Cruelty against dog earns self-employed man RM7,000 fine
A self-employed man’s cruel act of slashing a female dog with parang earned him an RM7,000 fine.
Amir Abd Salim Meor Lope (wearing cap, above) was slapped with the fine by the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court this morning, whereby failure to pay the fine would further earn him four-month jail time...
A self-employed man’s cruel act of slashing a female dog with parang earned him an RM7,000 fine.
Amir Abd Salim Meor Lope (wearing cap, above) was slapped with the fine by the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court this morning, whereby failure to pay the fine would further earn him four-month jail time.
The sentence was meted out by judge Manirah Mohd Nor after Amir pleaded guilty to an alternative charge of wantonly or unreasonably causing unnecessary pain or suffering to the animal.
He committed the offence at the rear part of a car workshop at Jalan Miri, Taman Beringin, Jinjang Utara, Kuala Lumpur, between Jan 4 and 5 last year.
On Nov 15 last year, the man claimed trial to a charge of wantonly or unreasonably causing unnecessary pain or suffering to the dog, under Section 29(1)(e) of the Animal Welfare Act 2015.
The charge carries a fine of between RM20,000 and RM100,000, a maximum jail term of three years, or both, if convicted.
However, during the proceedings this morning, Amir pleaded guilty to an alternative charge framed under Section 44(1)(d) of the Animals Act 1953, which specified a fine of RM200 or maximum imprisonment of six months, or both on conviction.
According to the facts of the case read out in court, a team from the Veterinary Services Department (DVS) raided Amir’s chicken coop behind the car workshop at Jalan Miri, Taman Beringin in Jinjang Utara on Feb 2 last year, following a police report.
The DVS was acting on the report lodged by a member of the public, who with her husband had stumbled on the carcass of seven pups as well as that of an adult dog near a mining area at Taman Wahyu 2, Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur, on Jan 5 last year.
The couple had also rescued a female mongrel and brought it to a nearby veterinary clinic for treatment for the animal’s injuries.
The animal had shown signs of stitches on both its left and right legs as well as wounds on the body, believed to have been caused by parang slashes.
While at the chicken coop last year, the DVS team heard from Amir that he had slashed several dogs which had come to his chicken coop with a parang.
Later on Feb 2 last year, another DVS team with the police visited the same chicken coop and confiscated a parang believed to have been used by Amir to slash the dog, among others.
After the facts of the case were read out by a court interpreter, Amir calmly agreed with it.
His lawyer Chris A Chong then informed the lower court that both the prosecution and the defence had come to an agreement for Amir’s guilty plea today, following plea bargaining between both sides under Section 172C of the Criminal Procedure Code.
DVS prosecuting officer Hasiah Musa confirmed to the court that both sides had reached an agreement following plea bargaining.
“The court, therefore, imposes an RM7,000 fine, whereby failure to pay would result in four months imprisonment,” Menorah ruled as Amir, clad in grey jacket, dark blue shirt and brown slacks, looked composed during proceedings.
After proceedings, Amir is seen exiting the lower court while wearing black sunglasses, a dark blue hat and blue face mask, followed by his lawyer Chong, in order to pay the fine at the court counter.
