Man faces 3 months jail for killing toy poodle by flinging it against wall

Dog and owner
Dog and owner (Representational picture) Reuters

A 23-year-old Singaporean man was sentenced to three months in jail for killing a toy poodle by flinging it against the wall. The convict Gerald Kok Zhin Oi has abused the toy poodle that belonged to his girlfriend's brother several times in 2016, finally causing its death on the Christmas eve of 2016. Apart from the jail sentence, Gerald has also been banned from owning a pet for one year from the date of his jail release.

During the hearing, the prosecution revealed that Gerald Kok Zhin Oi ill-treated the poodle named Treasure on seven occasions in 2016. While torturing Treasure, Gerald hit it with a cushion and plastic clothes hanger, and on December 25, 2016, he flung the poodle towards a bed causing it to hit its head on a wall and die. According to medical reports, the pet dog has suffered neck and skull fractures which resulted in its instant death.

Yap Teck Chuan, the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority prosecutor said that Gerald had developed a grudge against Treasure ever since it bit him in July 2016, the prosecution said.

Details of the incident

The owner of pet had installed CCTV cameras in the bedroom to monitor Treasure after he realized that Kok had enmity towards the dog. Kok's girlfriend's brother had even requested his mother not to leave the dog alone with the suspect. On December 25, 2016, the family left the house leaving Treasure alone with the poodle.

Understanding Treasure is alone with Kok, his girlfriend rushed to the home, where she saw the suspect standing with a bloodied tissue. Treasure was lying in a pool of blood, and was motionless. She soon took Treasure to the hospital where the pet was pronounced dead.

The CCTV installed in the bedroom too captured Kok's cruel act, and it became a substantial piece of evidence against the convict.

Under Singaporean law, a person who ill-treats pets may get a jail sentence for up to 18 months and a fine up to S$15,000 on each charge.

This article was first published on February 8, 2018
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