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A TWENTY-thousand ringgit fine. Does that justify the death of a pet dog that was killed in a fit of rage? A Magistrate’s Court in Ipoh seems to think so.

The perpetrator, a 23-year-old mechanic, used an iron rod to hit his sister’s pet dog on the head. Unfortunately for him, it was caught on video and was later shared widely on social media.

The case gained even more notoriety when netizens discovered about the sentence. 

Sabah-based animal welfare group Fair’s President, Shirley Khong, said it was “not an apt punishment” for the level of cruelty inflicted on the dog. 

“The punishment this man received for beating a dog to death is nothing compared to the pain the poor dog had to endure before succumbing to its injuries,” she wrote in Daily Express’ Pets column, recently. 

Meanwhile, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Kota Kinabalu President, Dr Stuart Chin, said the sentence was an “indication that Malaysians are starting to recognise animal welfare as an integral part of our society”. 

He hoped the judicial system will utilise their authority by highlighting the Animal Welfare Act 2015 (Peninsula) and Animal Welfare Enactment 2015 (Sabah), especially in animal abuse cases.

“Many among us are of the opinion that a mere fine isn’t enough,” Dr Stuart said in a statement on the group’s social media page.  

“Can hurting someone’s wallet, especially if the wallet is deep, convert someone to have empathy and compassion for animals? Such a question may seem rhetorical, but it is not our intention to be facile because the question demands serious thought in solution finding.”

Scooby’s story

What about other animal abuse cases that were not known immediately to the public? 

Like Scooby the Luyang stray’s case. He was a healthy dog before a motorist allegedly ran him over on purpose. The injury following the “accident” cost Scooby his mobility.

According to a distraught feeder, the paralysed dog was later euthanised due to his deteriorating condition and lack of quality of life.

The motorist happens to be living in the same neighbourhood where Scooby found shelter. It was in the home of a feeder there. 

Prior to the incident, the “neighbour” had already shown signs of unhappiness with the presence of the strays there despite the dogs’ gentle temperament.

The feeder had lodged police report over the neighbour’s threatening behaviour not only towards the strays but also the feeder.

Dr Stuart said it’s not unusual for feeders to face backlash from fellow neighbours or residential areas where they feed stray dogs or cats.

“In SPCA KK’s existence, we have seen countless cases of cruelty: the feeders who face vile and, sometimes, threatening abuse by those who disagree with stray feeding and TNR (trap, neuter and release).”

He added that even makeshift shelters meant to protect helpless kittens and puppies from the elements were not spared.

“The intractable position of (condominiums) and apartment managements who choose the easier solution of a blanket and knee-jerk no-pet policy instead of putting their heads together and finding solutions on how tenants can share space with their pets; the massive number of pets being dumped without consequences… 

“The authorities’ lack of urgency in taking steps, no matter how small, in tackling a problem that has gnawed on the fabric of animal welfare for so long.”

‘Sabah has one of the worst stray dog problems in SE Asia’

On another note, Dr Stuart was recently invited to present a talk at Sabah Medical Association’s (Sama) Talk-cum-53rd annual general meeting.

Held at the Tanjung Aru State Library, it was organised by Sama’s Dr Christina Rundi and committee members which was attended by some 100 people. 

The objectives of the talk include “to serve as a dynamic platform designed to inspire, educate and motivate individuals across diverse communities as well as to raise awareness on pressing issues and celebrate achievements that often go unnoticed”.

Among the highlights of Dr Stuart’s talk was when he recounted a chance meeting with a retired Chief Executive Officer from Singapore, Mr Huang, in 2017, who left a deep impression on him.

“His unusual passion is to fly around Southeast Asia with his wife to feed homeless dogs. He has been everywhere – Thailand, Laos, the Philippines, Indonesia, the Peninsula – and then he came to Sabah. 

“After seeing it all, he told me: ‘Of all the places I’ve been to in Southeast Asia, Sabah has one of the worst stray dog problems’.

“He wasn’t only referring to the sheer numbers, but also the conditions of the animals – their suffering neglect, and the lack of solutions.

“Now, that may be the view of just one man, but for those of us who work on the ground every day, it resonates deeply.

“That was eight years ago. And so the question I want to reflect on today is this: Where do we stand in 2025?”

During the talk, he summarised his experience as President of SPCA KK for the past 10 years – the beginnings, the progress and the challenges. 

(Below is the rest of the transcript)

Why Animal Welfare Matters

Some may ask: Why bother about cats and dogs when there are so many human problems?

The reality is this: animal welfare is not a side issue. It is deeply tied to who we are as a society. How we treat animals reflects our values and our moral progress. A community that shows compassion to animals will also be a community that shows compassion to people.

Stray animals also directly affect our communities. They are a public health concern. Zoonotic diseases such as rabies – as we have seen tragically in Sarawak – can cost human lives and bring immense disruption.

