Kuala Lampur, Sept. 5 -- The recent dog attack on a six-year-old boy in Cheras is a reminder Malaysians can no longer ignore. What remains unclear is whether the dog was a stray or had an owner. If the dog was owned, the case highlights the urgent need for responsible pet ownership, including proper supervision and control. If it was a stray, it underlines the ongoing weaknesses in managing free-roaming dogs in our communities. In either case, human lives, especially children and the elderly, must never be put at risk.

This year alone, several disturbing incidents have shaken communities. In Sabah, an elderly woman was killed by a pack of stray dogs at a bus terminal. In Kedah, two Rottweilers escaped from a compound and injured five peo...