A recent petition launched by a citizen in the state of Malacca, Malaysia has proven that signing a petition may make a difference.

The online petition on Change.org asked the Malacca state government to withdraw a law that bans dogs in terrace houses. The petition garnered about 27,000 signatures, prompting the state to respond to the appeal by allowing owners to keep their dogs.

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The response by authorities in Malacca is proof that signing a petition can lead to a difference. A senior campaigner at Change.org, Pulin Modi told The Dodo that members of the public have been using the platform to impact animals care.

Modi said that online petitions should be articulated in an authentic way to give people and organizations a clear picture about why the campaign was launched. 

"You need to convince people that there's a real chance their actions will lead to change for animals," he noted.

The Malacca state government had banned dogs in high-rise residential buildings since 2013. However, due to the petition, authorities have vowed to consult the necessary animal rights groups and government departments to figure out an agreement that would be beneficial to all.