So animal welfare is about far more than kindness to animals; it is about public health, safety, and the values we uphold as a people.

The Birth of SPCA Kota Kinabalu

Back in 2006, a small group of animal lovers in Kota Kinabalu could no longer bear the cruelty we were witnessing daily:

• Emaciated and diseased dogs and cats loitering at coffee shops.
• Animals scarred from abuse – splashed with hot water or oil.
• Puppies and kittens dumped in rubbish centres to die.
• Some even sent to crocodile farms as live food.
• Knee jerk respond by council workers who will cornered dogs & beat them to death or shot in full view of the public when there were complaints. 

All of this, inflicted on creatures we call “man’s best friend” – loyal, protective, and even life-saving.

From this painful reality, SPCA Kota Kinabalu was born.

In the beginning, we had nothing but determination. We dug into our own pockets to treat sick and injured animals. We converted abandoned houses into makeshift shelters. We counselled owners who kept pets under cruel conditions.

It was not uncommon for us to be verbally abused, or even threatened physically. The law at the time was outdated and weak. Yet, our members never gave up.

A Breakthrough: Animal Welfare Enactment 2015

After nearly 10 years of persistence, a major milestone came in 2015. Working with the Department of Veterinary Services and the State Attorney-General, the Animal Welfare Enactment 2015, was passed by the state assembly replacing outdated colonial-era laws from the 1960s.

For the first time, Sabah had a modern law with real penalties for cruelty. It was a new dawn. But soon we realised: a law is only as good as its enforcement.

Awareness was low, even among enforcement officers. And so, we had to take up another role – as educators and advocates.

Education and advocacy

We held dialogues with DVS officers, police, senior government officials, and ministers. We spoke at public events, wrote in newspapers, and posted on social media.

In every meeting with government agencies, we were told: “There is no funding”

But in a recent meeting with the State’s Economic Planning Unit, it was revealed that they had never received applications for funding from any departments to address these issues. 

This was duly noted by the State Secretary, who instructed the relevant departments to take a more proactive approach.

With that, we hope to see our government agencies taking a more active approach in the future.

Building a shelter (2017)

For nearly 10 years, we operated out of warehouses and makeshift shelters – cramped and unsatisfactory.

Then in 2017, thanks to the generosity of Datin Ann Chow and many supporters, we purchased 4.5 acres of land in Papar and built a proper shelter.

This was a turning point.

Finally, we had a safe and proper space to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome.

Today, SPCA KK has 15 full-time staff caring for over 300 animals at our shelter, while responding to public calls, coordinating rescues, and running a charity shop in Karamunsing to raise funds.

But our shelter is beyond our capacity. We now rely on foster families to provide temporary homes.

Running a shelter and providing rescues, veterinary care, and rehoming costs about RM90,000 every month. Except for the occasional grants from the state government, our expenses are almost entirely funded by donations from the public.

As we worked over the years, one truth has become clear:

Rescue and sheltering alone will never solve the problem without tackling the Root Cause which is uncontrolled breeding of pets and strays.

Neutering has been shown in many countries to be effective in the control of stray population.

Since our early days, SPCA KK has promoted TNRM—Trap, Neuter, Release & Manage but our effort has always been limited by the lack of funding.

Neutering is safe, kind, and endorsed by all veterinary bodies. It reduces suffering and prevents thousands of unwanted births.

In 2022 and 2023, SPCA KK managed to successfully convinced Yayasan Hasanah to partner with us to conduct a mass neutering project.

We neutered 2,688 stray dogs in Inanam and Menggatal. The result was a sharp drop in strays in those zones.

Encouraged by this success, in 2025 we secured another Yayasan Hasanah grant to aim to neuter close to 3,000 dogs in the zone of Kota Kinabalu and Likas-Damai.

So today, our focus is not just to rescue animals in distress, but to prevent future suffering through neutering.

Where do we stand in 2025?

So – are we better off today?

In urban areas, yes. Numbers are fewer. Public attitudes are changing. Cruelty is less tolerated. But problems remain.

We still see pets dumped when no longer wanted, chained or caged continuously without food or shelter. We still see puppies and kittens abandoned. We still see council-caught dogs dumped in remote areas.

All of these acts are unlawful, but they continue – because of weak enforcement.

We have come a long way, but there is still a long way to go.

Challenges Ahead

Short-term challenge: Meeting our monthly operating expenses.

Long-term challenge: Changing the mindset of the public and government.

Our work is often unseen, unrecognised, and sometimes criticised. With limited resources, we cannot meet every expectation. But we will not waver.

At SPCA KK, we will continue to strive toward that vision – for the animals, for our community, and for Sabah’s future.

Closing

Let me close with the wisdom of Mahatma Gandhi, who basically summarised what I have said: “The greatness of a nation, and its moral progress, can be judged by the way its animals are treated”.