Dog Owners Must Get Neighbours' Permission

Kindly to read with open mind and open heart. I apologize if anything here does disturb your feeling.

SEREMBAN: Dog owners in Nilai must now get written permission from their neighbours to keep the animals in their homes.

This is the first time such a ruling has been introduced in Negri Sembilan following recent amendments to the Dog Licensing Bylaws 2008. The municipal council issues annual dog licences at RM20 each.

Council president Datuk Abd Halim Abd Latif said the ruling covers dogs which were three months old and above.

“For those who want to rear more than two dogs, their premises must be at least 1,000 sq metres.

“You are allowed to keep more than four dogs if the area is larger than 1,000 sq metres,” he said.

The affected areas are Nilai, Rasah, Ampangan, Mantin, Lenggeng, Pantai, Rantau, Labu and Senawang.

Abd Halim said the owners were duty-bound to ensure that their pets were not a nuisance to their neighbours such as the animals defecating in public places.

“The pets cannot be allowed to roam freely outside their compound,” he said, adding that officers would take away unlicensed pets.

Those caught without a licence could be fined up to RM1,000 or jailed not more than six months, or both.

The Seremban Municipal Council issues dog licences for RM10 each but has not asked owners to get their neighbours’ permission. Applicants are required to attach a vaccination card for their pets.

The state Veterinary Services Department issues licences for RM5 for those living in other areas.

Resident Melissa Wong asked why was there a need to get her neighbour’s permission to keep a dog.

“My neighbour’s cats defecate in my compound almost every day. Why doesn’t the council make it a requirement for cat owners to get their neighbour’s consent?” she asked.

P. Manimaran, who lives in Rasah Kemayan, said he may have to give up his dog because he was not on talking terms with his neighbour.

Those with queries can call the Nilai Municipal Council at 06-798 9099/9077.

Quoted from http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/1/15/nation/3025268&sec=nation

Fabulous! Rearing dogs need permissions from neighbours. I do understand sometimes dogs may be fierce and dangerous, most probably when they are provoked. Whose fault to blame? Those so called "human beings" that have brains to think or these little critters that could not even voice out their opinions?

Dogs are noisy because of their barks, especially at night. Indeed, this is one hell of a fact: They are just communicating or they see something or someone suspicious. Have all the human beings think in these critters point of view? How pathetic if you cannot do so. It only shows that you are just too narrow minded and put the blames on others when something bad happens.

If the barking is the main issue here, next time, please ask for permissions to even sound your car horns; to renovate your house; to shout at your kids; to quarrel with anyone in the middle of the night; to cry for help; to have trains travel nearby your residential area; to have prayers on air; to have road repairs etc. These are all noise pollutions regardless any sensitive issues.

Quote of 14th January 2009

Whatever you give a woman, she's going to multiply.
If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby.
If you give her a house, she'll give you a home.
If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal.
If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart.
She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her.

So - if you give her crap, you will get a bucket full of shit.

Cycle (Past) Recycle (Present) Precycle (Future)

Quoted from http://www.edf.org/article.cfm?contentID=2194

Precycling: Shopping for Future Generations

Everybody shops. But not everybody realizes how environmentally important it is to shop consciously. To precycle is to make buying choices that support responsible products and packaging, make recycling easier and reduce the amount of garbage you throw away.

Precycling is a good way to start squaring your personal behavior with your principles. But don't forget it also sends a signal to manufacturers that responsible products and packaging are good business. The idea is that our behavior can change their behavior.

The following recycling tips focus on supermarket shopping because that's the kind we do most frequently. But the ideas apply to other forms of shopping, too:

• Avoid the paper vs. plastic dilemma. Durable canvas or string bags are light and convenient to carry and can be used thousands of times. Reusable bags can easily become a habit and save an astonishing amount of paper and plastic over time. This not only uses less total packaging, it also saves you money.

• Buy large single containers. For any item with a long or unlimited shelf life (e.g., laundry detergent) or non- perishable foods you use regularly (such as cereals and grains) buy the biggest container you can. Put manageable amounts in reusable, smaller containers for everyday use. For somewhat perishable foods (e.g. peanut butter) buy the biggest container feasible for your rate of use.

• Pass on styrofoam. Choose cardboard egg cartons, which are made from recycled newsprint. For paper boxes (such as cereal boxes) the rule of thumb is: If the unprinted side is gray and not white, it's made from recycled.

• Avoid single- or limited-use items. Don't buy plastic razors, throwaway cleansing pads and cigarette lighters, non-refillable pens and foil baking pans. Reduce or eliminate your use of disposable plastic diapers, which account for a startling two percent of total U.S. landfill volume.

• Compare the size of the package to the size of the product. If the package is designed to take up as much shelf space as possible, choose a competing product. Do without products that are sold inside more than one layer ("bric pac" juice boxes for children - with layers of cardboard, plastic and aluminum and a plastic straw attached - are a particularly wasteful example). Avoid miniaturized "single-helping" packages. Buy fruit and vegetables loose. Be wary of convenience gimmickry (e.g., pre-measured ground coffee in individually sealed filter packs, "soup starter" kits, melons and grapefruits pre-halved and vacuum- packed). Choose products that are not in plastic trays and do not have attached "promotional" materials.

• Choose the container that can be easily recycled. In states that have bottle bills, choosing among aluminum, plastic and glass may be a secondary issue, as long as you return the container. In states without a law, aluminum and glass are generally more recyclable. Avoid products that are difficult to recycle (e.g., many "squeezable" plastics, made of numerous layers of different plastics).

• Beware "recyclable". Advertisers have worked overtime to translate consumers' environmental sympathies into increased sales for their product - even if their product is not particularly good for the environment. Beware of the word "recyclable," which is not the same as "recycled," the word it so closely resembles. Many materials are technically recyclable, but what matters is what you can recycle in existing local programs. A "recycled" product or container is actually made from materials that have been used before.

• Beware "biodegradable". Particularly misleading are claims that certain plastic products are "biodegradable". The truth is that "degradable" plastics don't degrade in modern landfills and, at best, merely break up into smaller pieces that can release toxic substances. They interfere with plastics recycling and end up creating more problems than they solve. (Environmental Defense and other environmental groups have called for a boycott of all so-called "degradable" plastics. Don't buy them!)

• Spread the word. Tell grocers, store owners, restaurant managers and others that you are making your buying decisions based on the environmental impact of products. Let the manufacturers know, too (many companies carry addresses or phone numbers on their packaging).

By careful precycling each of us makes the vital connection between today's consumerism and tomorrow's environment. Small changes in everyday behavior can have positive consequences for generations to come.