Sabah woman jailed for feeding pet dog 32 sewing needles

By Olivia Miwil - August 3, 2018 @ 12:49pm

Picture by Khairull Azry NSTP

KOTA KINABALU: A woman from Kinarut was sentenced to a day in jail and fined RM7,000 in default of seven days’ imprisonment for feeding her dog 32 sewing needles.

Vegetable seller Latifah @ Hilda Dusin, 53, pleaded guilty to the charge framed under Sec 18(1)(e) of the Animal Welfare Enactment 2015 before sessions court judge Ainul Shahrin Mohamed.

Latifah is believed to have committed the act out of revenge.

On Jan 19 last year, her black dog attacked her younger son, causing severe injuries to the boy.

The day before, the canine had also bitten her daughter in a less violent attack.

In response, Latifah fed the dog a piece of bread filled with 32 sewing needles.

She revealed her act to her elder daughter, Melisa Chin Ying Hwa, who lives in Sandakan.

Chin alerted the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), and Latifah was arrested.

During mitigation, the single mother, who was unrepresented, asked for a light sentence, as she brings in a low income and uses the money for her children’s schooling.

“If I am jailed, no one will look after my children.

“This is also my first offence and it was done to protect my children,” she added.

Dr Zul Bahar Abdul Rashid from Sabah’s Veterinary Service department prosecuted.

This is the second animal cruelty case in Sabah brought to court since the new Enactment was passed.