesterday provided photos of stray dogs in a malnourished state kept in unsanitary cages, allegedly at the council’s pound.

However, in a report submitted to the housing and local government ministry, which was made available to FMT, MPAG said the dogs shown in the photos were already sick when brought to the pound.

It said the dogs at the pound are fed regularly, and the pound is cleaned daily.

“MPAG denies that the impounded stray dogs were treated poorly or deprived of basic necessities such as food and proper shelter.

“There are no elements of abuse,” MPAG said, adding that it spends RM5,000 a month to manage the pound.

The council said it keeps 20 to 30 dogs in the pound at a time, and sick dogs and puppies are isolated from the healthy ones.

It said sick dogs deemed untreatable, and dogs not claimed within seven days, are euthanised with assistance from the Melaka department of veterinary services.

“This is in line with the standard operating procedures for the capture and euthanisation of stray dogs within the council’s jurisdiction,” it said.

It also said the department inspected the pound on June 10 last year and recommended several improvements, such as repairing old and dilapidated cages, and creating additional space for cat cages and animal food to prevent contamination.

The department also recommended isolating the dog pound from other areas by establishing a dedicated perimeter, or by installing gates.

MPAG said it had applied for allocations from the federal government on July 30 last year to fund the upgrading works.

It said it plans to relocate the dog pound to a more suitable site by 2027, and is looking to develop more efficient and systematic stray dog capture and impounding procedures in collaboration with other parties.