No loving care: Teoh (right) outside the court. She pleaded guilty to neglecting to care for her female Rottweiler and was slapped with a fine of RM4,000.
TAIPING: A 42-year-old unemployed woman pleaded guilty in a magistrate’s court here to neglecting to care for her female Rottweiler.
Anna Teoh Poi Ling, who admitted to the offence committed at her home in Kampung Boyan here on March 6 last year, was fined RM4,000 by magistrate Mohamed Ruhaizat Abdullah.
The court was told that the dog, which is now 16 years old, was bought by Teoh’s mother for RM1,200 when it was a puppy.
Teoh said she had not intended to abandon the dog after her mother’s death but since taking custody of the dog, she could not care for it because it was too big for her.
“I am alone. I had no time to take care of her. It was my first time rearing a dog,” said Teoh, who is single.
Prosecuting officer Mohd Nizam Abdullah said the dog was not fed.
“It was not given food or water and was neglected by her owner. We got to know about the case through public complaints,” he said.
The Department of Veterinary Services acted together with the assistance of the police to rescue the dog.
He said the owner was not at home when the operation was carried out.
The dog, he said, would be placed under the care of the Department of Veterinary Services and put up for adoption later.
Teoh, who was charged under Section 44 (1)(d) of the Animal Act, is the first person in Perak to be charged under the amended Act which carries a maximum RM50,000 fine or one year’s jail, or both.
