Probe dog’s death in alleged firecracker blast under Animal Welfare Act, says lawyer

Rajesh Nagarajan says investigating the case under the Penal Code is ‘legally unacceptable’.

Lawyers for Animal Rights founder Rajesh Nagarajan said the Animal Welfare Act 2015 was enacted to deal with cases such as the one in Batu Gajah, Perak.

PETALING JAYA:

 An animal rights lawyer wants the police to confirm that an investigation into the killing of a stray dog in Perak in a suspected firecracker blast is being conducted under the Animal Welfare Act 2015, rather than relying solely on the provisions of the Penal Code.

Batu Gajah police chief Aehawan Mohammad said police arrested a 64-year-old man in connection with the case yesterday, which is being investigated under Section 428 of the Penal Code, which covers mischief by killing, poisoning, maiming, or rendering an animal useless.

Rajesh Nagarajan said investigating the case under the Penal Code was “legally unacceptable, conceptually flawed, and deeply disappointing”, arguing that Parliament had already established a comprehensive legal framework specifically to address animal cruelty.

“Enforcement agencies must immediately clarify that the case falls within the scope of the Animal Welfare Act, Malaysia’s specialised animal protection legislation.

“Anything less would amount to institutional reluctance to confront animal cruelty head-on,” said the Lawyers for Animal Rights founder.

He said the Act, which was enacted precisely to deal with such cases, is a specialised statute designed to criminalise acts of cruelty, with specific definitions, investigative powers, and sentencing frameworks tailored to animal abuse. - FMT