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Incidents involving stray dogs attacking people and people attacking dogs have raised public concern in recent times.
The latest case involves Nur Haira, who was attacked by a pack of five dogs near her grandmother’s home in Kampung Tambak, Sungai Kelambu, Peserai, Johor. She was rushed to the hospital and placed in an induced coma. Her surgery was successful, and she remains in stable condition.
Celebrity preacher Haris Ismail, also known as PU Riz and Neelofa’s husband, has since shared his thoughts regarding keeping dogs as pets.
Posting on Threads, Haris personally believes that members of the public shouldn’t rear dogs as pets. He cited religious guidance as reasons behind his view on dogs.
He explained that the religion has clearly outlined that those living in urban areas have no need to keep dogs as pets, including keeping dogs to guard farms.
Haris sympathised with people who were bitten by dogs, noting some victims nearly lost their lives.
He said he doesn’t like the presence of dogs, whether they’re pets or strays, including those kept in the homes of his non-Muslim neighbours.
He acknowledged that some may not agree with his opinions.
READ MORE: ‘I Saw The Blood’: Nur Haira’s Brother Relives Traumatic Attack
Calls for responsible pet ownership and compassion for animals
In the comments, some understood where Haris was coming from while others felt like he didn’t show compassion for animals. A Threads user lamented that Haris did not address animal cruelty and irresponsible pet ownership either.
Another Threads user said it’s high time Malaysia made microchipping and registering pets compulsory with an annual license fee. This is so pets can be traced to their owners and registration can help facilitate vaccinations, sterilisation, and responsible breeding efforts.
They added that the funds from the license fee can be channelled to animal shelters, sterilisation programmes, and animal welfare initiatives.
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READ MORE: Over 40 Dog Carcasses Found In Waste Bins Near Batu Pahat Market
READ MORE: This Kakak Educates People On How To Handle Stray Dogs No Matter What Their Belief
Beyond the Debate: What the Law Says, What Religion Permits, and What Actually Works
Malaysia already has tough laws on paper — the Animal Welfare Act 2015 allows fines of up to RM100,000 and three years in prison for cruelty or abandonment. The problem is enforcement, which falls to individual local councils, most of which still rely on catching and culling strays — a method that has never actually reduced stray populations. Remove dogs from one area and unsterilised dogs from nearby simply move in to fill the gap.
On the religious question, the picture is more nuanced than PU Riz’s post suggests. The Shafi’i school of thought — followed by most Malaysian Muslims — discourages keeping dogs purely as indoor pets, but explicitly permits them for guarding property, farms, and livestock. Islam also notes a strong obligation of mercy toward all living creatures, and causing harm to an animal is considered a serious transgression.
What animal welfare groups consistently recommend is TNRM — Trap, Neuter, Return, Manage. Sterilising strays stabilises their numbers, reduces aggressive behaviour, and works better over time than culling ever has. The root cause of Malaysia’s stray crisis, advocates argue, is not dogs — it is unsterilised pets roaming free, unregulated backyard breeding, and owners abandoning animals with no consequences. Without mandatory microchipping or a centralised registration system, there is no way to trace an abandoned pet back to its owner. Nur Haira’s attack is a tragedy — but it is also a symptom of a system that has been patched rather than fixed.
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