GEORGE TOWN: A recent incident involving a dog attacking a man has sparked concern among residents.
Shared on the Penang Today Community Facebook page by user Siew Koay, the incident occurred at Changkat Bukit Gambir 2.
The posting, accompanied by a photograph of the bloodied man in what appeared to be an ambulance, read: "Yesterday, a walker was mauled by a dangerous huge dog at Changkat Bukit Gambir 2. Be aware."
In the comment section, Siew Koay further shared that the dog had an owner who allegedly could not control the canine
"(The) owner should not be allowed to keep any more dogs.
"Dog taken away by the police.
"(The) walker injured and still in the hospital. He must be in bad shape and traumatised," she said.
This is the third such incident in less than a month.
Penang Veterinary Services Department (DVS) director Dr Saira Banu Mohamed Rejab told the New Straits Times that the dog had been taken from the owner's house.
She said it was of mixed breed (pitbull) and unlicensed.
"The dog will be placed in quarantine for 14 days, during which time, we will monitor it.
"If the dog displays any signs of rabies or dies, we will take the brain sample to test whether it had rabies. And if the dog does not display any signs of rabies, we will return it to the owner.
"However, if this is a police case, the dog will be placed under our care until the case ends or until further instructions from the court," she added.
On Jan 30, it was reported that a dog, captured on video coming out from a house and attacking two school girls in Taman Pekatra Indah in Simpang Ampat, had been taken by its owner to an animal shelter.
Two video clips showing the dog pouncing on the girls made it to the X application.
The girls fell to the ground following the attack. The owner was seen chasing after the dog.
On Feb 9, it was reported that a 49-year-old woman suffered multiple bites on various parts of her body in an attack by her neighbour's unleashed dogs, requiring surgery at a private hospital.
The three dogs involved in the attack on the woman in Medan Terengganu here have since been captured, quarantined and put under observation for 14 days.