SUNGAI PETANI: A senior citizen has been detained by police for alleged animal cruelty after being seen in a video dragging a dog chained to his motorcycle.
Kuala Muda OCPD Asst Comm Hanyan Ramlan said the 82-year-old suspect was detained on Monday (June 17) in front of a house in Bandar Puteri Jaya at about 8pm.
"Police also seized a motorcycle, helmets, and several keys believed to belong to the suspect," he said in a statement.
ACP Hanyan stated that interrogation revealed the suspect, from Kuala Ketil, is senile and tends to be forgetful.
The suspect admitted the dog is his pet but could not remember why he did it.
"The suspect only realised his actions when stopped by the public during the incident," he said.
ACP Hanyan said the owner of the social media platform who posted the viral video took the dog to a veterinary clinic for treatment.
Due to old age and health factors, the suspect was released on police bail.
"The investigation is still ongoing," he said.
In the 48-second clip, which went viral, the visibly injured dog is seen lying on the road with its neck chained to the back of a motorcycle.
A passer-by is seen unchaining and helping the dog to its feet.
Several others are seen confronting the man, believed to be in his 60s, expressing their outrage over the incident, which is believed to have occurred at about 4pm on Sunday (June 16) in Bandar Puteri.
