In a shocking and distressing video, a stray dog named Kopi was shot mercilessly and left to die in a residential area somewhere in Terengganu.
According to The Star, a resident had heard loud gunshots at night and ran out of his home to investigate them at around 1am.
The man found a local stray dog, Kopi, lying in the middle of the road, bleeding and crying out in pain. At a loss for words, the man stayed and comforted her until she succumbed to her injuries and passed on.
“I sat with her until she passed away and it took about five minutes for her breathing to completely stop,’’ said the man.
Earlier that evening, the local council had been seen roaming about the area, according to Facebook page My Forever Doggo.
The page has released an announcement about Kopi: “We are heartbroken to share that last Sunday (6 October 2024, just two days after World Animal Day), this sweet homeless doggo named Kopi, who melted so many of our hearts with her gentleness, was shot by the local council in Terengganu,” shared the page.
“A life lost due to lack of kindness, tolerance, compassion, empathy and respect towards another life. Is this the kind of society we would like the future generation to grow up in?” It added.
Kopi was a sweet and gentle animal
For those who fed and took care of her, Kopi was a stray dog who was known throughout the community as a harmless and gentle dog.
She became something of an internet celebrity among dog lovers after Tiktok user Abby Razali, 27, uploaded a video of Kopi playing with a kitten on her account earlier this March.
@myforeverdoggo It really can’t get any cuter than this! 🥹 Recently, a kind abang shared a video of an adorable homeless doggo playing very gently with a fellow homeless kitten. 🥺💕 ▶️ Watch how gentle their interaction is! 🥰 Who says dogs and cats cannot be friends? 🥹 🌟 SHARE this with your friends and family today! ❤️ Video via: sayalahtuu_/TikTok . . . #myforeverdoggo #dogsofmalaysia #rescuedogsoftiktok #adoptdontshop #bekindtoanimals #loveallbeings ♬ original sound – myforeverdoggo
Kopi was known to be the ‘big sister’ to all the cats and the puppies in the area and was often seen playing with them. She is also the mother of two puppies, but they have also gone missing since their mother’s death.
“I have been crying since I heard that Kopi had been shot. I have been feeding her daily from the time she was a puppy,’’ said Abby.
A petition for Kopi has received 15,000 signatures on Change.org
A petition has been raised on Change.org to demand accountability from Majlis Bandaraya Kuala Terengganu for the inhuman treatment of Kopi. Launched on 11 October, the petition has reached 15,000 signatures within 3 days.
“This was not urban management but an act of unwarranted brutality. Kopi did not deserve her fate,” asserted the petition.
“Majlis Bandaraya Kuala Terengganu, we need to discuss not just accountability, but about our collective conscience and about the kind of community we want to be,” it continued.
The petition demanded for the local council to “align their actions with empathy and humanity, not brutality,” with many supporters of the petition donating to the cause and adding their comments.
A commenter, Sakinah Salim, shared: “An animal is without sin. Do you think the world only exists for humans? God created various creatures on this earth to live together. I hope that those involved in this cruel act will be rewarded in this world and the afterlife.”
Terengganu Vetinary Services Dept has launched an investigation
Jabatan Perkhidmatan Veterinar Negeri Terengganu (Veterinary Services Department of Terengganu) has launched an investigation into the circumstances of Kopi’s death and has urged the public not to speculate.
According to Dr Marzuna Md Yunus, Head of Animal Welfare at the JPV, shooting can only be carried out during emergencies as well as to control the spread of diseases such as rabies through infected dogs’ saliva.
“Dogs can also be shot if they are fierce and have attacked people,’’ she added.
However, if these elements are not present, shooting could not be used to curb the stray population, Dr Marzuna said.
Think twice before lodging reports against stray dogs
My Forever Doggo has urged Malaysians to think twice before lodging a complaint against stray dogs, because these animals will end up culled (killed) by local councils.
A better way forward is for Malaysians to implement spaying and neutering programs to manage stray populations humanely, practices which are being followed by cities around the world.
What are your thoughts?
Share your opinion with us at hello@inreallife.my and you may be featured on In Real Life Malaysia.
Also read: M’sian Muslims Share Why It’s Not Haram To Own A Dog
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