Owner lodges police report after postman hurts dog

 

A screenshot from the 21-second CCTV footage shows the dog being hurt in the eye by a projectile shot by the postman.

PETALING JAYA: The owner of a dog who was hurt in the eye by a Pos Malaysia postman in Kluang, Johor, yesterday has lodged a police report on the matter.

“The police said they will come to my house to investigate. They want to take some photos and collect the rubber band,” Sivakumar Marimuthu told FMT.

“I brought my dog to the vet at around 12pm today and don’t have any updates about his vision yet,” Sivakumar said.

The 41-year-old added that the dog named John has been with him for the past 10 years.

In a 21-second CCTV video posted on the Malaysia Independent Animal Rescue (MIAR) Facebook page yesterday, a Pos Malaysia postman on a motorcycle was seen looking at Sivakumar’s dog which was inside his compound.

The postman, who remained outside the gate, then uses what appears to be a slingshot to fire a projectile towards the dog.

Sivakumar said the incident happened when the postman delivered a letter that had to be signed by his wife. After the postman rang the bell, Sivakumar’s dog rushed out from the house into the compound and that was when he was shot.

Sivakumar said his wife did not see the postman shoot the dog but saw it “running away in pain”. She then signed for the letter, after which she attended to the dog.

Realising something was amiss, she alerted Sivakumar, who then checked the CCTV.

In a statement today, Pos Malaysia said it had suspended the postman in question pending the outcome of its investigation into the matter.

Stressing that it regretted the individual’s action, Pos Malaysia said it will not hesitate to take stern action against such misconduct by its employees, including termination of service.

“Our stand against animal cruelty will not be taken lightly,” Pos Malaysia said.

Sivakumar said several Pos Malaysia officials visited him at home this morning to discuss the incident and said Pos Malaysia would pick up the tab for his dog’s medical bill.

He added that they had appealed to him not to bring the matter to court.

“I told them I would make a police report first,” he said, adding that he will decide on any legal action to be taken with Rajesh Nagarajan, a member of the Lawyers for Animal Rights group, and Puspa Rani Thanabalasingam, who is the founder of MIAR.

Speaking to FMT, Rajesh said Pos Malaysia’s statement on the incident was “insufficient”.

Stating that the postman had committed an offence under the Penal Code and the Animal Welfare Act, Rajesh demanded Pos Malaysia also lodge a police report and “allow the wheels of justice to turn”.

 

-FMT