The Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive) is gravely concerned about the treatment of dogs in our society. They appear not only to be very misunderstood, but also discriminated and unfairly targeted by certain quarters in our country.

The recent heartless act of the Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh in gunning down a homeless dog and then allowing the hapless animal to die a slow and excruciating death is yet another example. This come close on the heels of an incident in Seremban in June where the local mercilessly shot dead 13 dogs in the home and presence of two elderly persons without any consideration as to how the dogs were playing a therapeutic role in helping the owners cope with life in old age.

The latest incident in Ipoh was equally repugnant, this time happening in a school compound in front of impressionable teenaged school kids. The killing was done without any regard whatsoever for the permanent psychological and emotional trauma that witnessing such a barbaric act would have on young minds.

Such cruelty and violence inflicted on innocent animals have no place in a caring Malaysian society. It is not tolerable by any religion and is certainly not the Malaysian way. To do so would only convey to impressionable minds that it is okay to inflict pain and torture on living beings that cannot defend or speak for themselves.

This could lead to further crimes later where vulnerable persons suffer as in child abuse, rape and domestic violence. Schools should be teaching students how to care for animals, not how to inflict cruelty on them. What if one of the children also got hurt in the process?

Immediately after the Seremban incident, a Coalition Against Dog-Shooting and other Inhumane Methods called Casim comprising six groups - Bivai Special Dogs, Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture, Malaysian Association for Responsible Pet Ownership, Paws Animal Welfare Society, Selangor Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Petpositive - was formed to call for an immediate ban on dog-shooting throughout Malaysia.

The Ministry of Housing and Local Government and the Veterinary Services Department should move at once to stop dog shooting and cruel treatment of animals everywhere.

The government should conduct 'kindness to animals courses' for all local councils to teach them of the great services that canines, among other animals, contribute to human beings from animal- assisted therapy to stopping drug trafficking to rescuing citizens in crisis situations.

The writer is president, Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (PetPositive).