Three cases of animal neglect by their owners were brought to court this year.

Offenders are usually charged under the Animal Ordinance 1953 which provides for a maximum fine of RM200 or a jail term not exceeding six months.

Animal lovers and the SPCA have recently called for amendments to the Ordinance, providing for stiffer penalties to those convicted of neglecting or abusing their pets.

But while this is being pushed for by the animal lovers, they are also going after owners who abuse and neglect their animals.

Below are several cases of abuse, neglect and cruelty to animals which reached Malaysian courts:

* On Oct 20, 2005, at the Tumpat magistrate’s court in Kelantan, factory worker Ang Chun Tan, 22, was fined RM7,000 under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, for possessing the carcass of a tiger. The authorities found the remains of the tiger chopped up and stored in a refrigerator.

* On Oct 17, 2005, engineer, Lien Chong San, 46, was fined RM100 by the Shah Alam magistrate's court after he pleaded guilty to neglecting his seven-year-old German Shepherd. The dog named Sheena was found abandoned at a house in Subang Jaya and her body was full of fleas. The place was filthy with faeces all around the animal when it was found. Sheena was put to sleep by the authorities.

* At the Banting magistrate’s court last June, salesman Choong Foo Meng, 42, claimed trial to a charge of negligence and failure to take care of three dogs under his care.

The canines are alleged to have attacked nine-year-old Muhammad Hazman Seh Zahidi, who received 180 stitches in the incident on March 18 in Taman Putra Perdana.

* On June 10, 2004, the Klang magistrate’s court sentenced mini-market owner Chiew Shwe Lee, 44, to a day’s jail and fined him RM150, after he pleaded guilty to hurting his one-year-old dachshund named Tim.

* On June 8, 2004, dog breeder Lau Choo Kee, 46, was fined RM200 for ill-treating 13 dogs under his care, until they had to be treated for skin diseases.

* On Dec 30, 2004, the Kuala Lumpur magistrate’s court sentenced businesswoman Yap Quan Lan, 39, to a three-day jail term and RM200 fine for neglecting her dog.

A team from the SPCA and the Cheras animal department enforcement division had gone to Yap's house in Jalan Serendit, Taman Bukit Maluri, Kepong, and found her dog chained to a palm tree in front of her home.

Source: MalayMail