02-07-2025
Man released on 2-year good behaviour bond
Published on: Wednesday, July 02, 2025
Published on: Wed, Jul 02, 2025
By: Cynthia D Baga Text Size: The offence under Section 22(1) of the Animals Welfare Enactment 2015 and punishable under Section 22(2) of the same Act provides for a fine of up to RM75,000, or a jail term of up to two years, or both, on conviction. Kota Kinabalu: A 24-year-old man was released on two years of good behavior bond for not exercising reasonable care and supervision in relation to the welfare of his Siberian husky. The pet was cruelly beaten by a septuagenarian who was also charged and sentenced accordingly, after killing two turkeys and in self-defence. Sessions Court Judge Hurman Hussain handed the sentence to Brandon Tim Tony who pleaded guilty to the charge against him. Brandon was released on bond with RM2,000 in a local surety and with no conviction record. Apart from that, he was also ordered to attend an animal welfare awareness training session organised by the Sabah Department of Veterinary Services (DVS). Brandon had failed to provide reasonable care and supervision concerning the animal's welfare or protection from cruelty of his dog at 1.30pm on Dec 31, 2024 at a house in Taman Donggongon, Penampang. The offence under Section 22(1) of the Animals Welfare Enactment 2015 and punishable under Section 22(2) of the same Act provides for a fine of up to RM75,000, or a jail term of up to two years, or both, on conviction. Previously, on Apr 14, this year, Brandon pleaded guilty to the same charge, but his plea was rejected after he disputed the facts of the case that were read to him. Prosecuting Officer Francis Palikat from DVS informed the court that Brandon through his counsel, had submitted a representation letter to the Sabah State Attorney General's Office, requesting that his client be released on a good behaviour bond. The prosecution also confirmed that the representation had been received. According to the facts of the case, on the day of the incident at around 11.30am, Brandon found that his pet dog, a four-year-old male Siberian Husky named Coby, was missing from the fenced compound of his house. At around 1.30pm, Brandon found his dog weak and covered in blood on the head and mouth, within a fenced area behind a house located 50 to 60 metres from his home. Brandon's mother later lodged a police report regarding the incident at 4.41pm the same day, while the owner of that house, Yong Chen Fah, had made a report earlier at around 2.41pm. A site inspection found that Brandon's house had a fence that was tall and sturdy enough to prevent the dog from escaping. There were no gaps allowing the dog to slip out, and the fence had a locking mechanism that was difficult to open from the outside. However, the owner had not put up a 'Beware of Dog' warning sign and had not provided a suitable leash or collar for control when not at home. The house also did not have a closed-circuit camera (CCTV) system. Meanwhile, an inspection of Yong's property found that the fence around the turkey coop at the back of the house was not tall or secure enough, with large gaps that allowed the dog to enter. The house also lacked security systems such as CCTV. During the investigation, Yong admitted to injuring the dog by throwing stones and hitting it on the head four to five times with a wooden stick after it entered his livestock enclosure and attacked his pet turkeys. According to an examination and treatment by the veterinarian who treated the dog, the animal suffered from optic nerve neuritis in the right eye due to traumatic injury. In addition, the dog sustained injuries to the forehead, a fractured left molar tooth, and a severe ulcer in the right eye. The dog underwent 'corneal repair' and a 'third eyelid flap' procedure because its right eye had ruptured. Brandon's failure to properly care for and supervise his pet dog resulted in the animal suffering injuries due to negligence. Brandon was represented by counsel Batholomew Jingulam. Earlier, media reported that Yong, a senior citizen, was fined RM4,000 after pleading guilty to injuring the Siberian Husky that had entered his property and killed his pet turkeys. He paid the fine. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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