Woman fined RM2,000 for cruelty to animal

KUALA LUMPUR: A rice trader was fined RM2,000, in default three months' jail, by the Magistrate's Court here today for causing pain and suffering to her dog.
Magistrate Mohamad Firdaus Sadina Ali meted out the fine on Chon Kam Foong, 48, who pleaded guilty to the charge which was read out to her in Cantonese.
She paid the fine.
The woman was also ordered to pay RM6,415 to the Veterinary Service Department in treatment cost, as well as for taking care of the dog for 154 days.
Chon was charged with unreasonably causing pain and suffering to the Labrador Cross dog by tightly tying the animal at the neck with a steel chain at her house in Pandan Indah here at 4.30pm on Nov 30 last year.
The charge, under Section 44 (1) (d) of the Animals (Amendment) Act 2013 , provides a fine of up to RM50,000, or imprisonment for up to a year, or both, if found guilty.
Based on the facts of the case, action against Chon was taken after the Veterinary Service Department received a report on a two-year-old dog being caged in front of her house.
Following which, a team from the department went to the house and found the male dog in pain as its neck, with cut marks, was tightly chained.
In mitigation, Chon, who was unrepresented, said she was only helping her husband to sell rice and they had four children to support.
Prosecuting officer from the Veterinary Service Department , Hasiah Musa, prosecuted. — Bernama