Pet Abandonment Increases by 300% After M’sia’s ‘Lockdown’ As People Can’t Afford to Feed Them

All of us are so concerned with the future of humanity that we’ve forgotten about our little furry friends.

Yes, some of us have lost our jobs, but we have the option to dip into our savings until we find another one. Plus, governments all over the world are doing their best to make sure their citizens have enough to get by.

But the same can’t be said for pets.

Many dogs have tried applying for food delivery jobs, for instance, but they always get rejected because employers fear they’ll be distracted by their own tail mid-delivery.

And cats don’t even apply for jobs because they believe jobs should apply to them.

Consequently, because people have so many other expenses to deal with, some of these poor pets end up getting the shove.

Pet Abandonment Increases by 300% After M’sia’s ‘Lockdown’ As People Can’t Afford to Feed Them

The Movement Control Order (MCO) in Malaysia, which was recently extended, has been going on for a month, and it’s starting to seriously affect some Malaysians.

According to World of Buzz, it has affected many people’s livelihoods and has led to some horrible consequences; more and more people are abandoning their pets because they simply cannot afford to feed or take care of them anymore.

The Malaysia Animal Association (MAA) told Bernama that pet abandonment during the Movement Control Order has increased three-fold around Kuala Lumpur.

Arie Dwi Andika, president of MAA, said this observation is based on the increase of dogs and cats in certain areas where MAA feeds the strays.

He cited one area as an example, saying it usually has five dogs, but had 18 to 20 on 20 April, a three-fold increase.

Fortunately, all the dogs that were abandoned there were “in good health and very clean”, and not aggressive at all.

Andika said that owners chose to abandon their pets at quiet, industrial areas instead of housing areas to avoid arousing suspicion, speculating that a fear of the coronavirus or financial difficulties forced them into this abandonment.

”They might have abandoned their pets due to a risk of Covid-19 or they might not even be able to afford their pets,” he said.

Either way, this is not good news for these abandoned little creatures.

Andika asked how some owners could treat their pets like this when they are wholly dependent on us for survival.

“What is the fate of dogs and cats that have always considered owners as their own family and as a place of refuge after they are abandoned?”

And not only is it cruel, but it is also illegal.

According to lawyer Nor Zabetha Muhammad Nor, those who have been convicted of abandoning their pets can be charged under the 2015 Animal Welfare Act.

Aimed at fostering more responsible pet ownership among Malaysians, the act requires all pet owners to be fully responsible for the well-being of the animals under their care, which includes proper lodging, healthcare, and diet, reported New Straits Times.

Those who are found guilty under the new Animal Welfare Act 2015 can be fined a maximum of RM100,000 (S$32,665) or three years’ imprisonment. Or both.

Take Care of Your Pets

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that cats and dogs that contracted the coronavirus can spread the virus to humans on rare occasions, there is still no evidence that animals play a “significant role in spreading the virus that causes Covid-19”.

The CDC advises pet owners to treat pets as you would other human family members – do not let pets interact with people or animals outside the household.

If a person inside the household becomes sick, isolate that person from everyone else, including pets.

The coronavirus pandemic can be hard to deal with, but even in the face of adversity, many of us have our friends, family, and even the government to turn to for support.

But who are these poor abandoned pets supposed to lean on?

Please take care of your pets, people. Their survival depends on you.