GEORGE TOWN: People don’t just dump rubbish on Pulau Gazumbo, a tiny island just off the Penang Bridge, but dogs as well.
Unfortunately, the skittish animals proved hard to catch and the councillors, together with some 100 volunteers, had to leave the island empty-handed except for over a tonne of rubbish. “Abandoning pet dogs in areas without food and water sources constitutes animal cruelty under the Animal Welfare Act 2015. The owners can be fined up to RM100,000, jailed three years, or both, if caught,” he warned.
Pulau Gazumbo is formed from sand build-up during the construction of Penang Bridge from 1983 to 1986.Over the years, the 3ha man-made island has become an eyesore with a massive amount of garbage washed ashore, posing a danger to the marine environment. “After only slightly over two months, the rubbish has piled up again. This is very disappointing, considering this island has the largest seagrass meadow in the Strait of Malacca.“There was also discarded fishermen’s nets which could entangle and kill marine life,” he said.