SEREMBAN: A 61-year-old man has claimed trial to a charge of causing cruelty to animals after he allegedly tied a pet dog to his car and dragged it on the road for a distance.
Chok Boon Kwong pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him before judge Rushan Lutfi Mohamed at the Sessions Court here yesterday.
He was charged with tying a canine to a car, bearing the number plate WGP9130, and dragging it along a road at Kampung Sri Parit in Port Dickson, about 25km from here, around 6.45pm on May 27.
The accused was charged under Section 29(1)(e) of the Animal Welfare Act 2015, which carries a fine between RM20,000 and RM100,000 or imprisonment of up to three years or both, upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Syamimi Farhana Muhammad A. Aziz has asked the court to set bail at RM30,000 pending remention.
However, Chok’s counsel Nashvinder Singh Gill requested for the bail to be reduced to RM5,000, citing that the accused had been cooperative with the police.
He also told the court that a Johor Baru court had set bail at RM10,000 for a suspect who was charged with setting a dog on fire.
Judge Rushan then set bail at RM15,000 with one surety and fixed July 11 for remention.
It was reported that a 44-year-old witness lodged a police report of a dog being dragged on the road.
A video clip, which went viral on social media, shows the dog in drastic pain and bleeding profusely.
The canine eventually died from its injuries.
