Municipal officials shoot man in leg

Report: Malaysian municipal officials shoot man in leg while targeting stray dogs
Yahoo News

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Malaysian town officials on a mission to shoot stray dogs accidentally hit a passing motorcyclist in the leg, a news report said Thursday.

Wan Ah Chye, a 60-year-old electrician who was taking his wife shopping in Taiping town in northern Perak state, had to undergo surgery after the shooting, The Star daily reported.

"I saw a dog running in front of my motorcycle and the next moment, I felt a sharp pain in my right calf," Wan was quoted as saying.

The shooters, who work for the Taiping Municipal Council, took Wan to hospital when he showed them his bleeding leg, the paper reported.

Council secretary Shahrom Abdul Malek reportedly said this was the first time someone had been shot in the canine unit's 15-year history. Local police chief Raja Musa Raja Razak was quoted as saying officials should make sure there are no passers-by when they shoot at dogs.

Council and police officials could not immediately be reached.

Culling stray dogs and crows is common in Malaysia. Last year, another municipal council launched a dog-catching competition to encourage locals to help rein in strays, but called off the contest following an outcry by animal rights activists.