Klang council volunteer Shah Idham Nor Haikal Shaharom claims trial over alleged cruelty to dog Rocky during a stray-catching operation on July 29 in Port Klang
KLANG: A volunteer with the Klang city council and a housewife pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to separate charges of committing animal cruelty against a dog during a stray dog-catching operation last month.
Muhammad Shah Idham Nor Haikal Shaharom, 24, and S. Roghini Devi, 42, were alleged to have snared and dragged the dog, named Rocky, allegedly causing the animal pain last month.
They entered their pleas after the charges were read out separately to them before Judge Mujib Saroji.
According to the charge sheets, Muhammad Shah Idham is accused of unreasonably snaring the male dog using a loop, thereby causing it pain.
Roghini, meanwhile, is accused of unreasonably dragging the same dog, also causing it pain.
Both offences were allegedly committed in front of a house at Jalan Sama Gagah 20, Taman Telok Gedung Indah, Port Klang, between 11 pm and 11.30 pm on July 29.
The charges were brought under Section 29(1)(e) of the Animal Welfare Act 2015, punishable under Section 29(1) of the same Act, which provides for a maximum fine of RM100,000, imprisonment for up to three years, or both, upon conviction.
Earlier, the prosecuting officer from the Selangor Department of Veterinary Services (DVS), Mohd Sharif Sabran, proposed bail of RM20,000 for each accused, with additional conditions that they surrender their passports to the court and report to the state DVS office.
However, lawyer Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali, representing Muhammad Shah Idham, and lawyer Jeremy Vinesh Anthony, representing Roghini, each requested bail of RM3,500, citing their clients’ full cooperation throughout the investigation.
The court subsequently granted bail of RM6,000 with one surety for each accused and ordered them to report to the Selangor DVS office once a month. The court set Oct 8 for case mention.
Meanwhile, at the Magistrate’s Court here, Roghini pleaded not guilty to a charge of keeping a dog aged over three months without a valid licence from the Royal Klang City Council (MBDK).
The offence was allegedly committed at the same location and time under Section 3 of the Dog Licensing and Dog Breeding Establishment (Klang Municipal Council) By-Laws 2007, which provides for a maximum fine of RM2,000, imprisonment for up to one year, or both, upon conviction.
Magistrate A. Karthiyayini granted her bail of RM1,000 and set Oct 8 for mention.
