PETALING JAYA: A part-time surveyor pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here to charges of abandoning 36 cats, causing them to starve, and causing the deaths of 41 cats.
Lee Reo Jin, 49, entered the pleas after the two charges were read before judge Noor Ruzilawati Mohd Nor.
For the first charge, Lee is accused of abandoning 36 live cats in conditions likely to cause them pain and suffering due to starvation at an apartment unit in Subang Jaya, Bernama reported.
The charge was framed under Section 29(1)(p) of the Animal Welfare Act 2015 and is punishable under Section 29(1) of the same Act. The offence carries a fine of between RM20,000 and RM100,000, imprisonment of up to three years or both, upon conviction.
For the second charge, Lee, as the owner of the cats, is accused of causing the deaths of 41 cats at the same place and time.
The charge was brought under Section 29(1)(r) of the Animal Welfare Act 2015, which carries similar penalties.
Prosecuting officer Mohd Sharif Sabran from the Selangor Veterinary Services Department proposed bail of RM20,000 for both charges with one surety, along with an additional condition that the accused surrender her passport to the court.
Lee, who was unrepresented, appealed for a lower bail, citing her lack of a fixed income.
The court allowed bail of RM10,000 for both charges with one surety and imposed the additional condition requested by the prosecution.
Noor Ruzilawati fixed Aug 7 for case mention and the appointment of counsel.
It was previously reported that officers from the Selangor Veterinary Services Department raided an apartment unit in Subang Jaya on March 13 following complaints of a foul odour emanating from the premises.
The raid uncovered 41 cat carcasses wrapped and stored in a freezer, while others were found scattered in the living room and inside cages.
Another 36 cats were found alive in cages but emaciated.
