A dog is indeed man’s best friend, but do you have the habit of bringing your furry friend to the playground and letting it play with the slide?
Recently, an aunty went viral on social media after bringing her dogs to the playground and letting the pets use the public amenities. The dogs can also be seen “happily” going down the slides.
Since then, many Malaysians have condemned the man who recorded the video for confronting the aunty. Some of them highlighted that no one is bound to follow religious sensitivity if it’s not a place of worship.
Just last night (February 24), DAP’s Marina Ibrahim responded to the matter and said that there’s another aspect of bringing pet animals to the playground that we should think about.
“Of hygiene and allergy issues”
In a Twitter post, Marina said that the concerns are often about hygiene and allergy.
“Playgrounds are a place for kids. Some of them might be allergic to animal fur.”
As for the hygiene aspect, Marina highlighted what she often sees in the behaviour of some pet owners.
“I’ve seen how some pet owners ignore their pet’s feces on the ground, even when they’re at the playground,” she explained.
Marina highlighted that this does not only apply to dogs but also to pet cats. She said that pet owners should buy a slide meant for animals, and let their cats play at home instead.
“If pets are really not allowed, don’t bring your cats, dogs, or monkeys to the playground.”
Marina clarified that even as a cat lover herself, she does not bring her cat to the playground. Instead, she placed her cat into the stroller and bring it to the park. She then reminded everyone about the possibility of allergy issues that others may suffer from.
“If you’re not allergic to animal fur, other kids might be allergic to them.”
Masalah anjing atau binatang ni ramai tak faham. Bila tegur bab anjing ada yg buat isu pula. Sebenarnya lebih kepada bab kebersihan. Taman mainan tempat kanak-kanak main. Kanak-kanak ni pelbagai bangsa, ada kanak-kanak alergik pada bulu binatang. https://t.co/V4eThFXDOI
— Marina Ibrahim (@Marina_Ibrahims) February 24, 2023
Many parks in Klang Valley do allow visitors to bring their pets along, but do you think the playground should follow suit? Do you agree with Marina’s take on this matter?