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SHAH ALAM - The woman claiming to be Rocky's owner has alleged that the stray dog was beaten to death by four members of the public before officers from the Klang Royal City Council (MBDK) arrived for an enforcement operation in Taman Teluk Gedung Indah, Port Klang, directly contradicting the council's account of the incident.
Roghini Devi claimed Rocky had already died by the time MBDK officers reached the scene, alleging the dog was dragged from beneath a parked car where he had sought shelter before being assaulted.
She also acknowledged that Rocky was not licensed.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Roghini claimed four men entered her neighbour's compound without permission after Rocky ran there in fear during the stray dog operation.
According to her, the neighbour had regularly fed Rocky and allowed the dog to remain on the property.
"One of my neighbours told me that four men went into the house to get Rocky. He was hiding under the car because he was scared.
"They hit his body and head until he defecated. After that, they tightened two ropes around his neck and pulled so hard that his tongue came out. Witnesses believed Rocky had already died before I reached the scene," she alleged.
Roghini said Rocky had been part of her family since Aug 8, 2024 and was raised as a house pet, spending most of his time indoors with her children and accompanying the family wherever they went.
Recalling the day of the incident, she said she became concerned after seeing two men riding a motorcycle carrying what appeared to be dog-catching equipment while she was leaving home to pick up one of her children.
"I told my husband because I felt something was not right," she said.
Her husband, Narendran, later found groups of people searching for dogs in the neighbourhood after Rocky had wandered out of the house.
Roghini said a burger seller told Narendran that a child had allegedly been chased by a dog elsewhere in the neighbourhood and taken to hospital.
However, she claimed the woman confirmed Rocky was not the dog involved.
"My husband specifically asked whether Rocky was the dog involved and she said no. She told him the incident happened in another area and Rocky was not the dog that chased the child," Roghini said.
Believing the local council had captured Rocky, the family initially intended to retrieve him.
Instead, Roghini said she returned to find a crowd gathered outside and Rocky lying restrained with ropes around his neck.
"I wanted to hug him and carry him, but he did not even respond. He did not look at me at all. I knew something was terribly wrong," she said.
She said she repeatedly pleaded with those restraining Rocky to release him, assuring them she would personally hand him over to the authorities.
"I told them I was not stopping them from taking Rocky. I admitted I was wrong for not getting a licence. I only asked them to let go so I could hand him over myself, but they refused," she said.
Roghini said she asked one of her children to bring a pair of scissors to cut the rope, but a knife was brought instead.
She further alleged that members of the public prevented her family from freeing Rocky and that she was pulled away and struck with a baton-like object while trying to intervene.
Distraught over the incident, she said she even threatened to take her own life if she was not allowed to save the dog.
"I was desperate. I said if they would not let me save Rocky, I would kill myself.
"Someone responded by saying, 'Go ahead. If you die together with the dog, it's even better for us,'" she alleged.
Roghini claimed MBDK officers arrived between five and 10 minutes later, by which time Rocky had already died.
"When they finally released the rope, Rocky was already dead," she said.
She also alleged that the rope used to restrain Rocky was not standard equipment and contained a steel cable.
According to Roghini, many of those present left the scene after Rocky died. She said she later contacted police but was disappointed that officers initially focused on Rocky's lack of a licence rather than the circumstances surrounding his death.
She subsequently lodged a police report and submitted videos, eyewitness accounts and other evidence to an animal welfare organisation, hoping the matter would be thoroughly investigated.
Earlier on Wednesday, MBDK maintained that the stray dog operation on July 29 complied with standard operating procedures issued by the Housing and Local Government Ministry.
Klang Mayor Datuk Abd Hamid Hussain said officers used only ministry-approved loop equipment during the operation and complied with the prescribed safety guidelines.
Roghini's allegations have not been independently verified. Police and veterinary investigations into Rocky's death are ongoing.
