Cover image via @shimaaris (Instagram)
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A man who was caught on video whipping his pet dog with a rubber hose last week has been fined RM30,000 by the Ampang Sessions Court today, 7 August
According to Bernama, Judge Norshila Kamarudin delivered the sentence after 43-year-old Kiew Mun Kiat pleaded guilty to the offence.
Norshila ordered the accused to serve six months in jail should he fail to pay the fine.
The court also ordered that the dog be forfeited to the government and put up for adoption through the Selangor Veterinary Services Department (DVS), with priority given to qualified and interested members of the public.
Kiew was charged with repeatedly assaulting a male German Shepherd with a wooden stick and a rubber hose at his home in Pandan Indah, Kuala Lumpur at 5.29pm on 31 July
The charge falls under Section 29(1)(a) of the Animal Welfare Act 2015, which carries a fine of RM20,000 to RM100,000, a jail term of up to three years, or both, upon conviction.
A concerned neighbour had filmed the abuse and shared the video with local animal activist Shima Aris, who posted it on social media, urging the public to report the incident to DVS.
Although the dog is not visible in the one-minute video, its cries and whimpers can be heard as the man repeatedly strikes it with a rubber hose.
Following the public complaints, Selangor DVS and Ampang Jaya police conducted a joint inspection
The authorities found the dog, named 'Lucky', tied up in the compound, along with the wooden stick and rubber hose believed to have been used in the assault.
The court was told that a veterinary examination the following day revealed a wound on the front of the dog's left leg, along with hair loss and redness on its skin.
During sentencing, Selangor DVS prosecuting officer Mohd Sharif Sabran urged the court to impose a heavy penalty, citing public interest and the severity of the abuse
"In this case, Kiew repeatedly beat his dog, resulting in injuries that could cause trauma to the animal," he said, while also requesting that the dog not be returned to its owner.
Unrepresented in court, Kiew pleaded for a lighter sentence, claiming he was the sole breadwinner of his family and had only hit the dog to "teach it a lesson" after it bit his hand.
He was reported to have paid the fine.
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