IPOH: A Japanese student claims had to run for his life when he was chased by nearly 30 dogs at privately owned land near a cave temple here during his visit there recently.

       Yoshitaka Osaki, 21, who is studying in a private university in Kuala Lumpur, visited one of the famous cave temples on Jan 5 at about 1pm when the incident occurred.

       Osaki was walking along a route found on Google Maps to another cave temple nearby when he ran into a pack of dogs.

       However, Osaki said he managed to run to safety before the dogs could attack him.

       He said when he reached the site, two dogs started barking at him and before he knew it, a pack charged at him.

       "I panicked and ran for my life. Later I realised that there was a notice put up by someone stating 'Beware of Wild Dogs', but I feel that the sign is not enough.

       "Proper measures must be implemented to get rid of the dogs in an appropriate manner so that people are not hurt in the future," he said, adding that this experience has left him with a phobia of dogs.

       A sign warning visitors of stray dogs at the roadside near the cave temple.

       "I really hope the local council will take action and move them to shelters so tourists who visit the cave temples can go there with peace of mind," he added.

       A vendor at the cave temple, who declined to be named, said the dogs had recently attacked a caretaker there as well.

       "I heard that a girl had been bitten by the dogs before. These dogs stay at the foot of the hills and have been around for more than 10 years," she added.

       During a visit by The Star, over 20 dogs were seen roaming around the area where a few houses had been erected.

       However, there were no people around and it is unsure if the dogs belong to anyone or they were just strays.

       When contacted, Ipoh City Council mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin said the council would take appropriate measures.

       The Ipoh Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals president, Ricky Soong, said he visited the site with the council’s enforcement team to see what was really happening and who was rearing the dogs.

       "We need to know who the land belongs to and the owners of the dogs. We will decide on appropriate measures after that," he added.

       Soong said they saw about 15 dogs there and after an hour, the enforcement team only managed to capture one dog.

       He said the other dogs fled to the hill area.

       “We will neuter the dog under our 'trap, neuter, release and manage' programme.

       “The cost will be borne by ISPCA, and the dog will be released back to the same area once the procedure is done.

       “ISPCA does not have any space at the moment to take in more dogs,” he said.

       Soong also said residents staying there fed the dogs out of pity.